A new horizon of hope

We are in the middle of preparing our annual performance review for the Church House team which will be discussed at Bishops Council next month. This includes setting our objectives and priorities into 2021. This feels like a particularly strange activity this year. Trying to lift our horizons to peer into the next season is hard when so much is uncertain and like many of our clergy, wardens and lay volunteers across our diocese, we are feeling tired and weary from months of responding and reacting to short term and unplanned CV19 change.
 
As we have worked on next year’s priorities, I have found myself much encouraged by the words of Psalm 24, which prompts us to look ahead to our destination, to anticipate the celebrations both in this world and the next. It is a great antidote to the gravitational pull of our current reality of getting through and getting back to where we were before.
 
Whilst tough, the last six months has also been a period of such creativity, we have learnt so much and seen so much fruit in so many new places. Taking the time now to lift our heads and to look ahead, perhaps just a few months, provides the opportunity for God to show us a new horizon of hope and perhaps where to consolidate and build on what we have learnt. This will of course be different in each context and it will take energy to lift-up our heads and focus beyond the short term, but feels like a worthwhile and fruitful activity.
 
Again, I have found Psalm 24 helpful, particularly the symbolism of lifting the gates, v7: “lift up your heads, you gates ……that the King of glory may come in”. The top part of the gates are thought to have been a section of doorway that needed to be drawn up, like a portcullis. So, whilst the lifting up took intentional effort, dropping the gates down again would have been effortless and swift. Perhaps this is appropriate imagery for us right now and can help give us the confidence to lift our heads and look ahead to all that God would intend, safe in the knowledge that if we have further lockdown we can readily drop our gaze back to the here and now!
 
 
Peter Coles
Diocesan Secretary
 

A revised PNP

We know that asking Parishes about long term plans in the midst of a pandemic isn’t helpful, so instead of the Parish Needs Process helping churches to plan over a 3-5 year time horizon we are introducing the Parish Support Process which will be our chance to hear from you about your more immediate priorities, plans and challenges in order to plan for the next few months. We hope to be able to be able to lighten the load and help you(where possible) to lift your heads up, look ahead and focus on the next few months rather than weeks. Over the next few months the Mission Enabler Team or Parish Coordination Team will be in touch with someone from each parish to arrange some time in the diary. We are wanting to listen to church leaders and to find out what needs you have, both as parishes, and as leaders right now, and as you plan your recovery. We are planning to work together with parishes, deaneries and others to help build plans to address these needs together.

These conversations are beginning in November, and should be concluded by the end of January/February. Please watch out for an email or phone call! If you have any questions about this, please be in touch with David, the Head of the Mission Enabler Team.

Diocesan and Deanery Synods can meet virtually

Bishop Andrew has published a Bishop’s Instrument temporarily allowing Diocesan and Deanery Synods to meet virtually. You can find the text of the instrument here.

Spiritual Care at the Royal Surrey Hospital

New guidance issued from Royal Surrey Hospital on restrictions to visitations. 

Managing the transition from furlough – October 2020

 
As the furlough scheme draws to an end, we recognise that some of our parishes will be welcoming staff back after many months on furlough.  Some parishes might be planning to introduce the government’s Job Support Scheme (JSS). We recognise also that some parishes are having to make tough decisions about reducing hours for some roles and some are considering, or are implementing, redundancies. Each of these situations are challenging on our clergy and parish teams. 
  
Please find some guidance on welcoming staff back after furlough and re-integrating them into the parish teams and workplace.  Also included is a link to the government website on the Job Support Scheme (JSS).

If you would like some guidance on alternative options that you might be considering at this point, such as reducing hours or redundancy situations, please contact our HR team as follows:  
Lynda.donaldson@cofeguildford.org.uk or Linda.wagner@cofeguildford.org.uk

Clergy Study Day – Monday 30th November 2020

To all clergy and LLMs

Our next Clergy Study Day – on Monday 30th November 2020, 9.30am-1.00pm by Zoom – will focus on Living in Love and Faith. This project, three years in the making, consists of a set of resources commissioned by the Archbishops and commended by the House of Bishops, to invite the whole church to reflect deeply on issues relating to identity, relationships, sexuality and marriage. The resources invite engagement and learning from us all – which is something I suggest would best happen at parish or deanery level in small groups, following the (five session) course at some point during 2021. 

Our goal for this study day is to introduce you to the materials by engaging with their objectives, surveying the content and understanding the process that has shaped them. I have invited two coordinating group consultants to join us for the morning, the Revd Dr Andrew Goddard (Assistant Minister, St James the Less, Pimlico and Senior Research Fellow at Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics) and the Revd Canon Giles Goddard (Vicar of St John’s Waterloo). 

Whilst stipendiary clergy are expected at this event, and SSMs and OLMs are most welcome if circumstances make it possible, I am also extending the invitation to LLMs – not least because together we seek to facilitate the learning processes in our parishes.

Sunday Sermons – a choice this week

We are encouraging a focus on sermons from the Transforming Generosity resources during October, though our bishops will continue to offer a lectionary sermon each week.

Transforming Generosity Sunday Sermon

During October the Transforming Generosity sermons can be used and are in a playlist on YouTube.
This week, the Ven. Martin Breadmore preaches Luke 19:1-10 – Zacchaeus

Sermon video: The Ven Martin Breadmore, Archdeacon of Dorking

Sermon transcript (Word)

Service outline (Word)

Service template (Powerpoint)

Sunday Sermon

Bishop Andrew’s sermon for next Sunday – All Saints Day – is on the theme of ‘From Ordinary to Extraordinary’, and is based on the gospel lectionary reading from Matthew 5:1-12. 

Comfort & Joy resources and how to use them

We have summarized below some of the quick wins that were suggested in a session with Emma Sijuwade from Sociobelle on what you and your church could do to take advantage of the national digital resources and use social media to amplify your plans this Advent and Christmas :-

• Share the Church of England’s content
• Tag the Church of England and Diocese in all your content
• Follow and interact with other churches in the Diocese – sharing ideas 
• Create original content
• Create a campaign related event
• Run a campaign related Facebook live session
• Encourage your community to create content around theme
• Use the branding available at ACNY

If you are using Instagram

• Share high quality imagery of how you are taking part
• Use Instagram stories to keep your audience up to date
• Engage with and share National content
• Follow Comfort & Joy Hashtag

• Tweet regularly about what you are doing
• Use the official hashtag
• Retweet official content from the National Church
• Share Christmas campaign related resources
• Tag @churchofengland and @cofeguildford in all your posts around campaign
• Follow and interact with other churches in the Diocese on this content

More Wednesday Webinars launched until December

Please check the timing of sessions, as some will be held in the afternoon and some in the evening. 

JANUARY Course – ‘In conversation with pioneers’

 
Has the Covid-19 pandemic prompted you to ask questions about the focus of your ministry and vocation? Are you noticing the need to do things differently within your own church tradition and would benefit from hearing about the experiences of pioneers to support you in exploring this? (e.g. how to innovate, live with uncertainty, take risks, adapt, co-create with your community etc). Or maybe you are feeling a nudge to think about pioneer ministry in some way and would value finding out more from people who are doing this already? The National Anglican Community of Pioneers is hosting a series of ‘in conversation with…’ seminars aimed at lay and ordained Anglican Church leaders with little or no pioneering experience who would like to find out more. It will be an opportunity to meet with experienced pioneer practitioners and to ask questions.
 
Book now via Eventbrite as places will be limited to ensure an interactive experience.
 
​Thursday January 7th, 2021 10am – 11.30am https://inconvo71.eventbrite.co.uk
Wednesday January 13th, 2021 10am – 11.30am https://inconvo131.eventbrite.co.uk
Wednesday January 27th, 2021 10am – 11.30am  https://inconvo271.eventbrite.co.uk
 
For more information email pioneers@churchofengland.org