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It is now nearly three years since Canon David Isaac convened a meeting at St John's, Locks Heath to talk about the celebration of the diocese's 75th anniversary in what at that time seemed to be the distant future - 2002! Since then I have said on numerous occasions that, as far as I was concerned, the year was a clean canvas and that I came to it with only the vaguest preconceptions of what might take place and, more importantly, what the year might mean to us as a diocese. A significant feature of 2002 is the 'Stepping Out' programme. Many people have contributed to its development, but in particular I would like to single out the work of Canon Ian Jagger and Canon David Tonkinson; they gave theological breadth and depth to much of the thinking behind what we are about this year. I have to say that, much as I miss them both dearly, it is a mark of their skill that the year has proceeded despite their departure for other dioceses. Latterly, though, Peter Hancock, Archdeacon of The Meon, has shouldered a great deal of the burden for taking this forward and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Peter publicly for his wisdom and energy in bringing this to fruition. So what is 'Stepping Out' all about? Put most simply it has to be about the twin elements of celebration and mission. Celebration because we have a great deal for which to be thankful. We have been given a unique opportunity to shape a ministry which serves the needs and aspirations of people in South East Hampshire, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. The programme for the year bears this out: the Maundy Thursday Prayer Vigil in the Cathedral; the celebration of the work of Churchwardens in Winchester on 4th May; the visit by Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, later that month; the Diocesan Eucharist to which all parishes are invited on Castle Fields on the 14th July, and then the final Service of Thanksgiving where stories of the year will be celebrated in the Cathedral on the 6th October. But alongside this element of jamboree, 'Stepping Out' is also about the continuing mission of the Church in serving the communities in which we find ourselves. It is not just a good bash for the in-crowd; it is an opportunity to find those points of contact where we can share the good news of God's kingdom with our friends and neighbours. The four tracks of 'Stepping Out' provide opportunities and resources to engage with children and young people, those on the fringe of Church-life, as well as Social Responsibility projects, and all in a way which I hope will turn celebration into a lasting venture. And just as every parish and Diocesan Board has been encouraged to set aside resources - both in time and personnel - for 'Stepping Out', so I have been working with my own staff team to see what contribution we can play, hence the Strategic Review Group, chaired by Christopher Lowson, Archdeacon of Portsdown. In setting the rationale for the Strategic Review Group, I have said that I believe that the diocese is at a moment of 'kairos' - that is, a moment of opportunity, the right time for a change of direction. It is true that we face financial pressures like everyone else, but the excellent management of our resources means that we are not facing the future with a gun against our heads. We are not driven solely by financial constraints; instead, we are being guided by a desire to make the most of the opportunities which God has placed before us. And what are those opportunities? Certainly we have to begin with the recognition that we are indeed blessed - richly blessed - by the people, pastoral offices, buildings and, yes, I will say financial resources that already exist in the diocese. How many organisations in this region have 11,000 supporters every single week, in season and out of season? How many organisations have the heritage of buildings - both the gems that we love, and the edifices that we need to change? How many organisations have the profile in Education, whose Diocesan Board is ably chaired by Mervyn Banting, Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight, that we so readily take for granted? It is apparent to me going around the diocese that we can take these things for granted and fail to do ourselves justice, when we consider the impact of the Church on local communities. As well as a sober estimate of our current position, I am looking to the Strategic Review Group to dream dreams about the future shape of ministry in this diocese. To dare to think that the Church of the future may include much of what we currently see, but much else besides too. Most importantly, I believe it will be about pruning some of what we do so that we can do less and do it better. In all our diversity and rich variety, when there are so many worthwhile things that we could do, it is all too easy to let the good become the enemy of the best, and to allow our energies to be spent in doing many things poorly, rather than a few well. This challenge has implications for us in the way the diocese is organised, as well as how parishes continue to work; and here I should like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication which Churchwardens bring to their work, especially if this is the year when some of you are retiring, or taking up office for the first time. Let us stop and think for a while about what this might mean in the deanery of Havant, which is larger than most of the other Deaneries in terms of population, and also includes a great degree of variety from Hayling Island through Leigh Park to Clanfield. How can we work more effectively together, as tonight's gospel reading of the miracle of the fishing expedition shows us? Are there new ways of using our buildings more effectively? In an increasingly fragmented society, are there major opportunities for worship other than Sunday morning? And are there new patterns of ministry, including from and within the youth? There are opportunities that need to be identified and grasped. I do not want to be the Bishop of a diocese that is judged in the future to have wilfully passed up significant new opportunities - in the way that the Pope of the time did when Marco Polo came back from China asking for missionaries, and got a flat apathetic no as an answer. But above all, we must ask - what is it that we do, or what is it that we are, that really matters? What is our 'core business'? What is the heart of the matter? On many occasions I have set out my own vision for the diocese and in recent months I have returned to it time and again. That is that we should be a people who prays to the Lord, engages with the world and hears and proclaims the Gospel. The whole 'Stepping Out 2002' programme has been characterised by a balance between central resources and initiatives on the ground. I believe that this should be a pattern for the coming year - the Strategic Review Group may well come up with patterns of ministry and Church life that some will welcome and others will find profoundly disturbing. But these will need to be tested, grounded and earthed in each parish in order to ensure that they respond to the authentic call of Christ in every community. We have been moving, and will continue to move, away from the 'one size fits all' style of ministry and the variety we have seen in recent years will continue to flourish. My prayer is that in doing so we may continue to preserve the integrity of the gospel and the generosity of our people as we walk on our Christian pilgrimage. May God bless you all. + KENNETH PORTSMOUTH |
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page last updated 4 JUNE 2002 |
