Thought For The Week 2 June 2024

Today Rory will give some feedback on what we have been hearing/discerning from our month of prayer meetings about the future direction of our parish. As I mentioned last week, the participation in this process has been encouraging; it feels like we are being responsible in our approach to addressing the looming challenges. Here are some common themes that emerged:

• No one is surprised by the need for this discussion. There is high awareness of the financial challenges and the decline in members is obvious to see. Many of us have been bracing for and expecting change realising the improbability of continuing on as we have been. Change is inevitable.
• There is some confusion around the ‘new thing’ we have in mind. Why would we try and do something new when we can barely keep what we already have afloat? At the same time there is acknowledgement that new ways to reach people are needed but we are uncertain as to what will work.
• While we wanted to test the idea of going to one site this naturally led folk to ask which site is best? This is a big question with lots of variables that require care and attention to a well thought out process to help us decide.
• Anxiety was expressed that any change like this will mean we lose people along the way. This is born out of past experience from the closure of Chalmers and St Paul’s.
• Some have suggested that our congregations are too different to ever be melded into one. Theological and worship style preferences make this too difficult.

These observations provide us a helpful starting point in identifying key issues for us to think through. The next step is for Parish council to seek a vision for where God is leading us, and to call our congregations to join us in that vision.

Nga manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa (Blessings to all)

Brent