Team Vision ~ God's People Together
We are a Team Parish with a history. A team of churches - people & ministers - that has so much to offer to the communities we serve. Now is the time to decide how to use that inheritance for our future mission:
- Faithfully serving God in loving service and witness to his world
- Sharing the life of Christ with the people, communities and institutions we have been given in Basingstoke
- Living out Gospel values of reconciliation, justice, love, peace, compassion and love
- Demonstrating, to the fragmented Church and society of our time, the unity of our commitment to work together (and with other ecumenical and Anglican partners) to follow Christ and offer his healing.
PROPOSALS FOR OUR FUTURE
- To make a commitment to ensure together, through the PCC, that all of our churches have the ability, resources and the determination to be Followers and Servants, growing in faith and service for the people of our whole Team Parish.
- To make a corporate commitment to sustainable mission, whereby, to the best of our ability, mission should not be damaged by lack of resources. This means a commitment to more exchange across the whole parish of skills and resources.
- To make a commitment to each and all of the churches in our Team Parish to help one another flourish for the sake of the people we serve.
What would this mean for us ??
RESOURCES
It would mean beginning a process to understand the needs of eah of our churches, and to loosen the attitude of self-contained autonomy so that we accept responsibility for the whole parish and try to do our best for all.
Practically: The separation of finances will need to be reconsidered fairly and unselfishly. Physical and practical resources will be made as available as possible to us all.
RECOGNITION
It would mean continuing to recognise ourselves as belonging to and with one another, so that every church and every minister has a full place in the team parish. "Family", rather than "neighbours".
Practically: Churchwardens are seen as leaders of the whole parish, as well as their local responsibility. Team Vicars will have keys to all the church buildings, and will be welcomed to conduct worship or lead events anywhere within the team (in response to local church plans and mission).
GROWTH
It would mean aiming to build up God's work in our team parish area of Basingstoke by promoting greater mutual accountability and support for our mission.
Practically: All Team Vicars, and the Team Rector, will have an identified "Role of responsibility and oversight" for some aspect of our work. Examples might be: Children, Community liaison, Pastoral care, Communications/Outreach, Adult teaching & training, Parish Development, Young People... They would co-ordinate, enable and advise across the parish, or work with congregations(s) on particular projects.
ETHOS
None of the above will be achieved by an exercise of coercion or authority. This will not be a parish built on an abuse of power.
We will trust, respect and welcome one another as partners in a common mission. No congregation will try to "go it alone".
This vision is offered rather than imposed.
When we make a commitment to this vision we realise that it depends upon us to make it a reality. This may be demanding as well as very rewarding. It will develop with us.
Action
OUR CHOICE
In February 2006, as a result of a careful process of prayer and consultation, four of the present five churches in the Team made a commitment to a closer and more mutually supportive relationship according to this vision. The discernment at St Gabriel's Church is that their future lies in pursuing other relationships and we will be working to help them explore new possibilities while they take the next steps beyond this Team.