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So we've done the Kairos studies, listened to the Kairos sermons and watched the Kairos videos. What happens next? Well, we can be reminded of the principles behind Kairos when Baptist minister and TV presenter the Rev Steve Chalke visits us on October 6. And while this is going on, a small group from our parish will spend six months doing the research that could herald a revolution in the way we think about being the Church.
For those who haven't heard of it before, Kairos is our bishop's initiative that aims to create a Church that has a broader base in its community, a deeper spiritual understanding, but is leaner in its structures so it can respond more quickly to new opportunities. Thousands of Christians across the diocese studied the theology behind this in small groups and sermons earlier this year. Now parishes are working together in clusters to produce an audit of the social, spiritual and physical needs of each community between now and January 2005. The idea is to build a statistical picture of the type of people who live in our area, including details from the 2001 census. Each cluster will also explore what other denominations and what secular authorities are already doing to meet those needs. The results of that survey will be used as parishes plan for the future next spring. For the rest of us, the visit of Steve Chalke should help us to understand more about how our churches can be placed at the heart of the communities they serve. He is the founding director of Faithworks, a movement committed to empowering churches to be at the hub of their communities. Much of the Faithworks thinking about community engagement echoes the principles behind our Kairos process, and our diocese is now a Faithworks affiliate. He will speak during a specially-organised service at St John's RC Cathedral, Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth, between 7pm-9pm on October 6. Beforehand he will spend time talking to church leaders and clergy from all denominations from 5.30pm. The event is part of a Faithworks tour on the theme of 'Trust'. Steve will spend time talking about how churches can work with each other and with secular authorities to ensure the Church is trusted as a provider of local services. Steve, who was awarded the MBE earlier this year for his services to social inclusion, is senior minister of a church in London and founding director of the Oasis Trust, which tackles social issues across the world. He has written more than 30 books and has presented series on ITV and BBC. |
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