LOCAL CHURCH REVIEW Your Thoughts Please!
The Presbytery are looking to the future of the Church in Orkney and want East Mainland Congregation to share their views about what they want from Church life over the next 5 – 10 years. An opportunity will be made for us to get together and talk but I was hoping that first you might all be kind enough to consider the questions and provide your answers… We’ll set up Boards where you can pin your answers as you come and go from the Church and we’ll gather the information to present to you for discussion before our final response is made to Presbytery.
To the Congregations of Orkney Introduction Orkney Presbytery is asking for your help and participation to plan a way forward across the County, anticipating future challenges. The first stage of this process is to find out what needs there are and therefore we would like to encourage you to tell us about where you are in your ministry, your thoughts, concerns and dreams. It’s a team exercise and we are asking every congregation in the Presbytery to engage in this process. The purpose of it is to find a way forward for all of us and we therefore need your help with it.
Every parish is unique; every story is different; you know your own story better than anyone else. That is why you are asked to write your story, tell us about congregational life in your parish, tell us of your worship, service, and so much more. Your story is vital in understanding the life of your congregation.
We would like you to read the questions in the attached form and, as a congregation, write down the answer that best sums up your current situation. This may be best done by breaking the questions up in to groups and having different groups of people answering different questions – do what you think is best for your congregation. We are happy to help facilitate this process. Your Congregation’s Story Please tell us something of your Parish history. Think back over the last ten years. Share the recent story of your congregation – the celebrations, the struggles, the dreams. Where have you seen God at work? How did you get where you are in your congregational life? Where do you think you are? The report that follows asks many questions and the answers given will tell much. Therefore, your story below need not be more than a very few paragraphs. Please tell us what the important moments in the last 10 years have been.
Life of the congregation Tell us about congregational life and its worship, fellowship, service, discipleship and evangelism.
Worship – The shared experience of meeting God; we gather to express our need for God and to express our gratitude for all that God has done for us. Style(s) of worship – describe a typical service format; Congregational member involvement in leading worship (Worship groups – how do they work? do they need support?) How do you work with children and young people in your congregation? Do you have any devotional meetings outside of a Sunday morning (Bible study, prayer group, ecumenical gatherings)? Anything else you would like to tell us?
Service - The living out of our faith in practical ways. Jesus called us to be servants of all and this is shown to others as we care for our neighbours. How do you provide Pastoral Care for people in your parish? are you involved with school or other chaplaincies (Boys’ Brigade, Girl Guides, other uniformed organisations)?
In what ways do you work in partnership with community groups or agencies? Anything else you would like to say? Congregation and Wider Church This is about the Congregation and the Wider church - our relationships and involvement with Presbytery, central church structures and other denominations. Tell us about any ecumenical relationships. Tell us about any partnerships you have with the World Church Tell us about your involvement with organisations, for example, Christian Aid. Anything else you would like to say? Communication Communications – Tell us about your communication strategy/plan including website use: How do you keep in touch with members, people living in your parish and your linkage partners where appropriate? Anything else you would like to tell say? Into the future Tell us about your challenges and opportunities for the future. Tell us about your vision and plans for the next 5 years. What are you good at? What are you finding difficult/need help with? What would you like to see happen in your congregation/parish in the next 5 years? What steps have you taken or intend to take to make it a reality? What could you potentially offer to others across the Presbytery? Do you envisage changes in your buildings (improvements, sale etc.)? Anything else you would like to say?
Please give consideration to these questions and either deliver your answers and suggestions to our suggestion box with or without your name attached or pin to our message boards on Sunday 26th August and 2nd September.
Thank you.
Wilma
The Presbytery are looking to the future of the Church in Orkney and want East Mainland Congregation to share their views about what they want from Church life over the next 5 – 10 years. An opportunity will be made for us to get together and talk but I was hoping that first you might all be kind enough to consider the questions and provide your answers… We’ll set up Boards where you can pin your answers as you come and go from the Church and we’ll gather the information to present to you for discussion before our final response is made to Presbytery.
To the Congregations of Orkney Introduction Orkney Presbytery is asking for your help and participation to plan a way forward across the County, anticipating future challenges. The first stage of this process is to find out what needs there are and therefore we would like to encourage you to tell us about where you are in your ministry, your thoughts, concerns and dreams. It’s a team exercise and we are asking every congregation in the Presbytery to engage in this process. The purpose of it is to find a way forward for all of us and we therefore need your help with it.
Every parish is unique; every story is different; you know your own story better than anyone else. That is why you are asked to write your story, tell us about congregational life in your parish, tell us of your worship, service, and so much more. Your story is vital in understanding the life of your congregation.
We would like you to read the questions in the attached form and, as a congregation, write down the answer that best sums up your current situation. This may be best done by breaking the questions up in to groups and having different groups of people answering different questions – do what you think is best for your congregation. We are happy to help facilitate this process. Your Congregation’s Story Please tell us something of your Parish history. Think back over the last ten years. Share the recent story of your congregation – the celebrations, the struggles, the dreams. Where have you seen God at work? How did you get where you are in your congregational life? Where do you think you are? The report that follows asks many questions and the answers given will tell much. Therefore, your story below need not be more than a very few paragraphs. Please tell us what the important moments in the last 10 years have been.
Life of the congregation Tell us about congregational life and its worship, fellowship, service, discipleship and evangelism.
Worship – The shared experience of meeting God; we gather to express our need for God and to express our gratitude for all that God has done for us. Style(s) of worship – describe a typical service format; Congregational member involvement in leading worship (Worship groups – how do they work? do they need support?) How do you work with children and young people in your congregation? Do you have any devotional meetings outside of a Sunday morning (Bible study, prayer group, ecumenical gatherings)? Anything else you would like to tell us?
Service - The living out of our faith in practical ways. Jesus called us to be servants of all and this is shown to others as we care for our neighbours. How do you provide Pastoral Care for people in your parish? are you involved with school or other chaplaincies (Boys’ Brigade, Girl Guides, other uniformed organisations)?
In what ways do you work in partnership with community groups or agencies? Anything else you would like to say? Congregation and Wider Church This is about the Congregation and the Wider church - our relationships and involvement with Presbytery, central church structures and other denominations. Tell us about any ecumenical relationships. Tell us about any partnerships you have with the World Church Tell us about your involvement with organisations, for example, Christian Aid. Anything else you would like to say? Communication Communications – Tell us about your communication strategy/plan including website use: How do you keep in touch with members, people living in your parish and your linkage partners where appropriate? Anything else you would like to tell say? Into the future Tell us about your challenges and opportunities for the future. Tell us about your vision and plans for the next 5 years. What are you good at? What are you finding difficult/need help with? What would you like to see happen in your congregation/parish in the next 5 years? What steps have you taken or intend to take to make it a reality? What could you potentially offer to others across the Presbytery? Do you envisage changes in your buildings (improvements, sale etc.)? Anything else you would like to say?
Please give consideration to these questions and either deliver your answers and suggestions to our suggestion box with or without your name attached or pin to our message boards on Sunday 26th August and 2nd September.
Thank you.
Wilma
