DS(2019)01 DIOCESAN SYNOD Title: MISSION AND MINISTRY UNITS Author: BISHOP OF CHELMSFORD Date: 16 MARCH 2019 1. INTRODUCTION At its meeting on 2 March 2013 the Chelmsford Diocesan Synod approved the proposal that Mission and Ministry Units (hereinafter referred to as MMUs) be formed as a response to the need to re-imagine ministry in the Diocese. This paper set out the progress to date on the formation of MMUs and sets a goal for the completion of the formation of MMUs by the end of 2020. Since that decision there have, of course, been changes to the membership of Diocesan Synod and therefore, particularly to assist newer members, appended (in Appendix 1) to this paper or enclosed with the Synod meeting pack are two documents, ‘Guidelines for the Formation of a Mission and Ministry Unit’ and ‘Mission & Ministry Units - a simple guide’, which will help to prepare members for this item. 2. MMU PROGRESS To date a total of 27 MMUs have been given formal approval by their Area Mission and Pastoral Committee. Not all of these have been commissioned as yet. These MMUs comprise a total of 148 benefices and 252 parishes within the Diocese. A simple plan showing those parts of the diocese where an MMU has been approved is included in Appendix 2. The approval of MMUs has involved a great deal of hard work from the clergy and laity in the parishes involved. Area Deans, Lay Chair and Archdeacons in particular have contributed a great deal of effort in facilitating the formation of MMUs, which cannot be done justice in this paper. You will notice from the aforementioned plan that a large part of the Diocese is not part of an MMU. In many instances the proposals are not far off from coming forward for final approval and Appendix 3 includes a report by Archdeaconry on how these are continuing to develop. Some of the proposed MMUs in these summaries are at a very embryonic stage and therefore still subject to discussion and may well change. There are a number of challenges that have arisen as a result of MMU formation. These will be spoken about much more on the day and will doubtless come up during the debate for this item, but include finances, tradition, geography, relationships, to name a 1 DS(2019)01 few. Thankfully, the MMUs that have been approved to date show that none of these are insurmountable. 3. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Below you will see that the motion proposes that each Area Mission and Pastoral Committee provide a plan for the completion of MMU development in the Diocese by the end of 2020. It is recognised that, for good reason, not every parish will be part of an MMU by this deadline, but a plan will be agreed and a timetable for eventual approval and commissioning for the MMU will be in place. The most important thing that this debate will help us remember is that MMUs exist to enable every worshipping community to have a sustainable ministry, to put an end to the salami slicing of ministry that has dogged the Church of England for at least fifty years, and to make it easier for us to pool resources so as to develop new mission initiatives, and where appropriate plant new churches, in the communities we serve. 4. MOTION ‘This Synod: a) support and celebrate the work that has been done across the diocese to develop Mission and Ministry Units, b) recognise the way this is enabling us to provide a sustainable ministry in all of our parishes and work together to be more missionally effective and plant new worshipping communities; and c) ask the Area Mission and Pastoral Committees to give Bishop’s Council a timetable and plan on MMU formation across their Episcopal Area by March 2020 with a view to concluding MMU formation by the end of 2020.’ 2 APPENDIX 1 Diocese of Chelmsford Guidelines for the Formation of a Mission and Ministry Unit Draft guidance on forming Mission and Ministry Units was discussed by Area Mission and Pastoral Committees in 2014. Since then Mission & Ministry Units A Simple Guide has been published1 and every deanery has explored their options for forming MMUs. This updated guidance has been produced in the light of the progress that has been made and the new ideas for MMUs that have emerged. These Guidelines have been agreed by Bishops and Archdeacons and are offered to deaneries and AMPCs to assist with the important decisions about MMU formation that lie ahead. Guidance is offered under four headings: Process, Mission, Ministry and Administration, and Leadership. 1 Process Guidance 1.1 The Area Dean and Lay Chair have key roles to play with the Archdeacon in discerning appropriate configurations of Units in their deanery and in cooperating with neighbouring deaneries where crossing current deanery or archdeaconry borders may be missionally appropriate. AMPCs will want to know that cross-border options have been considered. 1.2 When the relevant PCCs and Deanery Standing Committee have agreed the configuration of a Unit and are satisfied that these guidelines have been appropriately addressed, the Archdeacon will propose the formation of the Unit to the Area Mission and Pastoral Committee (AMPC). Following AMPC agreement, the Area Bishop will arrange to publicly commission the Unit. 1.3 It is not necessary for all the Units in a deanery to be agreed at the same time. 1.4 Potential Units are encouraged to start to work together before commissioning with agreement from the Archdeacon and Deanery Standing Committee. This phase may be vital to demonstrate that these guidelines can be met and that the new Unit will be viable and sustainable. 1.5 AMPCs have discretion to make reasonable amendments to this guidance for missional reasons in individual Units. Such amendments are to be explicitly noted in the minutes and, in cases of uncertainty, matters should be referred to the Diocesan Mission & Pastoral Committee. 1.6 Some deaneries have made a compelling missional case for the deanery to become an MMU. Others, for a variety of missional and practical reasons, wish the deanery to be the Unit for the time being while potential groupings of parishes become viable Units. In such cases, the AMPC may approve a time-limited Unit to be commissioned for a fixed period not exceeding four years. During that time, the deanery is encouraged to identify the likely leaders of the anticipated Units so that they can engage in diocesan-wide learning programmes. 1 Available at: www.transformingpresence.org.uk/resources/mmu.pdf 1 2 Mission Guidance 2.1 The formation of a Unit should prioritise the missional opportunities of the locality and take account of the particular context, demography, schools, other churches, businesses etc. 2.2 Each Unit should identify their particular Mission Priority Area(s), which may be shared with other Units. 2.3 Each Unit proposal will normally identify how pioneer, Fresh Expressions and mixed- economy working will be developed, including the identification of potential new congregations. 2.4 Each Unit should demonstrate a commitment and plan to enable sustainability and growth in every participant congregation or church, recognising that growth may be defined differently in response to local contexts. 2.5 The Unit may identify resources of people, money or buildings that could be used differently to promote overall growth in the future. 2.6 The Unit proposal will normally demonstrate a commitment and plan to work appropriately with all ages. 3 Ministry and Administrative Guidance The AMPC will want to know: 3.1 The Unit Name and its participant parishes/benefices. 3.2 Who will form the initial Unit Team including their ways of working/meeting and allocation of responsibilities and accountabilities. 3.3 How collaboration and collegiality between clergy and lay ministers will be developed within and between units in order that no ministers or congregations are isolated. 3.4 How leadership of the Unit will be exercised, including issues of authority, representation and collegiality (see further criteria below). It will be important to recognise the statutory responsibilities of PCCs and to ensure that the voices of lay people are heard. 3.5 How local ministry (ordained and lay) will be planned for every worshipping congregation so that they will flourish missionally, liturgically and pastorally. This includes consideration of sacramental availability. 3.6 That the Unit’s ministry plan is viable and addresses: deployment of stipendiary, non- stipendiary, ordained and lay ministers; how the sustainable minimum number of stipendiary clergy will be reached by 2025; how vocations of all sorts will be discerned and developed; and what additional resources may be needed and how they might be provided for. 3.7 How the work of administration is recognised, provided and developed so that the Unit is increasingly effective in mission, pastoral care and the use of resources. 3.8 Whether any new legal structures will needed for the Unit to operate effectively in the future. 3.9 How financial issues will be addressed including the affordability of ministry and administration, allocation and payment of share, and commitment to stewardship renewal and mutual generosity within and beyond the Unit. In addressing these issues, the AMPC has a duty to have due regard to the statistical data on the proposed Unit with a view to ensuring viability. 2 4 Leadership Guidance 4.1 With the priority of mission, Unit Leaders will be especially concerned to develop this aspect of the Unit’s life as they enable the Unit to develop and evolve. The title given to the leader may be decided locally (indeed, some Units may wish to avoid that term altogether and instead refer to a chair, enabler or facilitator).