When the map runs out
Several years ago, Bishop Andrew had the diocese engage in a book called Canoeing the Mountains. A core part of the book was to explore how we lead and make progress when the map runs out and we do not know exactly what is coming as our journey proceeds. The spirit of that initiative is at work again this coming weekend as the parishes of Napier will be gathering for a consultation on how they may be able to partner with one another more closely to fulfil the mission of the Anglican Church in the city. This is a significant step as it is one being taken not out of necessity or decline, but instead as an intentional process of bringing the strengths of each parish together to see how they can more effectively respond to the needs of their faith communities and of the city. In many ways, this process is akin to the challenge outlined in Canoeing the Mountains – attempting to discern the way ahead and to give direction and orientation when the map seems to have run out. The journey these consultations continues us on is, how do we best live out the mission of the Anglican Church in Napier and what are the structures that we need to help us do that?
As you will know, the Anglican Diocese of Waiapu is in the process of implementing a strategic plan that has been carefully consulted, crafted and developed over the past 2 years and is now beginning to find expression in initiatives and announcements. The Koru announcements made this week, the Resourcing Parishes paper explored last week and several upcoming projects and announcements it is worth keeping an eye out for as all part of the now active implementation work of the diocese.
For some, the immediate question that comes when discussing the strategic plan is what this means for me and my parish, and what should we be doing. Elements of direction and encouragement toward those things will come, especially with the implementation of Resourcing Parishes in the future, but to answer them we need to consider the underlying intent of the diocesan strategic plan. In the early iterations of the plan, the idea we call discipleship was originally entitled Strong local Anglican faith communities. The title was changed as the emphasis broadened, but the local expression of the church is still very much at the centre of the plan. But the strategy also acknowledges that there is no way for the diocese as a central authority to know all the nuance and specificity of the local – that is why we appoint local leadership and have local governance. The local church’s responsibility is to give expression to the ministry and mission of the church in the local context.
The diocese’s emphasis in this work is one of resourcing, encouraging, investing and of drawing forward and forming the leaders that can help the local church achieve this goal. Acknowledging this, in the coming months there will be an opportunity to meet with diocesan leadership as parishes to explore how and where you believe God is calling you in your ministry and how the diocese can support and encourage this.
Comments