Consultation on the Future of our Churches - Initial Feedback

At Masses this weekend, Fr Jonathan provided the following initial feedback following the consultation on the future of our churches:

The core parish teams met this week to consider the responses to the consultation on the future of our churches. The responses painted a picture of a parish with three mass centres, each of which is much loved and valued. This is not surprising - our parish is a community of communities. The spread of the parish means that it will always remain so, and that our communion must be grounded, as it always has been, in the person of Jesus Christ and in a shared vision of what living that means. Looking at the 283 responses as a whole there was not a clear consensus in favour of any particular option.

Through the coming year, and as the Pastoral Plan unfolds in our Deanery, there will be a series of gatherings which will seek to build a shared vision for the mission in our area and I encourage you to take part. For the moment, I encourage us respond to Bishop Richard’s invitation to reflect on the gifts and talents with which the Lord has blessed us - as individuals, and as communities in our parish - and to consider how these might contribute towards a renewed vision of ‘Making our Church of today, everyone’s Church for the future’.”

There will be a parish meeting on 15th May at which there will be a more in depth presentation of the responses to the consultation.

In order to build on the views shared through the most recent consultation (and in prior ones) our next step is to explore in more detail alternative uses of St Edmund's Church and presbytery so as to better inform our mission based decision making.

Notes

A printed report will be published later this month and there will be opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback.