Our Mission as a Parish is to “Know Jesus Christ and to make Him known”

In search of strategies and plans to achieve that mission Parish Council met in retreat in 2005. That work was supplemented in 2008 when about 20 parishioners completed a 10 night workshop. This summary synthesises those outcomes.

How will we achieve our mission?

“We will get ourselves right with God and with one another so we can go out and care for others and bring them to faith”

This statement of strategic intent has guided us since 2005. It focuses our endeavours into three channels:

  1. Spiritual Growth (right with God) where we constantly review and refine our worship, regularly offer personal development programmes and strive to cater for the spiritual needs of our communion from the cradle to the grave.
  2. Cohesion in Diversity (right with one another) where we celebrate and support the diverse styles of our various congregations, grow small groups as a fundamental element of our strength and cohesion and find the clergy resources necessary to support this diversity.
  3. Outreach (caring for others and bringing them to faith) where we believe in example rather than exhortation and strive to offer the best pastoral care on the planet; not only to the aged and ill but also to the young, the vulnerable and to those struggling with life’s challenges.

Our 2008 work helped us understand the complexities of our parish family and the challenges of growing it. We also came to a deeper understanding of the journey from seeking God to becoming a disciple. This work led to a raft of future opportunities and some particular and focussed short term initiatives:

  • Better meet the needs of young people in transition from youth to young adulthood with relevant support and meaningful, exciting worship
  • Provide support structures for the rector, other clergy and parish councillors so they can be more effective and cohesive in their roles and less burdened by them
  • Make joining our parish an uplifting and welcoming experience leading to active and fulfilling participation
  • Better utilise the many gifts and talents of our people by helping them discern their ministry within the parish and beyond the parish.