Looking Back

Toronto GridFinance

Mission

1

Lack the resources (people, networks, buildings, spiritual health, money) to

carry out their mission

1

1

1

STRUGGLING: (%)

1 1

3 3

STRATEGIC: (%)

Deanery Grid

1

1

2

STATIC: (%)

1

No clear mission to context,

inward looking, maintenance

focused

1

4

1

1

3

SUSTAINABLE: (%)

Able to articulate and demonstrate

a vital mission and ministry

appropriate to context

1

1

2 1

1

Have the resources (people, networks, buildings, spiritual health, money) to

carry out their mission

Looking Around

•Discovering the heart of God•Growing disciples•Reaching new generations•Transforming communities•Practising generosity

Looking Ahead

1. 40% of Stipendiary clergy will retire by 2020

2. Financial demands will increase in the same period.

2013-2018Diocese of Lichfield

to lose 40 stipendiary clergy

Could we afford these budget increases?

BUT that would mean we could not afford as many clergy as now.

But if we cannot pay more, then the reduced

numbers of stipends will look like this

2014 to 2018 …

End 2013

End 2014

End of 2015

End of 2016

End 2017

WOLVES(44%)

5.72 3.96 (9.68)

3.08 (12.76)

2.64 (15.4)

2.2 (17.6)

STOKE(36%)

4.68 3.24 (7.92)

2.52 (10.44)

2.16 (12.6)

1.8 (14.4)

SALOP(20%)

2.60 1.8 (4.4)

1.4 (5.8)

1.2 (7.00)

1.0 (8.00)

TOTAL 13 9 (22) 7 (29) 6 (35) 5(40)

Looking Different

We need clergy to:-• Celebrate the sacraments• Focus prayer and pastoral care• Provide theological reflection• Be a living reminder of God’s

claim upon people’s lives

In the Garden of Eden

Key:The Flock

The Shepherd

Every Vicar with a Church, every Church with a Vicar

After the Fall… in numbers

Key:The Flocks

The Ranchers

“Cursed is the ground… by the sweat of your brow you will eat your food”

The Nightmare Vision

“I, even I only,am left” (Elijah)

Key:Sheep without a shepherd

Vicar having nervous breakdown

Arise the Team

“The load is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” Jethro

Key:The Ministered-to

Vicar The ministry Team (NSM, reader, authorised people)

Focal Ministries

Key:

Christian community with focal leaders

Stipendiary Priest - Focal ministry for one Church

- Oversight over others

Focal Ministers (each could be a small team)

“If anyone sets his heart in being an overseer, he desires a noble heart” [Paul to Timothy]

Missionary Communities

Key:

Missionary Communities who share the faith by word and deed

Stipendiary Priest - Focal ministry for one Church

- Oversight over others

Focal Ministers

And all are trained for their roles!

Clergy

Laity

Clergy

Laity

Min

istry

Disc

iple

ship

KoinoniaWhat we have in

commonWhat we share with

each other

We go forward under the mandate of the One who has all authority in heaven and earth.

Christ’s sovereignty We go forward together – the ‘Go’ of the Great Commission is directed at the whole church.

Christ’s SendingWe go forward with the pledge of God’s presence – ‘ I am with you until the end of time’.

Christ’s sustaining

So the choice for every human being is between death or death

The death of letting-go that hurts like hell but leads to resurrection, or the death of slow extinction as all the energies are spent on getting and keeping - instead of living and giving.The same can be said of every church congregation.