I have one of the most testing of all the roles thus far undertaken in my Christian life this evening as I present to a joint church council meeting the intricacies of the redundancies proposed for our Deanery.
The biggest challenge is to present what we have before us in a missional light, for what many appear to see is little more than the church being driven by financial statements and cashflows; a situation not helped by those who utter the mantra, "If you can't pay - you can't have!"
What we have before us is an opportunity to bring about a missional church with an all-member ministry model that not only encourages, but trains, equips and releases members to fulfil their baptismal calling alongside the minister. A return to the Acts model of Church and something to be excited about!
What troubles many is the fact that those who don't have, especially in Estate and Urban Priority Area (UPA) churches, feel that they are going to be condemned to a 'cat's lick and a promise' style of church. That they will be demoted even further down the divisions such that they are unloved, uncared for and un-facilitated such that all they can see is decline. Meanwhile, where there are pretty parishes with roses around the door, they will continue at the top of the pecking order in their confortable existence (at the perceived expense of the poorer relations).
We speak of generosity and live in hard financial reality.
In a week where the Tamworth Credit Union has announced that it will be folding (because of unpaid loans) it seems that, as one of the people said over church lunch today, "Those who live in the crap places get given the crap breaks!"
Thankfully Christ (and His Church) don't see it like this and so, as I attempt to promote a missional approach to the redundancies here (two of them in all), I would ask that you would pray for our meeting tonight and the Deanery Synod in November and the decisions made by the area and diocesan bishops and their staff.
Pax