Ministering Communities in Mission

Parishes in the Diocese of Newcastle which are seeking to respond to the call to be a Missional Church in which the gifting of every baptized Christian is recognized and affirmed are called “Ministering Communities in Mission.”  

At the heart of this missional vision is the belief that God has given sufficient gifts to each local congregation for the ministry and mission to which they are called.  We recognize too that each new member of a congregation brings additional gifts to the life of the Church.  The vision encourages the development of lay ministry teams led by licensed Lay Ministers and the raising up of candidates for ordination who will minister principally in their local community.  Licensed Lay Ministers and Deacons and Priests in local ministry do not receive stipends from the Church.  These new forms of ministry will endeavour to multiply the mission of the Church. 

The name “Ministering Communities in Mission" helps to explain what it means to embrace this vision:
“Becoming” reminds us that we are heading somewhere, the question is where?  Before we do anything else we need to make a commitment to the Vision, so that we know the principles for the journey.  This will normally happen in two stages.  

• Firstly, the leaders of the Church (Parish Priest, Wardens, Parish Council) will study the Vision and make a decision about whether to seek to convey it to the congregation.   
• Secondly, the congregation will be asked to affirm the vision and to make a personal commitment to it.  In order for us to make informed decisions we will need to find ways to engage with the vision in study, prayer and discussion.

To answer the question about where we are heading as a local Church we will need to plan carefully for the future.  There are various ways to undertake this kind of visioning, but a good process will always leave us with a very clear idea about what our goals are, who is responsible for co-ordinating what we will be doing, and when we hope to achieve our aims.  Our visioning will lead us to recognize our need for further ongoing Christian education and training in practical ministry skills. 

“Ministering Community” reminds us that the whole people of God are called as a community to continue the ministry of Jesus as his body – this is the heart of the vision.  Our Parish Priest has a special role in leading the community, and each of us is also called to take our part in the ministry of the Church. 

Some of us will have known for a long time that God has given us the gifts to undertake certain ministries, and for others of us this will be something new.  We are all called through our baptism to be witnesses of Christ, sharing God’s love with those around us.  We will also want to discern and affirm members of our community to whom God has given special gifts. 

One of the consequences of all of this will be the way that our leadership structures are shaped in the Church.  The normal model for leadership in our churches will reflect this recognition that there will be a number of ministers in our communities.  Our Parish Priest will work alongside lay people who have been discerned and trained for ministry.  In some parishes members of the congregation with appropriate gifts will also be trained and ordained to work as deacons and priests in the local Church. The kind of leadership teams which will develop will be dependent upon the vision which the community seeks to achieve and the gifts of the congregation.

Finally, "Mission" reminds us that the Church is not a social club or society, we are here to be signs of the Kingdom, sharing God’s love with others.  We are not only called into the Church, we are sent out to be the Church in mission in the world. 

Mission has been broadly understood in two ways in the Diocese of Newcastle: 

• There has been the strong desire to respond to the good news of Jesus by engaging in mission which leads to community transformation where we campaign against inequality and unjust structures and seek to help the poor, the marginalized and those in need.   
• There has also been a deep commitment to share the story of Jesus with those who live around us in such a way that personal transformation and conversion of life takes place.  

In our mission we will seek to balance both of these important emphases which we find in scripture and the tradition of the Church. 

So making a commitment to the process of Becoming a Ministering Community in Mission will provide us with the opportunity to commit ourselves to this vision, intentionally plan where we are heading, commit ourselves to ongoing Christian education and formation, help us to recognize the gifts of the congregation and raise up leaders to minister alongside our Parish Priest, and keep us focused on our calling to be a missionary people in our local communities. 

For further information please contact the Office of Ministry Development at: ministrydevelopment@angdon.com.