This evening I’ve been with the Rector, Canon Jonathan Mason, and the Vestry of All Saints, one of our two congregations in St Andrews. It’s a special congregation with an Anglo-Catholic tradition – generations of students have ‘discovered’ the life and worship of the Scottish Episcopal Church in All Saints.
One of the most important parts of our Casting the Net movement is our Mission Action Planning. It starts with a meeting between Vestry and Bishop – this evening we had Rev Christine Fraser with us. She is one of two facilitators from the diocesan team who will work with the congregation over the next year. In about a year, we hope to see a Mission Action Plan which expresses the hopes and visions of the congregation for their future in mission
We’ve been learning all the time. My own feeling at present is that it is the process which is potentially a transformative influence on the life of the congregation. It’s two things really. It’s easy to say ‘we are all called to mission’ without having much idea of what theatre means in practice. Casting the Net and MAP have given us a language and a practical approach. The other is relational and cultural – at the heart of the Mission Action Planning process is a congregational meeting which encourages people to talk together about their faith, their congregation and their hopes. That encourages fresh voices and new agenda
I look forward to coming back for the next stage.