Diocese gets national stewardship pilot project

by Ana Watts

The Diocese of Fredericton is one of six Canadian dioceses chosen to participate in a stewardship pilot project funded by the National Church’s Letting Down the Nets project.

“The object of the pilot project is to help dioceses get from where they are to where they need to be,” says Archdeacon Geoffrey Hall, executive assistant to the bishop. “Our diocese has identified its mission and goals. In order to reach them we need to develop an effective strategic plan. So the first step in our project is to acquire the services of an expert individual to work with diocesan lay, clergy and staff to put that plan together. Letting Down the Nets will fund that person.”

Diocesan personnel and Diocesan Council are preparing for a Dec. 10 meeting in Fredericton with facilitator Suzanne Lawson of Toronto. That meeting is the first step in formulating the plan that will help the diocese articulate its vision and achieve the financial development necessary to realize it.

“By including us in this pilot project, the National Church recognizes that we have the components in place to succeed,” says Archdeacon Hall. “Ms. Lawson will work with us over the next few weeks or months to pull them together.”

Planning studies, stewardship education, congregational development, work with National Church staff and professional leadership from organizations like Potentials are other effective activities that may be funded by the project.

One of the objectives of Letting Down the Nets is to integrate the stewardship efforts of the three structural levels of the Anglican Church –– parish, diocesan and national. Too often parishioners are faced with what seems to be competing levels. The diminishing level of human and financial resources in many congregations across the country has led some congregations to be overwhelmingly concerned with survival, which in turn diminishes enthusiasm for ministry support at the diocesan and national levels.

This change in perspective can be accomplished by encouraging dioceses to adopt an open attitude that acknowledges and celebrates the existence and value of the pastoral care model of ministry while embracing a renewed discipleship model. In order to achieve this, dioceses and congregations must be able to: effectively communicate their compelling vision to parishioners; connect stewardship education in a meaningful way so the response is deliberate and holistic.

When these objectives are met, the church will appropriately express its appreciation for people and their gifts and tell people how their gift or support is used. This in turn builds a relationship of trust that encourages people to continue to be connected and to participate.

22 November 2005