26 June 2008
Julie's Blog from the Diocesan Lay Conference Part 2
A further account on the experience of the conference
Day 2 was Saturday and we had a very full programme. Early morning worship before breakfast then into the workshops that we had chosen. The three that I attended were "Easy Evangelism", "Lay Pioneer Ministry and Developing Fresh Expressions of Church" and "Discerning Priorities for Mission".
Revd Ian Enticott led the session on evangelism. We considered the principles and how we thought that putting them into practice was very difficult. We looked at how the experience of attending church can be more off-putting than encouraging. We then looked at our faith journeys and remembered who had been influential in those journeys and the impact they had had on us. We shared some of those thoughts with one another in small groups, telling our stories. We also looked at how faith influences our daily lives. Following this we considered God's story looking at who Jesus is and what being a Christian is all about. After we had all discussed these topics briefly with one another,Ian pointed out that we were already "doing evangelism"! It was a useful reminder of how important it is for us to be prepared to share our stories, "to account for the hope that is in us" as St Peter put it. We need to be creative about finding ways of doing this in a non-threatening way with those outside church circles. There are resources to help like the "Start" course for seekers and "Emmaus" and to help give us confidence there is training like "Lost for Words" which is to help give us confidence in evangelism. We should not be put off by the word "evangelism" but see if there are ways in which we can help move people close to becoming believers.
My second session was with Steve Croft looking at some of the Fresh Expressions that are going on up and down the country. Steve told us about the ways in which churches are finding new ways of being church in our changing culture and how they are proving fruitful. The emphasis should not be on drawing people back to the old way of church but more on finding new ways of being church to people today. Steve suggested that we need a "mixed economy" some "church as is" and something new, a fresh expression as well. There is a DVD which illustrates some of the things that are happening across a broad spectrum from re-imagining for mission, which can be discerning something new that needs to happen within the existing arrangements, for example something new replacing the all age worship, or, something local and lay led based on what was there previously, such as the youth group, or even getting into the realms or something entirely new that is wider than the parish and could be ecumenical or Deanery based. These projects tend to have some funding and be lay led but supported by clergy some of the time. Then there are very large funded projects which may have their own Pioneer Minister and operate under the new Bishops Mission Order.
The variety of activities is as wide as imagination allows! One example and there will be a training day for this later in the Summer,is "Messy Church" which involves fun and worship with parents and children meeting after school making things, (crafts) playing games, a very brief informal act of worship and a simple meal to share. The emphasis on Messy Church is FUN! Another example in our own Diocese is "Crafty Christians" based in Frodsham and they meet together to make cards, using Bible studies to choose verses for the cards for various occasions. Fresh Expressions looks for ways in which we can provide church for all sorts of groups. Church is a group of people who want to be with Jesus and who are prepared to be sent our in service and mission, a Christ-centred community - all the rest is culture. The existing church needs to look at who is church and then decide when and where to meet. Fresh expressions will come into being through listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples.
The Third session was with Revd Canon Dr Judy Hunt on Discerning Priorities for Mission. Archbishop Rowan Williams says "Mission is discovering what God is already doing and joining in" . Judy helped us to think about how we perceive God at work and find examples from the Bible of the characteristics that are often present when the Holy Spirit is at work. We also looked at our personal experience of this and considered how we might discover what is going on in our parishes. We need to listen with God's ears, be in touch with all parts of the community and be aware of the gifts and outward looking concerns of church members. We also need to exercise discernment in order to distill the "God ideas" from the "Good ideas". Judy suggested that we need to do this in prayer considering the results of our actions and all possible outcomes and that a way of helping us to discern this was to use the approach of the Ignation tradition. I have some experience of this approach and now how valuable it can be. This session inspired me the most as it gave a way forward from where we are now.
It was a very tiring day - all that thinking! However, all of the workshops that I attended were helpful and stimulating. They led me into possibility thinking for our own parish and I am excited and hopeful about what St Cross might be able to do.
Posted by Julie Withers