SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH DIOCESE OF ST ANDREWS, DUNKELD & DUNBLANE

Registered Scottish Charity SCO 17654

Diocesan Review 2006 -2007 Summary

A WORD FROM THE BISHOP

This leaflet is intended to tell you about the main findings and conclusions of our Diocesan Review. It's a short leaflet - you may want to read the full document at www. standrews.anglican.org. The aim of the Review was to look at the diocese and its congregations and to develop the framework of a new strategic plan. The work was done by a group of people drawn from across the diocese, together with an external advisor. There has been wide consultation with congregations and clergy. From the time of my arrival, it was clear that there was a 'mood for change' in the diocese. Our research tells us that our clergy and people value and want to sustain what is best in our tradition. But they are also ready to face the challenges and attempt new approaches. We can all see that, in many places, our church has been getting smaller and growing older. People would love to have the encouragement of seeing younger people in our congregations with the energy and enthusiasm which they bring. But we are living in a very secular age. Many people seem to have forgotten about God and, to be blunt about it, they do not expect to find God in churches. The Review report helps us to understand the nature of secularisation. Indeed, secularisation can work through the rather muddled way we sometimes do things in the church. The result is a process of long term decline. However, there is also encouragement. Today's research says that this decline is not inevitable or unavoidable. Some of our congregations are growing and a mission-focused church can bring the gospel in new ways to a new generation. The conclusions of the report tell you what we think we need to do - and invite you to share in shaping the next stages of this exciting journey of faith.

FROM THE REVIEW, WE CAN BE ENCOURAGED BY GOOD NEWS...

There are opportunities for us, and valuable strengths on which to build. We have a strong tradition of faith, worship and spirituality - many people today are eager to explore spirituality. Our small size can also be an advantage. We can be more flexible than other churches in adapting and responding to a changing society. Research shows that churches which are able to change are more likely to grow. Our congregations and clergy are optimistic for the future. Some of our congregations are already growing, providing encouragement and developing examples of good practice. Population growth is forecast for Fife, Stirling and Perth & Kinross from 2004 to 2024 and economic trends in some parts of the diocese are positive. Society has changed. People are more mobile. Traditional denominational ties are looser. People are more open to making new connections and relationships. The Internet gives us new ways of communicating beyond as well as within our membership.

...WE CAN RECOGNISE CHALLENGES...

In the world around us

Church-going is in decline in Scotland - by 17% between 1984 to 2002. The SEC declined by only 7% in the same period. But as the church has declined, we have felt helpless and uncertain and that has caused further decline. The population of our diocese is ageing in line with the national profile and parts of the diocese need economic revival. We are a friendly and welcoming community. But we must become more than that. We have to learn how to reach out to particular groups of people outside our membership and encourage them to respond.

...WE CAN RECOGNISE CHALLENGES...

In our congregations and diocese

Our diocese is small and declining in size - between 1988 and 2005 it lost 15% of its total membership. Communicant numbers, communions and baptisms also fell. In many congregations, our membership is aging and there are few young people. Research with congregations and clergy revealed that we are aware of decline and anxious about it. But we are uncertain about change and unclear about what to do next. Development programmes - such as Mission 21 - may have slowed decline but they have not been able to reverse it. Weekly giving is low relative to SEC average - shortage of money feeds anxiety about the future. We tend to focus on the church community rather than looking outside it. There is no long term plan or strategy for the diocese, and its organisation and processes are not geared to supporting or managing growth.

...AND WE CAN CHOOSE TO FACE THOSE CHALLENGES

From evidence, analysis and reflection we can distil a number of issues that are key to the future of our congregations and diocese. The Church must adapt to change in society. We need to develop a new kind of future. We must halt the decline in membership. It erodes the viability and threatens the long term future of individual congregations and of the diocese as a whole. Outreach work needs to be given priority. We must overcome ambivalence, apathy and resistance to change. Increasingly it is understood that some decline in churchgoing is rooted in what the church does. We can reverse decline if we understand it and are prepared to address it. To do so, our diocese and congregations will need both spiritual renewal and a coherent and widely-supported strategy. We need to organise our diocese differently if we are to implement a strategy for growth. We must focus our resources on growth.

THE WAY FORWARD - VISION & STRATEGY

We can't 'organise' spiritual renewal, but we can organise and do things which bring the church to the point where renewal is possible and which with God's help will give our congregations and diocese the best prospects of thriving.

OUR VISION OF THE FUTURE OF OUR DIOCESE

Our Diocese comprises a thriving group of hopeful, caring and committed congregations whose family life, worship and effective engagement with people and issues in their communities attracts growing numbers of people from diverse backgrounds to share the values and work of our Church. Central to this future vision for the diocese are a move from decline to growth - in the number of people who join our church and in all the spiritual aspects of church life - and a belief in the power of God to help us bring about change and renewal.

OUR STRATEGY

To work towards the vision, a simple strategy is proposed:

• Develop a strong shared sense of direction towards the vision
• Focus on activities most likely to halt decline and bring growth
  
• Organise effectively for growth
  
• Acquire appropriate resources for the task

Vision and strategy together offer us ideas to be shared and used jointly and individually to make coherent decisions on what we do and how we spend our time, energy and other resources.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

We think that there are six important tasks we need to undertake:

1. Identify the strongest potential sources of congregational growth and develop practical approaches to engaging with them at local level. We must think about the people - particularly younger people - whom we wish to draw into our church. Our church will change as it becomes more focused on mission.
2. Redefine the role, responsibilities, support and training of clergy for a missionary church seeking congregational growth in today's post-Christian society. Clergy minister in a world which is changing ever more rapidly. Clergy need support, training and encouragement to provide the leadership which our church needs.
3. Redefine roles, responsibilities, training and education for people involved in ministries of all kinds to enhance their effectiveness in working with clergy for growth. We believe in shared ministry. We must work harder at it.
4. Review the organisation of our charges and the deployment of clergy so that opportunities for growth are enhanced. We need a consistent way of deciding how our Charges are grouped and our clergy deployed. We have to organise 'on the ground' for growth.
5. Develop a curriculum for congregational life with indicators of a healthy church. We need a new and broader follow-up to Mission 21. Congregations need to look creatively and strategically at every aspect of their lives.
6. Reshape diocesan organisational structure and processes, to promote growth. Our committees and structures will have to change as new patterns of ministry develop.

NEXT STEPS

Taking these ideas forward into action will potentially touch every aspect of the life of our church. It will challenge us all to find renewed passion about our faith and the work of sharing it. We want everyone in the diocese to have an opportunity to see the proposals and contribute to how they are refined and implemented.

• Wide consultation from March 2007 on the strategic review and its recommendations.
  
• Discussion with clergy & lay leadership and open meetings in each Area Council area.
  
• Invitation to all members to participate and to offer to work on the priority tasks.
  
• Development of a widely-supported strategy by the end of June 2007.
• Bishop David will appoint an Implementation Group to ensure that this process continues to move forward.
  
• Work Groups will look at the tasks set out above and report by the end of 2007.

By the end of 2007 we hope to see a number of new initiatives starting to change our experience of church life towards growth in a positive and exciting way. If you have questions or would like to know more about the Review and its recommendations, please read the full Review document at www.standrews.anglican.org, talk to your Rector or contact any of the members of the Review Group.

Members of the Review Group were:

Veronica Burbridge, David Campbell, David Chillingworth, Michael Davies, Richard Evans, Marion Keston, Madeline Kingston, Randal MacAlister, Anne Mazur, Kate Middleton, David Miller, Kenny Rathband, Gordon Morrison (Consultant) Our thanks go to them and the many other people who contributed to the Review process.