At the heart of these plans lies the intention of senior staff to visit with and value every single parish in our diocese.
The conversations will be, first and foremost, an opportunity for listening – for members of the Bishop’s Team to hear about the joys, challenges, concerns and opportunities that each parish is presently grappling with. They will also be opportunities for senior clergy and diocesan colleagues to work with you to identify what additional or new support might best benefit parish clergy, lay ministers and their colleagues as they seek to thrive in mission and ministry in our parishes.
Meetings will use the well-established model of ‘Appreciative Enquiry’ to help structure conversations, exploring together those areas where God is already at work in the parish – and spending some time imagining what a healthy and exciting future might look like.
Parishes will be contacted directly by their Episcopal Area Trios to arrange dates for the Conversations. Until you hear directly from them, you don’t need to do anything – except start thinking about how you might like your local Conversation to run. For example, it is hoped that where there is a parish school, the team or leadership from the school might also be part of the Conversation. An outline for the day might include the following:
4pm – Meeting with the incumbent or clergy team
5pm – Meeting with the school or one key parish group
6:30pm – Supper with a group such as young people
7:30pm – A meeting with the PCC
8:30/9pm – Finish
However, please note that this is offered as an example – please don’t feel that your day will be restricted to this format.
Although the Conversations are not designed to replace Archdeacons’ annual inspections, their inspections will be suspended for this period – although those conducted by Area Deans or Deanery Lay Chairs will go ahead so as to retain this important contact. We do not want the Conversations to be burdensome – but rather a joyful opportunity for diocesan senior staff to hear how things are locally, to learn from our parishes and to offer support and guidance, where needed.
