Standing Committee Bulletin 7: 21 June 2018 Llandrinio Village Hall, Llandrinio

Hilary Murray, Vice President of the Part 2 – residential property, church halls Diocesan Conference, welcomed and churchyards. everyone to Llandrinio. Toolkit 8 will be on Spirituality and will be The Ven Bob issued in September. Griffith, 2017 Diocesan Accounts Archdeacon of Wrexham gave Helen Jones outlined the 2017 accounts. the reflection. Full details on the accompanying paper. This is his last Standing The higher than anticipated deficit was Committee as due to the unexpected rise in clergy he retires at the end of July. pension contributions.

Archdeacon recruitment The DBF has continued to invest in growth and Bishop Gregory gave an update on the new ideas. recruitment of new Archdeacons. We were blessed with a very strong field of The 2017 deficit needs candidates which made shortlisting to be placed in extremely difficult. It would have been context: from 2000 - good to have more women candidates. 2017, the diocese achieved a net surplus of £337,000. This Following a rigorous a two-day has gone on to support the transformation discernment process. Barry Wilson has fund, without a further call on Fair Share. been appointed as Archdeacon of Montgomery. will be The accounts have been audited by Sage . will and Co who are fully satisfied by internal move to become Archdeacon of processes and controls and with the Wrexham. All three will be installed for accuracy of the information. their new ministries on 7 October. Further The accounts were passed unanimously. information at https://stasaph.churchinwales.org.uk/news Evangelism Fund Bid

2020 Vision: Toolkits John Lomas (JL): The £10m Evangelism Fund is open to each diocese with up to Tracy White: Toolkit 6 on GDPR has gone £3m available for a successful bid. The out and is available on the website: diocese is developing a bid to create a https://stasaph.churchinwales.org.uk/life/2 Resource Church (RC), which will focus on 020-vision/tool-kit-available-for-churches/ the 97% of the population who don’t go to Toolkit 7 on Property will be issued in July church. It will support and not supplant and is in two sections: existing good work across the diocese.

Part 1 – churches, their purpose and It will be in an area with good transport devising a strategy. links, appeal to the under 40s – the missing generations and be a missional

community, creating a place where Tim Feak: From a youth worker perspective people will move out from. it will be supporting, sustaining and training youth workers across the diocese. Close links are being made with St Padarn’s Training Institute and other Heather Fenton asked: What’s planned for partners so those in training can be rural areas? apprenticed in both the traditional church JL: Young people from rural areas will and new ways of being church. It will come too. Its success will have an impact develop a church planting culture, so across all our communities. people will flow out to other churches and locations across the diocese. It will have Lorraine Badger Watts: She’s based in rural new staff and resources and will have a communities and believes this model has business plan, so it will be sustainable the best chance with the money available within five years. to regenerate the life and energy within the church. It may start in a town context, Participation will be beyond just but it will transform all communities. attendance-ship – it will be a whole life experience that is rooted in gospel values Paulette Gower: How interdenominational and teaching. is RC?

Resource Churches are cropping up JL: That’s up to us. It would be good to across the UK work with other churches wherever and being possible. successful. It would be Hilary Murray asked: Will the Evangelism foolish to not Fund support youth workers and learn from stipendiary lay ministry, as these were the others. We’re in two priorities identified as requiring conversation additional funding? with the Church Revitalisation Trust who JL: There will be three stipendiary posts: the have partnered and supported many director, the worship leader and a curate. churches, for example in Swindon, Also, there will be internships, specifically Southampton and Newcastle, and they for a church planter and a youth and will be there to support us. community worker. Job descriptions have A group meets on Monday nights in been written for 16 roles but these will Caerwys to pray for this initiative. All are need to be refined further. welcome. Dot Gosling added: A visit to Gas Street RC Jonathan Smith asked: Can only dioceses in Birmingham is planned for 23 apply, or can individual churches too? September. If anyone would like to come along, please contact Dot JL: The Transformation Fund was for [email protected] churches and Mission Areas. The Evangelism Fund is for diocesan bids only. Armed Forces Covenant – Pam Powell

Sue Huyton asked: Are there practical The Armed ways for RC to resource more widely? Forces Covenant was JL: The whole point of RC is not to stay adopted static – within three years it will plant out unanimously. and move out to other places. It’s not just about a big church in one place but about moving people out.

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Matters Raised by Mission Areas Bishop Gregory offered his support to Tim on this. The transformative effect of the presence of the youth forum at the conference is fabulous. The diocesan conference is not just a gathering for old people, but the voice of young people needs to have a place there too. They will help us transform the church.

The Bishop commented that if we can’t find 21 people between 16-25 for the Tim Feak explained that the hardest part future of the church then we are in dire of his job is trying to reach 16-25s. With straits indeed! that in mind, SC agreed an additional MA Tim thanked everyone for their support. youth rep for the Diocesan Conference. So far, we are struggling to fill those roles. Casual vacancy on the DBF

Pam Powell: Could there be a youth SC passed unanimously the appointment advocate in each Mission Area? of Revd Christine Owen for the vacancy after the retirement of Revd Sally Rogers. Tracy White: We need to be aware of who might be in contact with young people. Provincial reports The request needs to be passed on to Bishop Gregory updated SC on the recent such people. Bench of Bishops meeting. Among the Sarah Errington: How can young people issues discussed were: represent the MA if they don’t have The role of priests in shared ministry – the contact with the MA? doctrinal commission is writing a paper on TF: The people already signed up are what ordination means and what are the aware of church and youth groups. They orders of deacon, priest and bishops. A might not know the governance structures special edition of Theology Wales is but that’s OK. coming out in Autumn.

Tim plans to work with this group of people Funeral rites – the 10-year experimental rite in advance of the Diocesan Conference has now been signed off for full use. These so they know what the conference is and will be available in two parts: are prepared for it. Part 1 includes the basic rites for use in Nia Morris: Can these meetings take pace church and will be published in a booklet. in each archdeaconry rather than always Part 2 is resource material which will be being in St Asaph? available electronically. Hilary Murray: Should a young person be New liturgical resources and material will co-opted onto the MAC? be available for use from Advert to Some like that idea and others didn’t – it Presentation and then Lent to Pentecost. will be up to each MAC. This material will be available electronically. Tim now has a minibus licence - wherever possible the diocese will help with Lorraine Badger-Watts: With President transport. Youth Forum is a natural Trump coming in July, will the Bench progression to the Diocesan Conference consider a public letter opposing his use of so it will seem less scary. racist language and the actions of his Government? 3 Standing Committee Bulletin 7: Llandrinio Village Hall, June 2018

+G replied referring to Radio 4’s earlier Two MAs have committed to a year’s Thought for the Day: When bishops speak, worth of monthly events for families/all they need to choose wisely but racism was ages. a subject that Bishops should speak out Rural areas are unlikely to grow through against. Sunday services says Jill Hopkinson so new Paper from the RB – see the meeting notes ideas are coming forward:

Paper from the GB – see Highlights. New messy churches and café church

After lunch, Martin Batchelor took over as Pop up church in the local shows chair. Coordinate community response to Growth Priority centenary remembrance in November

Attend local council meetings

Celebrate how people are already involved in local organisations.

Have a picnic in the church yard with a specific invitation to those who’ve experienced the churches care in the last year.

Bishop Gregory: A year ago we began Peter ended with the phrase: Because the shaping priorities for the diocese. Bishop world needs love, the church needs you. Gregory thanked the MAs for their work Bob Griffith for Wrexham: and invited the Archdeacons to outline the responses for the need for growth: We have the fastest growing urban areas of the whole diocese – hundreds of new Peter Pike for Montgomery houses and industry. There are plans for Peter recommended an article from 300 houses in Borderlands alone and the Transmission – (Bible Society publication) – same in Wrexham. on Church Growth in Rural Communities Bob reminded SC of the gospel – the by Dr Jill Hopkinson. kingdom doesn’t grow without planting a Ideas for spiritual growth have been seed. The church needs a presence in identified as: and a relationship with society. Growth comes with relationship. There is potential • Quiet days at Pennant Melangell in each place but one size does not fit all. Bardsey and the Carmelite There is a difference between urban and convent in Dolgellau rural mission – each church serves a • Spiritual exercises different area – some challenges are • Simple Faith as Evangelism similar, but each area is distinct. • LyCiG The challenge of 10% growth has Montgomery has had a significant prompted conversations and growth is on reduction in the number of stipendiary the agenda. People are beginning to ministry but everyone has committed to acknowledge that there are some the 10% goal. There are some good stories advantages to MAs – working together to emerging, especially Open the Book look at life and not decline and death. around the Newtown schools. Schools – church and community schools; messy church, open the book. LyCiG 4 Standing Committee Bulletin 7: Llandrinio Village Hall, June 2018

local, Pilgrim, Alpha, Me and my dad week. We are looking at it but no definite groups, Café church. Each looking at change yet. communication – how best to Pam Powell: The Methodist Church has a communicate; there is much contact via method for measuring over a month - the occasional offices. could we investigate? The pattern of church going has changed. Roz Williams: Jill Hopkinson has made an Many people travel more, look after family offer to work with our rural churches. Roz or work on Sunday. Week day services are will pursue that. often church for people. We need to look at church over a month rather than Diane McCarthy Sunday services. There are also those summarised by thanking who’ve been described as “hidden everyone for all the attenders” – people who pop in to light a contributions. The next candle. steps are:

We need to recognise that change won’t necessarily bring people into churches. A kitchen in a cupboard won’t revive a • The LyCiG prayer will be sent to all MAs church. People need to be welcomed in English and Welsh. and given a sense of the holy. How do we • The Quick Wins document will be measure the impact we’re having? Our circulated as part of the July Ad calling is to sow the seed. Clerum. • The deadline for submitting the 2017 Bob thanked the MAs for their willingness statistics is the end of July. to meet the challenge. • Archdeacons will work with MAs on analysing progress during October and John Lomas for St Asaph will present a summary of progress, We’re at the point of no return. In St best practice, and lessons learnt at SC Asaph people have been concerned in November. about 10% growth but they are going for • LyCiG courses: it. All but one MA is going for 10% and • 3 November – Llangollen Pavilion – they’re aiming for 2.5%. LyCiG day course. • Fri 8 March – Sunday 10 March in Most of the growth isn’t coming from Swanwick – residential course over Sunday mornings – if we’re going to the weekend aimed at people measure, we need to get the ruler right. who work Tell us what you are doing and we’ll figure out a way to measure that. Report from the Developing Steering Group Lorraine Badger Watts: Are there any discussions provincially about whether the statistical models will be changed so we can measure growth across the week and not just Sunday?

+G: The RB is looking for a new model but it’s difficult to know how to set up the framework. The general feeling is you can’t measure the authentic life of the church just by measuring Sunday morning. John Foxlee outlined details of the St Even our core members aren’t there every Asaph College of Spiritual Directors:

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• There are currently 20 moving to St Padarn’s as Director of commissioned members. Formation. Bishop Gregory thanked her • New training will take place with for all her hard work as Directory of Bangor Diocese in September. Ministry. • People who complete the course Bishop Gregory also paid tribute to successfully will be interviewed by Archdeacon Bob who is retiring as members and proposed for Archdeacon of Wrexham after 42 years’ commissioning by Bishop Gregory service, all in the . The • There’s been an Increase in Bishop thanked him for his dedicated demand for spiritual direction, service in the diocese while we watched a especially from lay people. slideshow of Bob through the years! He Spiritual Formation quiet days for churches hasn’t aged at all…… are led by Elizabeth Day. Revd John Harvey has recently produced a toolkit on Date of the next meeting growth in prayer. Tuesday 25 September 2018 at St Richard Hainsworth from St Padarn’s said: Matthew’s Church Hall Buckley

Living and Learning – has been expanded Further information and now includes courses on: All the papers to accompany this meeting • Lord’s Prayer can be found at: • Stewardship http://stasaph.churchinwales.org.uk/life/st • The church and young people anding-committee-information-papers/ • Leading a living and learning group • Five marks of mission

If anyone would like to contribute to a course on Mission, that could be shared with the Province, please contact Richard. If you think there’s a gap, please let Richard know. St Padarn’s website has all the booklets.

Theology for Life – now is the time to enrol. At least one group is starting in Hope; one in Holywell; one near St Asaph/Colwyn Bay. We need 3-4 people to start a group and up to 8 in each group. Richard is available to speak to your church or MA.

Coming up at the September meeting:

• Diocesan budget for 2019 • A report from the Engaging Steering Group • Plans for 2020 celebrations • Evangelism Fund bid

Farewell and Thank You

It’s the last SC for our Director of Ministry, Revd Dr Manon Ceridwen James who is 6 Standing Committee Bulletin 7: Llandrinio Village Hall, June 2018