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1.1 Following our last report to Assembly it was time to review the work undertaken by our Development Officer and our YCWT. Whilst initially it was proposed to write a strategy for Training it soon became obvious that what was needed was an overall strategy for Mission in the Synod. 1.2 The process of producing our Synod Strategy involved a consultation process among the churches and Districts, and it was about this time that our 6 District Synod became a 4-District Synod. Our Scotland District, small in numbers but huge in acres, formed part of the new Synod of Scotland. The other 'lost' District came about because Durham and Teesside Districts joined together because they felt that this would be a better use of stretched human resources. 1.3 The Strategy was to double the size of the Synod Development Team the majority of the funding coming from Synod resources resulting from the sale of property and from growth in the money markets. Synod took the decision that to support the mission of the local churches, this was the time for help to enable those churches to think and work through what it means to be the church in a community early in this new century. 1.4 A brief precis of our Strategy including its title, key questions and areas of work are set out below On Being a Faithful Church in a demanding Age The key questions are: a) What will the church look like in 2010 if we do nothing? b) What do we want it to look like? Key Areas of Work: The provision of training opportunities for all church leaders and officers. Planning and equipping for church growth and development, including, where appropriate, community involvement and the identification and allocation of financial and other resources. Ecumenical. To create greater understanding of the potential for ecumenical partnerships and projects in order to maximise the use of resources and impact. Specialist provision for working with teenagers and young people. Encouraging a greater sense of belonging to the World Church. 1.5 It was remarkable how this strategy fitted with the Five Marks of Mission which were produced at about the same time. The assistance of the Assembly Visitors in the initial working out of the Strategy has been invaluable, particularly as they have been able to ask penetrating questions, coming as they do with different experiences from other Synods. 1.6 The ongoing challenge is that of communication - how do we produce an effective system so that we hear what is being said? In this world of e-mail and the web is it that news travels too fast and goes straight on by...? 1.7 An equal challenge is that of structures. As with many other Synods this is a live issue for us, and what we need is a new structure that frees up ministers and the laity for work in local communities both where congregations already exist and in areas where the church is not penetrating at all. |
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