Page 57 - The Church of Ireland Apologetic for Mission?
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e. Being “utterly serious about our foundation” – a “diversity of styles can
be tolerated” (‘generous orthodoxy’) but “whatever happens it is based on our fundamental identity ... the Church as part of the holy Catholic Church worshipping the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, proclaiming afresh”. In short, the task
was “to reduce clutter and create an educational framework for common action where all can work together”.
f. Today’s task of mission is huge, and the bishop spoke of “the need to face up honestly to what’s happening otherwise reality overtakes us”.
g. Be “Christ centred and outward looking”, distilled into three conversations: Confident (in the Gospel of Jesus Christ); Compassionate (tested by the quality
of prayer life and knowledge of the Scriptures) and Creative.
h. “... in our axial age where politicians find it hard to create a narrative of hope” that those Christians “who have escaped in–house issues” can be “visionary and enlivening in our own time ... We need a deeper sense of now”.
Dr Morris added her own observations:
a. She suspected that God’s people “are a little scared of this new world” and that “in the context of decline it’s difficult to ask the missional questions”.
b. The essential first–step discipline of “standing back in order to put aside our many ideas and our many frustrations and dare to ask for eyes to see what God is doing”.
c. We will never be able to encapsulate it
in an easy list. “There will always be an element of mystery, let’s rejoice in that. There is going to be variety. God is going to be up to different things in different places and different things in different people in the same place; there is no competition in that”.
The two–day conference allowed for preparation before further discussions on
these matters took place at the General Synod in May of that year. At the 2014 General Synod the Council was given permission to run a ‘breakout’ session. Coming at the end of a long day of synod business the statistics were nevertheless encouraging. 31 discussion groups consisting of 192 (45% out of a possible 432) synod members took part.
Some of the points of interest arising from the groups included:
• An expression of hunger for spiritual renewal.
• ‘Goodtoseemoneyandmissioncoming together in the RCB report’.
• LowlevelofawarenessoftheBishop’s Mission Statement.
• Bishopswereaskedtogiveapositivelead to empower the church.
• Acknowledgementthatengagementwith mission involves change.
There was an emphatic response to the question ‘What do you think the Spirit is saying to the Church of Ireland as regards our mission and purpose?’ The response was that we need to focus outwards towards the community in which we live through social action and faith sharing.
‘Spiritual renewal and deeper engagement with Mission involves change’ were identified as the main priorities from the groups. They also highlighted that these key areas need to be central to any parochial or diocesan mission strategy.
The ‘breakout’ groups gave specific feedback to the Bishops:
• (Thereisaneedfor)spiritualleadershipat national, provincial and diocesan level.
• (Their)roleisthatofbeingacatalystfor mission, setting the vision for the diocese and encouraging parishes to develop their own vision and strategies for their churches and communities
The ‘breakout’ groups gave specific feedback to the Mission Council regarding its perceived role as being that of:
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