Mission of the Diocese

The Way Forward
Directions and Action Plans for the Diocese of Rupert’s Land (3 – 5 years)

1. Support and challenge parishes and groups of parishes to be active and energized mission centres in their local communities and beyond.

• Identify and/or develop resources to assist parishes in the discernment and development of members’ gifts for ministry.
• As part of a Diocesan-wide audit (see below** ), identify existing areas of mission in all parishes.
• Identify and/or develop resources, and train people to assist parishes in discerning their call to mission.
• Challenge and equip parishes to discern new opportunities for mission outreach locally and globally (including ecumenical and multi-faith).
• Encourage and support parishes in seeking additional mission opportunities especially with particular constituencies (e.g. children & youth), and facilitate linkages between existing and emerging mission efforts.

2. Model and seek better ways of building an interdependent diocesan Christian community in today’s world. In order to provide Biblical, theological and societal education to raise awareness of the richness of being interdependent members of the Body of Christ:

• Seek new and improved ways of strengthening communication within the diocesan community.
• Provide resources for educational modules and life-giving experiences for all ages in interdependent Christian living such as Diocesan, Archdeaconry or Deanery fellowship events, ways of sharing joys and sorrows, practical methods for building community, etc.
• Provide strategies and resources to help us be more open to and inclusive of the diversity in our communities.
• Provide strategies for creative and faithful dialogue in the midst of profound disagreement, drawing on models of dialogue used elsewhere in the church and in the secular world, with a particular focus on divisions in our Canadian Church and the Anglican Communion.

3. Equip and empower lay and clergy leaders to lead us faithfully and creatively in an ever-changing environment.

• Encourage lay people and clergy to support education for ministry through involvement in:
  • the Diploma of Applied Theology at St. John’s College
  • the Institute for Anglican Ministry at St. John’s College
  • the Centre for Christian Studies’ leadership module
  • an Education for Ministry program
  • the Winnipeg Theological Consortium
• Provide parishes offering adult education programs such as Living the Questions, Alpha, etc. with support in training leaders, referral mechanisms and promotional assistance.
• Provide opportunities for training clergy and lay leaders in alternative models of proclamation during worship.
• Encourage parishes to experiment with a variety of worship experiences, so that there is a rich mixture of options in every deanery.
  

4. Nurture and support individuals, families, and parishes with opportunities for learning & living the Gospel.

• Identify successful parish programs (as part of the audit, and offer opportunities to share these resources with other parishes.
• Develop a vision and guidelines for Christian formation in the Diocese.
• Provide opportunities for Diocesan celebrations (e.g. Children’s Festivals, Family retreats, camping, Sharing Circles, intergenerational gatherings)
• Pilot collaborative pastoral/educational programs for baptism, confirmation, and marriage preparation.
  

5. Examine and reallocate resources to where Christ’s mission calls us.

• Develop criteria to assess viability for mission of current parishes.
• Conduct a demographic and management audit (people, finances and property) and a leadership inventory across the Diocese to assess the current stewardship of our resources.
• Through a process of caring consultation with parishes, in consideration of the audit, make decisions for the sharing and reallocation of resources to advance the mission.
• Develop and implement a fair apportionment policy to ensure equitable support from all parishes in the diocese for Diocesan-wide ministry and mission.
• Implement a phase two of the Responding in Love Campaign to meet the obligations and mission related to healing and reconciliation with aboriginal peoples within our Diocese and across Canada.
• Through active participation in the National Church’s stewardship development program - Letting Down the Nets - to enhance our resources available for mission and ministry.

 

 

Diocesan Bodies Lead The Way Forward
February to October 2007

Members of the Diocesan Council and Executive Committee continue to work hard as “the Synod between Synods”, receiving reports, entering into dialogue, giving leadership and making decisions for the Diocese of Rupert’s Land.  The agendas of these 3-hour meetings (bi-monthly for Council and monthly for the Executive) are full and varied in their content.  In going about its work, members of the Council and Executive are continually reflecting back on the five directions of The Way Forward Diocesan Action Plan (approved by Synod in 2004) using these directions to inform their discussions, deliberations and decisions in planning for the Diocese.

The following actions have been taken by these two bodies since February 2007.  To help members of our diocese see the work of the Council and Executive in the context of the Diocesan Action Plan, the acts have been grouped under one of the five directions of The Way Forward Action Plan.  It is interesting to note that many of these acts could be included under several of the directions.
                 
Support and challenge parishes and groups of parishes to be active and energized mission centres in their local communities and beyond.

• Received the Youth Ministry Review Report and authorized the hiring of a person to a ½ time 3-year term appointment as a Coordinator for Youth ministry in Parishes to facilitate the development of youth ministry in parishes of the diocese.
• Received a Proposal from St. Andrews Anglican Sudanese Mission (worshipping out of All Saints Church, Wpg,) and approved a revised proposal to fund Deacon Justin Laki for a 1-year term appointment at ½ time commencing in late 2007.  Approved a $2,000 grant from the Shared Ministry Investment Fund for this Mission.
• Resolved to continue discussion at a subsequent meeting further funding of this mission.  
• Approved a proposal from St. John’s Cathedral for the purchase of two canopy tents.

Model and seek better ways of building an interdependent diocesan Christian community in today’s world.

• Carried out a team-building exercise wherein members were invited to comment on what they feel would be helpful and important to the Executive Committee as it goes about its work.
• Undertook an exercise to develop priorities for Diocesan Council.
• Received a Council Members Handbook with contact information, pertinent sections of the Constitution, policies and guidelines of the Diocese, and other information which members may find helpful.
• Received a presentation by the Way Forward Management Council, noting some of the work that is being done by the Way Forward Management Council.
• Endorsed the “Right to Housing” Coalitions’ position on social housing  and added the Diocese’s name as a supporter of the Coalition.
• Received a draft working document outlining a new proposal for “Common Ministry and Mission” and undertook small group discussion on merits/suggestions.
• Received and approved a project proposal from the Manitoba Interfaith Council.
• Received and approved a project proposal from Amnesty International Project Proposal.
• Approved a revised application from Rupert’s Land Wechetowin for a grant from the Diocesan Healing and Reconciliation Fund in the amount of $43,580.  In addition, the following funds were made available from the Diocese for the Aboriginal Mission Developer for 2007 as follows:
  • $19,000 from the 2007 Diocesan Budget allocation;
  • $6500 from the balance of the Spackman Trust;
  • $8000 from an unexpended grant from 2006 from the Healing and reconciliation Fund for the Aboriginal Mission Developer position.
• Approved a project proposal from Rupert’s Land Aboriginal Circle for the 4th Sacred Circle, and provided a grant of $500 for this program from the Diocesan Council Projects budget.

Equip and empower lay and clergy leaders to lead us faithfully and creatively in an ever-changing environment.

• Appointed the membership of the 2007-08 Diocesan Compensation Committee: The Rev. Dr. Brett Cane, Mrs. Sharon Routley, Dr. David Punter, The Rev. Rod Sprange, Mr. Roger Stagg, and Canon Carol Throp.
• Received the report of the Compensation Committee for presentation to the Council.
• Referred a letter from the Parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields to the Compensation Committee.
• Drew the attention of the Bishop, the Dean and Archdeacons to extracts from the Compensation Committee Report.
• Requested the Compensation Committee to review the policies for continuing education and sabbaticals, long term disability, and continuance of benefits during a leave, eg. parental or spousal illness, and provide a report thereon to Diocesan Council.
• Requested the Compensation Committee to develop guidelines on good employment practices.

Nurture and support individuals, families, and parishes with opportunities for learning & living the Gospel.

• Received an update report on Faith Horizons 2007.
• Approved the fees and invoicing of parishes for the Faith Horizons.
• Received a report on the Franklin Graham Festival and thanked the Mr. Winston Smith Chair of the local organizing committee for its good work.
• Approved, as a pilot project of Rupert’s Land Aboriginal Circle – Rupert’s Land  Wechetowin Inc., the Aboriginal Volunteer Training in Pastoral Care and Lay Ministry program as outlined in the discussion paper dated July 4, 2007.
• Approved a Diocesan Council Project application for $500 for the Steve Bell Art Exhibit entitled Invisible Dignity.
• Approved a project proposal for Three Days with God Reunion (youth event) in the amount of $1500, the funds to be drawn from the 2007 Youth Ministry Program budget.

Examine and reallocate resources to where Christ’s mission calls us.

• Received the 2nd draft of the budget for 2007.
• Approved the proposed 2007 Diocesan Budget.
• Authorized the Archivist with the assistance of Prairie Stained Glass to sell the Horrobin Window.  
• Received the report of the Property Committee and recommended to the Bishop the Property Committee be requested to list St. Alban’s Church for sale.
• Received the first draft of the 2006 year-end financial statements showing a surplus of $10,756.
• Approved the draft audited statements to December 31, 2006, and authorized the Bishop and Treasurer to sign the final audited statements.
• On the recommendation of the Investment Committee a capitalization rate of 5% on the closing investment balance as at December 31, 2006 be implemented where possible in the 2007 fiscal year, pending ratification of the Finance Committee.  
• Received a Memo from the Director of Finance that the diocese has received an undesignated bequest of $175,000 from the Estate of Mr. H.J. Bird.  A further amount of approximately $68,300 will be coming once estate has been completed.  The bequest is not part of the Bird Trust, therefore the diocesan policy will designate the distribution of the funds.  
• Received a report that the lands and cemeteries of the disestablished parishes of St. Mary Magdalene, Osawa, and St. Luke, Bonne Doon have been transferred to the RM of Woodlands for their care and keeping.
• Received a report from the Archivist advising that a joint application for funding a project for a grant submitted by the United Church and the Anglican Diocese was successful. 
• Received and concurred with the recommendations of the Winding Up Committee for St. Albans concerning the distribution of items of the parish.

Church Governance & Miscellaneous:   

• Considered a discussion paper on “member of the Church”, and approved recommendations of the report on “Member of the Church” and “Communicant”.  Requested The Board on Canons and Rules of Order to draft Canonical amendments for the next meeting of Diocesan Synod.
• Executive recommended to Diocesan Council that consideration of resolutions C – 5a) and 5b) be postponed until after the meeting of the General Synod.  Carried.   After General Synod these motions will come back and Council will decide whether or not it wants to put the work into these resolutions.  The Executive Committee will help prepare Diocesan Council to deal with these issues by preparing a short discussion paper on what General Synod did, and the impact of these decisions.
• Elected The Rev. Simon Blaikie to a vacancy on the Executive Committee.
• Appointed The Rev. Simon Blaikie be as a Diocesan representative to St. John’s College.
• Re-appointed Dr. Bill Pope to a three year term on St. John’s College Council effective July 1/07.
• Received the Chancellor’s advice that the issues relative to resolution C – 4 were dealt with in previous recommendations but that resolution C – 4  was never carried nor defeated.