Dear Friends
If you have been in church on a Sunday morning during the past couple of months or so, you may well have heard of the phrase, ‘Fit for Mission’. Just in case you haven’t heard about it, I wanted to use my letter this month to explain what it is all abouFit for Mission is a diocesan initiative aimed at getting churches across our deaneries to work together as part of one or two larger parishes with the intention of helping us all participate in the mission of God more effectively. By having only 1 or 2 PCC’s (rather than the 11 we have across Warrington at present), this will reduce time spent on governance issues at a local church level and so free up time for mission. There will still be the need for a leadership team for each congregation to address local matters such as what worship takes place, what particular mission initiatives should be engaged in and how money is spent. But there would be a central PCC and a central buildings team to oversee how buildings are used.
At heart, Fit for Mission is about people though because it is focused on mission. That is why its 4 main mission priorities are:
- Introducing people to Jesus
- Deepening discipleship
- Developing Christian leaders
- Working for justice
Part of this would involve giving church members the opportunity to participate in ‘Cultivate’, a successful local missional leadership programme, designed to equip people to plant new worship communities and justice initiatives. I gather that in St. Helen’s deanery, there are currently 100 people from across their churches involved in this programme, helping to start new things. How exciting is that?!
As part of the PCC’s discernment process to decide whether joining Fit for Mission might be right for St. Mary’s, the PCC held an open meeting with the archdeacon Simon Fisher, back in February. We held the second congregational meeting on this subject at the end of May and there will be a further meeting on July 9 at 11.30 a.m. In addition, Archdeacon Simon will be coming to St. Mary’s to speak on this subject as part of his archdeacon’s visitation on Tuesday 13 June at 7.30 pm, as well as addressing our 8am and 10am services on Sunday 25 June. Do make the most of these opportunities to find out more about Fit for mission and do let the PCC know your views at the congregational meeting. The PCC will need to vote on this issue in the autumn, so please do pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for them.
Finally, a quick update on the extension. The deadline for the council to report on our application for planning permission has now been put back from the end of May to the end of September this year. This is very frustrating and we have asked the council if they will reconsider how long the deadline is pushed back by. I will update you when I have any further news.
Best wishes.
Jeremy Tear, Pioneer Team Rector
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