Deanery Pastoral Committee

Deanery Pastoral Committee
We had a Deanery Pastoral and Standing Committee this evening. On the agenda was the future of ministry at Water Eaton. This is a difficult discussion because St Frideswide is a small church which doesn't really justify a full-time post - financially speaking. Some of the members feel victimised or threatened and that they are being treated badly. Unfortunatley, the reality is that we simply don't have the number of ministers available that we have had in the past. Many of our parishes have already recieved cuts in ministry and there are several churches larger than St Frideswide who are already working with less than half a full-time minister. Of course, it's all relative and churches feel the pain of change.

It's interesting that churches define themselves in relation to certain symbols; their minister, magazine, building, weekly eucharist, area, etc... Take away (or reduce) any of these and they feel that they are no longer a church. This can result in feelings of hurt, failure, or threat. We see this in so many situations. (Service times at St Mary's, Ministry at St Frideswides, Magazine at All Saints', etc...)

I wonder if we would be better off of we defined church in terms of mutual care and support, the breaking open of the word, the worship of God and the service of Christ in the World. If we thought of Church in these terms, it would be impossible to feel threatened in the same way. You can't take these things away!

For me it is so painful when we have these discussions, to feel that I am being criticised for raising the issue of finance and sustainability, or for somehow lacking commitement to mission, faith or ecumenism. I don't see this as an either/or situation. I want to see the Chuch change. I want to see God's people grow - and be active in the World - but I also think that we need to be sensible and responsible in our use of resources. I also think that the "Social Services" / "Chaplaincy" model of Christian Ministry that still lies at the heart of our eclesiatical structures is one of the greatest weaknesses of the church that we've inherited. If we want to see genuine transformation, then we need to find a different model - or set of complimentary models.