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The Diocese of
Monmouth

PART FOUR: THE NEXT STEPS—FROM VISION TO REALITY

 

4.3 What the diocese is doing

 

  • We are encouraging people to witness to their faith. It is good to see so many people wearing the Church in Wales cross.

  • We are learning lessons about church growth from Archdeacon Bob Jackson and others.

  • We have appointed a Parish Development Adviser whose ministry is being widely used and appreciated. [ The Revd John Leach]

  • We are training people for particular ministries (lay and ordained including stipendiary and non-stipendiary priesthood, local deacons, readers, evangelists, lay eucharistic assistants, youth ministry).

  • We have appointed a Training Co-ordinator. [Mrs Judi Hattaway, appointed from 1st September, 2005. This meets the target put to us by one of the deaneries of having an officer in place by the 2005 Diocesan Conference.]

  • We have put most of our clergy through a two-year Servant Leadership programme. Church growth studies indicate that good leadership is the key factor in church growth.This programme will continue to run for clergy who are new to the diocese. [We are grateful to the Diocese of Oxford for their generosity in setting this up, and to the Revd Patrick Coleman and his team for running it. The feedback has been very positive.]

  • We are providing specialists in parish development, social responsibility and youth and children’s work.

  • We are managing the diocese, so that we plan ahead, control our finances and provide the best possible security for our clergy.

  • We are working to empower the Area Deans as deaneries come to have greater significance in the life of the diocese.

  • We are endeavouring to ensure that parishes do not have long vacancies, and that good appointments are made. Vacant parish posts are advertised and we provide help with producing parish profile documents.

  • We are providing the YES services for young people.

  • We are looking at making savings through co-operation with the Diocese of Llandaff etc.

  • We are encouraging ‘cutting edge’ ministries and have appointed a priest to lead a youth church in Newport.

  • [The Revd Justin Groves, a former Diocesan Youth Officer, has been appointed to pioneer a youth church based at St Paul's, Newport.]

  • We have an annual Diocesan Pilgrimage each year.

  • We are developing our link with the Diocese of the Highveld.