Cultivating a future pleasing to God
by Jim Morell
(on behalf of the Administration Team of Diocesan Council)
In the warm days of early spring many of us visualize our gardens — bright and beautiful flowers, rich and robust vegetables. What we sometimes don’t see is the work necessary to bring about those beautiful bouquets and the bounty of the Thanksgiving table. It starts with vision and planning, then comes the soil preparation and the planting, the hard work of watering and weeding, and finally the harvest. Figuratively speaking, the Nicodemus Project is our garden. We had a vision, we have a plan to realize it, and now we are in the soil preparation and planting phase. The hard work of summer lies ahead and the harvest is many months or even years away.
In a Spirit-led process last June, our Diocesan Synod took almost 10 years of discussion and debate and turned it into various motions that basically said “We are a church in decline because we have drifted away 
from being the church that God calls us to be. We need a new vision for ourselves and we need to change — starting immediately.” No one from outside had to tell us we needed to change. Parish delegates to our Greater Chapter gatherings identified the indicators — we are aging, we are shrinking, our offerings aren’t keeping up with costs, we have fewer full-time priests, young families are scarce, our properties are consuming larger percentages of our budgets, many parishes have difficulty finding lay leaders and several are close to locking the church door for the final time.
It is probably fair to say that most of our parishes seem to be at one of two stages. A good number are at or near a crisis point and their people are frustrated, discouraged, confused as to what to do and crying out for help. Aging parishioners are hopeful that the Archbishop, the Diocesan Council or ‘someone’ can make the problems go away so they can keep the church functioning. Other parishes are fairly stable — there are positive things happening and changes are being made gradually, but growth — spiritual, numerical and financial – is very slow. These parishes are not in crisis (yet), but there is deep concern for the future. Many parishioners are asking: If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, what will we look like in 10-15 years?
The synod-requested change initiative — the Nicodemus Project — puts all of this on the table, before God and his people. In effect we need to ask ourselves: How can we become the church that God expects us to be? Contrary to what some are saying or may think, the Nicodemus Project is not aimed simply at getting more bums in the seats or more money in the coffers, although both are important to the health and sustainability of many parishes. It is, first and foremost, about our spiritual well being as individuals and as the church, as well as our readiness to share the good news of Christ and help those in need.
Synod was absolutely clear when it said we need deep transformational change and we need it now. That is the focus of the Nicodemus Project. It is proving to be both unique and challenging for us because assessing our ministries and developing action plans are not tasks with which we are familiar. However, this process offers each of us and each parish a fresh opportunity and reason to re-think, to question, to set a new vision, to plan and to take the first steps that will lead to growth and change.
Jesus put forward a new vision, a new way of life, for the people of his day. This vision and his death on the cross inspired the disciples to form the first church (see Acts2:42-47), and it inspires us today. Those individuals and parishes that embrace the need for change, and are willing to set a new vision, will have a much brighter future than those who do nothing or opt for gradual change.
The process of self-examination recommended by the Nicodemus Project requires both willing parish leaders and willing parishioners. Change that leads to long-term growth and sustainable congregations starts with visionary clergy and lay leaders who are willing to take the first step — to establish a process that will engage and involve parishioners in setting a new vision and a plan to achieve it.
There may be clergy and lay leaders who will question the fundamental assumption that we really do need to change. Some may feel that the church has gone through down phases like this before and it will survive. In these situations the first step — agreeing on the need to change — needs to be openly discussed and debated.
We also know that even when our church leaders make a convincing case for change, individuals and whole congregations may find the options difficult to accept. It is not uncommon for us to like things the way they were or are now, and it is hard to see or accept a different future. Sometimes people may even become uncooperative or resistant.
To those of us involved in trying to coordinate the deep change agreed upon by synod (i.e. Diocesan Council and members of the Administration Team) believe two things are clear: first, we are currently falling far short of our two main goals — proclaiming the gospel for the making of disciples (our mission statement) and being a church of healthy, mission-focused, welcoming and growing parishes (our vision statement); and second, if we want to grow spiritually, numerically and financially, as synod agreed, then we need strong parish leadership and willing parishioners.
The key to our success depends in large measure on the ability of our parish clergy, wardens and vestries to engage individuals and congregations in processes that challenge current thinking and focus us, as individuals and as the church, on what God expects of us as Christians and Anglicans.
Just like gardeners, if we want flowers and vegetables in the fall, we have to begin the work now, in the springtime, and work hard through the months leading to Thanksgiving.
