Diocesan Synod to focus on Shape of Parish Ministry motions

The 142nd session of Synod will meet in-person from Oct. 20 to 22 for the first time since 2019.

It will begin with an opening Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral (which will also be live streamed) on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. Synod will convene on Friday Oct. 21 until noon on Sat. Oct. 22 at the St. Elias Centre (750 Ridgewood Ave., Ottawa).

A key focus of the Synod will be consideration of three proposals that have resulted from the Shape of Parish Ministry consultations (SPMC) that began in 2021 with the creation of parish profiles. Customized toolkits for each parish were designed to help parish clergy and leaders explore their individual situations and share thoughts and ideas about the shape of parish ministry across the diocese. Throughout the consultations, the SPMC team heard that parishes are challenged by volunteer fatigue, property and administrative responsibilities, finances, aging congregations, and evangelism. But it also reported that “parish clergy and lay leaders are inspired to work together more, reach more people, enrich their discipleship, clarify and support shared lay and clergy leadership. They are ready to change in order to grow and serve.” 

From these discussions, the SPMC team developed three proposals (as reported in the September issue of Crosstalk). Following online and in-person meetings to discuss them at the end of June, the proposals were further revised over the summer and presented to Diocesan Council in September. 

Here are some excerpted highlights of proposals, revised to incorporate feedback, that Synod will consider.

Proposal One 

Strengthening for the future

This proposal seeks to clarify understanding of different models of parishes; to consolidate activities wherever possible to strengthen overall parish ministry; and to promote collaboration and use of collective resources in ways that support and enable parishes.

Clarifying the different types of parish structures (single point, multi-point, area, pastoral and chapel) and various “life-cycle” processes parishes may go through (creation, disestablishment, amalgamation, chapel designation). 

Consolidating parish ministry The consultations revealed a significant number of parishes and congregations who believe they are in a time of transition and are open to moving into a different kind of parish structure. Many others are wondering about the possibility of being in transition sometime in the future. About a dozen parishes appear to be in a place where immediate action can be taken to consolidate, and Bishop Shane has already begun conversations, in consultation with parish leaders and territorial archdeacons, with a number of those parishes.

Motion P1A requests that a guide be created to help parishes discern when the time is right to move to a different parish structure and urges parish leaders who have discerned that the time is right to begin active conversations with the bishop and their territorial archdeacon to make changes as soon as possible.

Motion P1C urges staff and relevant diocesan bodies, under the guidance of the bishop, to take action to stimulate innovation and collaboration between parishes.

Collaboration and interdependence

Participants in the consultations expressed a strong desire to become more collaborative and interdependent by uploading some responsibilities to Ascension House and to centralize or regionalize some other functions. 

Mitigating financial demands on parishes

Motion P1D asks Diocesan Council to strike a task force to conduct a review of Parish Fair Share. Any recommended changes would be brought to Synod 2023 for approval.

Based on a review of untapped sources of financial relief, Motion P1E asks that Synod approve the use of dividends from undesignated and bishop’s discretionary trusts held in the diocesan Consolidated Trust Fund to contribute to the overall, shared costs of parish ministry.

Areas for improvement

Many functions are duplicated across the diocese without added benefit, while opportunities to share resources and take advantage of bulk buying are missed. 

The bishop and staff at Ascension House have identified several areas where improved support or options for relief can happen: property and asset management, financial and administrative services and human resource management (including some support for volunteer recruitment and management).

Proposal Two 

Lifelong formation —nurturing parish ministry 

This proposal focuses on building capacity to equip parishes for ministry by establishing a program of modules for parish advancement; providing guides and regular training for people in parish leadership positions; and establishing resource pods of people with interest and expertise in various areas who will share information with the diocese as a whole.

Parish advancement

Knowledge and resources gained from participating in the School for Parish Development for several years can be built on and expanded into a diocesan parish advancement program, designed for parish teams of clergy and lay leaders. The parish advancement program would include several modules that address key areas such as building trust and community; thinking strategically; assessing needs; managing change; and effective stewardship.

Parish leadership training 

Consultations revealed a desire for increased training and support for parish leadership, to ensure people have the technical skills and knowledge needed to fulfil their responsibilities.  There was particular concern with regard to the work and responsibilities of treasurers, wardens, head servers, parish administrators, music directors and parish council members.

Motion P2B asks staff and relevant diocesan bodies to prepare up-to-date resources and regular training sessions for parish leadership roles. 

Resource pods

Intentionally creating “resource pods,” which gather people (lay and ordained) around areas of common interest and expertise, can offer a means to provide mutual learning and support to all members of the diocese. The Shape of Parish Ministry consultations identified many areas that would benefit from resource pods, such as children and youth, adult education, rural ministry, pastoral visiting, evangelism, food security, and mental health advocacy.  

Resource pods would share best practices and failed experiments, discover opportunities for collaboration (especially on issues that cut across different pods), and offer the gift of collegiality. Motion P2C asks that a working group be tasked with responsibilities related to creating resource pods to be completed and presented to Diocesan Council in March 2023.

Proposal Three

Engagement with the world: new worshipping communities and contextual mission 

This proposal looks forward to engaging with the world by establishing new worshipping communities tailored to include people the church is not currently reaching and by doing contextual mission (learning how to share the love of God in an age where many have given up on religion, where there are many kinds of religions, and where many are wary of religion.) 

New worshipping communities

Three groups are identified as people who might respond to new worshipping communities in some parts of the diocese: young adults, global Christians, seekers and those who have left the Anglican church or other churches. There is good reason to believe that creating new worshipping communities is a good way to foster renewal in many parishes.

Motion P3A asks that Synod declare its commitment to the strategic priority of engagement with the world through developing new worshipping communities and contextual mission, and that a working group appointed by the bishop conduct one or two pilot projects in 2022 and prepare a detailed plan of action, including a time of intentional prayer and discernment, to be presented for adoption at Synod 2023.

Funding

The “Second Century Fund” is an existing trust held by the diocese of approximately $1.5 million. Its original goal was to help to expand parish ministry in the new millennium. It could be dedicated to creating new worshipping communities.

Motion P3C proposes that the existing “Second Century Fund” held by the diocese in the Consolidated Trust Fund be renamed the “Future Fund” and be dedicated to the funding of new worshipping communities and contextual mission, and that a proposal for how this fund is to be used and further developed be brought to Synod 2023.