Minster Communities - Working Group 29th August, 7.30pm Hathern Church
The Minster Community formation process takes a big step on 29 August where we will determine what areas of focus we look at when developing the proposal for what our life together will look like. You are warmly invited to attend!
Aims of each Working Group:
Engagement, working together, governance and safeguarding: The aim of this working group is to understand how the churches are feeling about engaging in the formation of a Minster Community. Understanding the churches’ approaches to working across difference, and recognizing their questions, hopes and concerns about being able to work together. This will include considering governance and safeguarding questions across the new Minster Community. Then to offer insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Growing Faith and Schools: The aim of this working group is to bring together an understanding of what is currently going on in this Minster Community area relating to growing faith in schools, churches and households, focusing on how they are engaging with children and young people. Then to think about how the Minster Community could work in the future and put forward insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Discipleship, Pioneering and Mission: The aim of this working group is to bring together an understanding of what is currently going on in this Minster Community area relating to depth of discipleship, growing the number of disciples and loving service of the world (three key questions). This will include any pioneer ministry, church plants, fresh expressions and potential mission to new housing estates. Then to think about how the Minster Community could work together in mission in the future and put forward insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Geography, Context and Resources: The aim of this working group is to bring together the current understanding our churches have of their geography (physical and social) and context which will provide resources and opportunities for their future as churches participating in God’s mission. To think about how the Minster Community could work in the future to take part in the public life of the area. This work will complement that of the Growing Faith and Schools WG (and possibly the New Communities WG).
People and Ministry: The aim of this working group is finding out who is ministering in this Minster Community Area, lay (licensed and unlicensed) and ordained. What areas of ministry are currently well resourced or under resourced? Who is God bringing forward and how are the churches in this Minster Community spotting and equipping this? Then to think about how the Minster Community could work in the future and put forward insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Finance and Generosity: The aim of this working group is to bring together an understanding of the current financial position of the churches across this Minster Community area. Exploring the financial viability of this potential Minster Community in relation to paying for stipendiary ministry. Gather a picture of the culture of finance and generosity of the churches in the Minster Community area and consider how this could be developed. Then to think about how the Minster Community could work in the future and put forward insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Buildings: The aim of this working group is to gather together an understanding of the current condition, use, practicalities and potential of the buildings in the Minster Community area. Are there any initial ideas of how we could work together and what big questions do we need to grapple with as a Minster Community in relation to our church buildings? Then to think about how the Minster Community could work in the future and put forward insights, possibilities and questions to the Co-ordinating group.
Worship, liturgy and music: our worship is the other side of mission and this group will consider how the Minster Community can work together to enhance what happens when we gather to worship God – how we can do this better.
Others … suggested on the night by attendees