Team developing support base
for struggling parishes
by Jim Morell
Does your parish need information on children and youth ministry? Would some expert advice on property management, or financial planning or budgeting be a help to your vestry? Are you looking for ways to reach out to your community?
The Diocesan Council’s Parish Support and Development Team (PSDT) wants to develop a bank of knowledgeable people ready to help parishes address all these issues and others, like visioning and action planning, stewardship, spiritual growth and learning.
Toward that end, the PSDT is actively seeking the names of clergy and lay leaders from across the diocese who feel called to a ministry of support and facilitation for struggling parishes. Training and orientation sessions are planned. If you or someone you know has gifts in these areas and would be willing to volunteer time and talent in support of struggling parishes, you are invited to contact committee chair Hazel MacKenzie (Parish of Minto and Chipman) at 327-6726 or mhmack at nbnet.nb.ca.
In response to a motion passed at last year’s diocesan synod, the Bishop and Diocesan Council are building a special committee to study and make recommendations on the ways in which the diocese can best support struggling and rural parishes. That committee’s report is expected at the next diocesan synod in 2009 –– but many parishes need help now. At its December meeting PSDT members asked, “What can we do to help?”
They recently had some positive feedback from parishes that have used external facilitators to help them address some pressing needs. Based on these encouraging results, team members felt it would be helpful to have a bank of experts on call.
The average age in many New Brunswick congregations increases year after year while the number of young families in church on Sunday decreases. In many parishes funerals outnumber baptisms and confirmations, offerings don’t keep up with operational costs, attendance at Bible studies and spiritual growth events isn’t what it used to be, and as their buildings get older they are more expensive to operate. For many parishes the future seems pretty bleak, and vestries are simply holding on.
The fact is, all of our parishes are struggling in varying degrees, but those in rural areas seem to be facing the greatest challenges.
In 1 Corinthians 12:27 the Apostle Paul writes: “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.” He goes on to describe how an individual can contribute to the strength of that body according to his or her gifts – for example, as apostles, teachers, administrators, miracle workers and healers. Our decision to develop the bank of expert facilitators was guided by this passage of scripture, and in response to the urgent needs expressed by many parishes. Please prayerfully consider what you can contribute to this initiative.
Jim Morell is a member of the Parish Development and Support Team.
