The Nicodemus Project Will Transform Our Church
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DECEMBER 2009 THE NEW BRUNSWICK ANGLICAN / 1 A SECTION OF THE ANGLICAN JOURNAL DECEMBER 2009 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF FREDERICTON The Nicodemus Project A b l e s s e d C h r i s t m a s t o a l l will transform our church BY JIM MORELL Council action plan and will help Jesus told Nicodemus about and us fulfill our mission “to pro- the changes synod delegates Our vision and goals as the Dio- claim the Gospel for the making talked about are deep and life cese of Fredericton, expressed of disciples,” and the vision we changing. The Nicodemus Proj- by Synod 2009 and articulated have set for ourselves — to be a ect is council’s action plan on by Diocesan Council, require a “diocese of strong, healthy, wel- paper and will be rolled out in transformational change in our coming and growing parishes.” the coming months. understanding of our church. In short, the Nicodemus Project While there will be leadership In John’s Gospel, Nicodemus’ will help us to grow spiritually, and support from the bishop, encounter with Jesus leads him numerically and fi nancially, to synod offi ce staff and Diocesan to seek transformation as well. become the church God wants Council, by far the greatest re- He knows that in order to begin a us to be. sponsibility for change rests with new life focused on God, he must Last June synod delegates ap- individual parishes and arch- change his ways. In honour of proved two diocesan reports that deaconry greater chapters. But that faithfulness and with con- called for fundamental changes what needs to change? Where fi dence in our own prayerfully in the culture of our church. At do we begin? Who is responsible revealed priorities, our diocesan its November meeting Diocesan for doing what? When should pursuit of transformational Council responded by approving we start? change will henceforth be called a four-point action plan designed Purposely, there is no ‘one The Nicodemus Project. to guide us through a period of size fi ts all’ plan for change. No The name was chosen in No- change that will transform our one is going to dictate exactly vember by members of the Di- diocese. Council believes that what should be done differently ocesan Council Administration in order to be effective and long or what new initiatives need to Team, the group charged with lasting, the changes we need to be undertaken. It will be up to clearing the path that leads to make must be diocesan-wide and parishes to make their own deci- the fundamental change we implemented over an extended sions. To start the process coun- need. It constitutes the Diocesan period of time. The changes that See We need page 2 Stweardship conference a stunning event Jesus was a refugee, from the Palma Collection, general. In the autumn of each one of the 2009 PWRDF Christmas cards. year parishioners are asked to pledge their offerings for the coming year. The parish budget is calculated on the total of the pledges. Many of the New Brunswick Arch bi shop Claude Mill er Anglicans sitting before him in Trinity Church, Sussex, were and Sharon Mill er unfamiliar with the practice. Sev- re quest the honour of your pr esence at eral said: “We don’t do that.” an 11 a.m. Christ Church Cath edral New Year’s Day Service “I’m stunned!” said Bishop foll owed by Salmon. “Then what do you do? Just expect people to give what you need?” Then he went on to lament that one of the things Th e Bishop’s Levee that gets the church in trouble is the way our culture deals with ANA WATTS Cath edral Memorial Hall money, and that’s by not dealing Bishop Edward Salmon (retired) of South Carolina (right), seen here with with it. Church Street, Fredericton our Archbishop Claude Miller, inspired, blessed and even entertained He took a moment to scratch about 200 New Brunswick Anglican clergy and lay leaders at A New Day his head, re-group, and resumed Ch owder will be served stewardship conference in Sussex Oct. 16 and 17. his friendly and often humor- ous presentation. “Our culture BY ANA WATTS “As people’s lives become values money, bases opinions of A New Day, the diocesan stew- rooted in scripture we see them people on their wealth.” Jesus believes God himself bestowed Moving? ardship conference, held in Sus- change and the differences are Don’t forget to change your subscription address for the sex Oct. 16 and 17, inspired New stunning … our congregations our value. The only way to have Brunswick Anglican clergy and need the stewardship of the dominion over money is to let it Anglican Journal and New Brunswick Anglican. lay leaders, blessed Archbishop Gospel, we need to know the go, to be generous. It’s easy as pie – just go to the Anglican Journal website Claude Miller, and stunned con- scriptures, to worship and fellow- “Your givings to the church http://www.anglicanjournal.com/ ference leader Bishop Edward ship together. A lot of cultural have to be related to God’s gen- and click on the “Subscription Changes” button at the top of the page. Salmon. understandings have replaced erosity,” he said. Generosity All morning and into the scripture, we need to be rooted in multiplies itself and changes early afternoon Bishop Salmon the gospel of Jesus,” he said. your heart. “That’s the longest stressed the importance of the When he launched into his journey in the world, you know, Get the news fi rst at http://anglican.nb.ca stewardship of the Gospel and presentation on the stewardship the journey from your head to the stewardship of ordained and of money he referred to an “every your heart.” While you’re there, subscribe to E News and get the news lay leadership. Like every other member canvass,” a process of He encouraged the more than delivered to your in-box each week stewardship expert who has been pledging employed by his Epis- 200 conference participants to let to the diocese, he stressed the copal parish in Washington, DC money be talked about in their Click on the News button at the top of the page and stewardship of money is only one in particular and the Episcopal churches. “Don’t be ashamed to part of the stewardship story. Church in the United States in choose E News from the drop-down menu Please see ‘Startle’ on page 4 2 / THE NEW BRUNSWICK ANGLICAN DECEMBER 2009 D I O C E S A N N E W S Diocese takes fi rst steps toward transformational change By Ana Watts over, a clergy conference focused a professional engineer as well lay leaders who gathered in Recent revision of the dio- Last June’s synod recognized on transformational ministry of as a project management pro- Sussex. He called upon them as cese’s baptismal doctrine di- an urgent need for growth — self, congregation, world. Con- fessional, offered a primer on individuals and parishes to take rective includes resources for spiritual, numerical and fi nan- sultant and speaker Ed White of the subject that helped council ownership of their stewardship baptism practice and prepara- cial — and called loudly and the Alban Institute told diocesan members better understand the responsibilities as well as to sup- tion, and certainly qualifi es as a clearly for the transformational clergy: “Transformation is not tasks before them. port diocesan initiatives. valuable learning opportunity as change in this diocese necessary so much about fi nding new ways Stewardship of the Gospel, Regular review and evaluation we pursue our personal renewal to achieve that growth. to be the Church as it is about leadership and money are essen- of programs and structures is as Christians and Anglicans. Synod identifi ed the prepara- finding ways to recapture and tial for life, growth and mission. essential to good stewardship, so At the most recent Warden’s tion of leaders for change, our live the values we once had and A New Day diocesan steward- Synod 2009 called for such an evalu- Day, Archdeacon Geoffrey Hall’s personal renewal as Christians have lost.” Dr. White highly rec- ship conference held in Sussex ation for the diocese. In September presentation on Anglican Iden- and Anglicans, increased mis- ommended several books on per- in October and facilitated by council adopted roles and responsi- tity was also well received. He sion and ministry in our commu- sonal and parish growth. They Bishop Edward Salmon drove bilities for the task force appointed recently received an invitation nities, and a major stewardship were recently purchased by the this message home. The retired to conduct the review. to present it to a parish and was initiative as the most effective Diocesan Resource Centre and bishop of South Carolina in- An imminent stewardship pleased to discover his presenta- means of paving the path to are available to be borrowed. spired diocesan clergy at their strategy planning session with tion was fourth in a series on change. Already at least a dozen The new Diocesan Council 2008 conference and is credited representatives of General Syn- Christian and Anglican renewal. new diocesan initiatives have elected in June focused on trans- with a transformation in clergy od will further bolster the dioc- “This parish is certainly taking supported and developed these formational change at its very relations. With knowledge, integ- esan stewardship initiative and responsibility for its own re- change priorities. fi rst meeting in early September. rity, common sense and humour move it toward a full stewardship newal efforts.” he said.