“Charters serve little purpose, says the Very Rev. Shawn Duncan, chair, “if they are just products that get filed. The best charters are created from a blank page. So, our team spent two meetings, a total of about three and a half hours in conversation developing a charter that we believe encompasses our ministry of oversight.

“The first part of our task is to observe and analyze,” he says, alluding to the image of taking things in from the balcony where the view is wider and more expansive.

The team will sift information and draw conclusions, communicating back to the teams as well as out along the diocesan chain. They will also offer support and direction. Finally, they will name areas of ministry not being addressed and speak to shareholders in those areas.

Shawn also noted that the team’s focus is not solely or mainly on the revitalization teams. Asked where he saw things three years into the future, he replied, “My constant prayer is that we become a diocese passionately engaged in pursuing God’s mission with excellence.”

Clergy Collegiality Team

The Rev. Colleen O’Connor reports that this group had their first meeting in early April, due to an earlier weather cancellation. They began work on their charter and expect to finalize it at their May meeting.
A goal the group has already established is the organization of three clergy days to take place between September 2008 and May 2009, as well as other opportunities such as retreat days to strengthen clergy collegiality.

“We want to encourage a clergy culture in which all members of the clergy feel it is important and valuable to themselves to attend diocesan clergy gatherings. There is a longing for greater participation and we want to foster stronger self-expectation for connectedness amongst us.

“We recognize that not all clergy serve full time in a church, so we hope to offer a variety of opportunities in order that all clergy, even those who work full time outside the Church, have a chance to participate.”

Communication Teams

A combined meeting of the Communication Media and Technology Teams in February resulted in a combined charter for the two groups since those present felt that the work of both teams needed to be closely informed by the other.

At their March meeting, the team identified three initial tasks:

1) Assessment - Before we can move ahead, it is essential to know where we, meaning the diocesan office and the individual parishes now stand in terms of communication technology and media efforts. Thus, a survey tool is being designed to elicit concrete data on what currently exists. The tool will also ask parishes to report on their perceived needs.

2) Message Communication - In the communication matrix messages need to be communicated to various audiences. A subgroup is exploring ways both the types messages and the means by which they can be most effectively communicated to their intended audiences.

3) Emerging Communication Resources - To maintain a place in the marketplace of ideas and reach those who are not already members of our churches, we need to embrace new modes of communication. What are the emerging technologies and how can we best use them to communicate God’s message?

The combined team is meeting again on April 22 for a progress check and continued discussion of their ultimate goals.

A report on the activities of the remaining teams will be forthcoming.