This month I would like to encourage sharing of thoughts and opinions about church life in Suffolk.
A few weeks ago, Bishop Joanne launched a special campaign to encourage us to both listen and share. She wants us to spend time listening to God, to see what this next chapter of life might look like for our churches, but also to share our experiences and ideas so that she, and the other church leaders in our area, can make some plans for our focus and vision in the years ahead.
Here’s what she has to say:
‘Since arriving in Suffolk, I’ve been struck by how deeply the Growing in God vision is embedded across our Diocese. As your Bishop, I have a valuable opportunity to pause, to listen afresh to you and to hear with you what God is saying, and to be attentive to what is happening in the life of our communities.
Refreshing our vision and strategy:
We are launching ‘Together We Are Listening’ as a time to pray, to reflect, and to listen together to God and one another as we begin to refresh our diocesan vision and strategy. The strategy will be rooted in Growing in God, whilst recognising that some things may have changed and new opportunities may have emerged.
This process will be underpinned by a rhythm of prayer, attuning our hearts to God’s voice as we listen and discern what God is calling us to in the future.
The first stage, between now and mid-September, is to understand where we are as a Church, to notice where God has been and is at work, and to start to discern what he may be calling us to for the future.
Join in prayer:
Together We Are Listening is an invitation to everyone in the Diocese to engage in a rhythm of prayer throughout the process of listening and discernment that will shape our future strategy.
We are providing prayer resources, including a prayer card and leaflet, to support you. I encourage you to use these locally within your own rhythm of prayer, as well as to join us on Tuesday 28th July 7-9pm at St Margaret’s Church Ipswich, as we pray together.
Input to the process:
I am also inviting people across Suffolk to respond to some key questions so that we can better understand where we are as a Church now – our gifts, our resources, our challenges, and the opportunities ahead.
Between now and early September, an online survey will be open for members of congregations in our area to fill in.’
I wonder, could you put half an hour aside this month of August to pray and fill in this survey? You might like to put it in your diary for a particular day and time, or arrange to have coffee with another congregation member and fill it in together, whatever works for you. There is a poster and leaflets at the back of church with details on, and the link to the survey is:
insight.cofesuffolk.org/courses-events-and-resources/together-we-are-listening-survey/
Rev Emma
vicar.allhallows@gmail.com
07561 59616