Bishop's Blog
Bishop's Letter - October
Monday 3rd October 2011 11:27 AM
Dear Friends,
I'm sure you know that the Clergy and Readers have recently returned from a 4-day Ministry Conference in Lancaster University - the first ever but not the last! I think it is fair to say that the response to the Conference has been overwhelming. One seasoned cleric wrote to me that it was "by far the best event I have attended in the C of E." Several Readers commented that now they know they are part of the public ministry team in the Diocese.
With our seven new clergy in the last few months - two deacons and five who have responded to the call to come to live and work among us - we have now built a great ministry team. So, where are we going now?
The main speakers at the Conference spoke of the challenges that face us as we bring the Gospel ("the old, old story of Jesus and his love") to what sometimes seems a scary new world. It is daunting but we're up for it and ready to move forward, ready to grow.
Growth is our priority and growth must be the test of our actions as churches, parishes, PCCs, Mission Partnerships and Synod. Growth in six directions:
- 1. Growth in spiritual life: developing our relationship with God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- 2. Growth in understanding: getting to grips with the Bible and the privileges of worship and witness.
- 3. Growth in numbers: sharing the joyful good news of Jesus with friends, family, colleagues, neighbours.
- 4. Growth in youthfulness: focusing on our relationships with the under-40's.
- 5. Growth in ecumenical collaboration: building on the Covenant for Mission.
- 6. Growth in world-church awareness: learning from our brothers and sisters elsewhere.
So that's the challenge to grow. Nothing, but nothing, gets in the way of those growth priorities. Please use them as a bench-mark "Together making Christ visible".
With every blessing.
+ Robert.
Posted 11:27 AM | Permalink