“What a man is on his knees, that he is and nothing more.” (Robert Murray McCheyne)*
The Toothpaste Test: what comes out when the pressure is on? It’s easy to put on a facade when everything is fine, but there’s nothing like a tight squeeze for revealing what we’re really like:
- Gordon Brown has displayed a spectacular level of resilience (or desperation?). Both James Purnell and Caroline Flint may have thought they were delivering the ‘Geoffrey Howe moment’, but Brown has clung on. Most people would have ended up in the Priory after the sort of week he’s had. You have to admit his toughness, even if you’d rather he wasn’t there. I rather admire his dutiful refusal to give up and walk away.
- Caroline Flint’s resignation letter sadly comes across as a petulant response to not being promoted in the reshuffle, rather than a principled refusal to be ‘window dressing’. It reflects badly both on Brown, but also on Ms Flint herself.
- Brown has also displayed, again, his misjudgment of character. On one day Brown talks about his ‘Presbyterian conscience’, then the next he appoints Alan Sugar to a top government role. In one week, the PM has gone from Simon Cowell to Alan Sugar: you wonder if he put together his Cabinet by browsing the Radio Times.
As the public clamours for honest MPs in the wake of the expenses scandal, Sugar is a man who awarded the Apprentice crown last year to a man who was found out for lying in his CV. His public persona is a mixture of grouchiness and greed - you might argue that this is only a persona, but frankly I’m sick and tired of people who put on an act for the cameras, but behave differently in private. Dizzy also notes that Sugar has a bit of history with Gordon Brown.
Squeezing Dave
For an observer, its certainly been an exciting few days, but I’m glad Brown is staying. Why? Because his rivals haven’t yet had the Toothpaste Test. We don’t really know what David Cameron is like under pressure. The Tories have floated to the top of the polls without, as yet, serious scrutiny of their policies, their character, or their principles. Cameron’s calls for an election have been irresponsible - how can we possibly have a sensible election in the midst of the current mess? What kind of mandate would it give to whoever won?
Britain’s Got Talent reminded us that the spotlight can reveal our frailties, as well as our gifts (and whilst we’re on the subject, any show that hospitalises its contestants needs to be taken off air, no matter how popular it is). Brown used to have a reputation for rising to challenges - remember summer 2007? In a years time his response to the economic crisis may be judged more kindly too, as we remember that the Conservatives failed in their Opposition duty to blow the whistle on a debt-fuelled boom.
The media seems to enjoy bringing people to its knees - Tony Blair once famously called them a pack of feral beasts. There’s a fine line to tread between vigorous scrutiny, and respecting the human dignity of those you are calling to account. Brown needs to be given the chance to stand up and get on with his job.
Meanwhile I wouldn’t want to see Cameron brought to his knees, but I still don’t believe we’ve really seen him tested, and that worries me.
*The full quote is “What a man is on his knees before God, that he is and nothing more.” McCheyne was a missionary, but I’m not sure if he was a Presbyterian. By way of contrast, I'm currently reading a biography of the missionary Hudson Taylor, and one thing which stands out is his constancy of character, rooted in prayer and dependence on God.
This is a cross-post from 'Touching Base', a weekly column hosted at the Wardman Wire.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
J. Mark Brewer down to last 2 Barrels as shops close
Judging by comments posted in the last 24 hours on the SPCK/SSG blog, all the shops run by Mark Brewers ENC Management company (which was effectively St. Stephen the Great Trust by another name) have closed, leaving the two run by independent shop management companies - Durham and Chichester.
It's not clear whether Brewer has cut and run, or whether the Charity Commissioners have stepped in to claim the assets which properly belong to SSG, and out of which its many outstanding debts need to be paid.
It's not clear whether Brewer has cut and run, or whether the Charity Commissioners have stepped in to claim the assets which properly belong to SSG, and out of which its many outstanding debts need to be paid.
How to get the best out of meetings
No. 1 is to find out why you're having the meeting in the first place. If the person chairing it can't give you a clear answer, on the spot, then I'd suggest you send your apologies.
I also like no.8 'action items speak louder than words' and 9 'end the meeting when it's done'. Hands up who's been to a meeting that finished long before it ended?
Thursday, June 04, 2009
10:01pm, and here we go
"I am calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning" James Purnell letter to Brown, forwarded to Times, reported by Nick Robinson on Beeb. Purnell is Work and Pensions sec and has quit the Cabinet.
Update: the letter is to the Sun and Times. Murdoch papers. Sorry, the 'media conspiracy' bit of my brain is now working overtime.
Times has the full story, with much of the text of the resignation letter. Geoffrey Howe moment?
Full text of letter.
In my humble opinion: this would be the worst possible time to have a general election. It would be dominated by (relative) trivia. We need to have one when there isn't an ongoing expenses scandal, or a backstabbing frenzy within the Labour party, so that we can make a cool headed, sensible decision about what policies and government we need.
I.e. please can the Conservatives be quiet and calm down, or we'll start to think that you're just opportunistic bandwagon-jumpers, and not a serious party.
Update: the letter is to the Sun and Times. Murdoch papers. Sorry, the 'media conspiracy' bit of my brain is now working overtime.
Times has the full story, with much of the text of the resignation letter. Geoffrey Howe moment?
Full text of letter.
In my humble opinion: this would be the worst possible time to have a general election. It would be dominated by (relative) trivia. We need to have one when there isn't an ongoing expenses scandal, or a backstabbing frenzy within the Labour party, so that we can make a cool headed, sensible decision about what policies and government we need.
I.e. please can the Conservatives be quiet and calm down, or we'll start to think that you're just opportunistic bandwagon-jumpers, and not a serious party.
Obama in Cairo: on Religious Freedom
Impressive speech by Barack Obama in Cairo, the full text is here, below are some excerpts.So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the co-operation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings....
The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom.
Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it first-hand as a child in Indonesia, where devout Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.
Among some Muslims, there is a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of another's. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld – whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt. And fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.
Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it. For instance, in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That is why I am committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfil zakat.
Likewise, it is important for western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practising religion as they see fit– for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear. We cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretence of liberalism.....
It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path....
...The Holy Koran tells u: "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."
The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."
The Holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you.
Today I Will Be Mostly Voting.....
Euro Elections: Green. Climate Change is the biggest issue facing the planet (bigger than the debt crunch), and if we don't sort it out soon there will be hell to pay for those who are too poor to insulate themselves against its effects. Needs to be continental co-ordination on this.
Local Elections: Libdem. It's them vs Conservatives (mixed track record in Somerset, plus a nearby delivery of horse manure) or communists. The Libdem councillor seeking re-election has been very supportive of Street Pastors, someone we can do business with.
General Election: there isn't one (at time of writing), despite David Cameron's desparation to get one called. Why is he in such a hurry? Are there expenses secrets about his front bench that he's afraid will get out if he leaves it too long? A couple of thoughts about this:
1. If there were a General Election, I would probably vote Conservative, because I think they've got the Broken Britain stuff about right, and are the only party who are prepared to take social breakdown seriously. But....
Cameron's team impress me more than Cameron, who (it seems) can't see a bandwagon without jumping on it. The seeds of the debt crunch were there - he did nothing. MP's were fiddling expenses - he did nothing. Electoral reform was always an option - he did nothing. Yet as soon as these become issues he is jumping up and down at the despatch box, projecting himself as the man of action.
I'm struggling to think of a distinctive Cameron policy - most of the best ideas have come from his team (and he does seem to be better and buildling, and getting the best out of, a leadership team). I'm not parroting Labour lines here, it's just that Cameron is quicker out of the blocks than Brown, and that looks like decisiveness. Appearances are deceptive. Not a single Tory MP has actually stood down over the expenses scandal, though several of them should. If Cameron were really as angry as he says he is, he would have thrown some of them out by now.
Clearly, Cameron is a much better communicator than Brown, but how much more to him is there?
2. I find myself praying for Gordon Brown more than usual. Why?
- The Bible tells me to (Romans 15)
- I'm praying that he doesn't get distracted. His line at PMQ's today was spot on - there are major national and international issues going on, thousands are losing their jobs every day, and all the other parties can do is talk about expenses, electoral reforms, and calling an election. There is too much important stuff at stake for the PM to take his eye off the ball. Yes the expenses scandal is serious, but so are a lot of other things.
- In Browns early days, he seemed rather good in a crisis. He's done reasonably well over the debt crunch too, though we won't be able to judge that until we're out of it.
- If you're a leader under pressure, you need all the encouragement you can get. We probably get the political leaders we deserve: everyone knows that praise gets more out of people than criticism, yet we repeatedly whinge about our politicians, never give them credit for getting things right, and then complain when they under-perform.
- Patience is under-rated. It's easy to grab headlines, but some things need some thinking time to come up with the best solution. Brown looks indecisive, when perhaps it's just that he (like Rowan Williams), likes to take his time to think things through. Wisdom is knowing when to act immediately, and when to bide your time and get it right. And wisdom is granted in answer to prayer (James 1).
- If I had as much responsibility as the PM, I'd want people praying for me too. I only co-lead a church of 120 and I ask people to pray for me in that, so goodness knows how much prayer you need to run one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.
and having said all that, I reserve the right to change my mind between here and the ballot box....
Update: good election day coverage at Andrew Sparrows rolling blog at the Guardian
Local Elections: Libdem. It's them vs Conservatives (mixed track record in Somerset, plus a nearby delivery of horse manure) or communists. The Libdem councillor seeking re-election has been very supportive of Street Pastors, someone we can do business with.
General Election: there isn't one (at time of writing), despite David Cameron's desparation to get one called. Why is he in such a hurry? Are there expenses secrets about his front bench that he's afraid will get out if he leaves it too long? A couple of thoughts about this:
1. If there were a General Election, I would probably vote Conservative, because I think they've got the Broken Britain stuff about right, and are the only party who are prepared to take social breakdown seriously. But....
Cameron's team impress me more than Cameron, who (it seems) can't see a bandwagon without jumping on it. The seeds of the debt crunch were there - he did nothing. MP's were fiddling expenses - he did nothing. Electoral reform was always an option - he did nothing. Yet as soon as these become issues he is jumping up and down at the despatch box, projecting himself as the man of action.
I'm struggling to think of a distinctive Cameron policy - most of the best ideas have come from his team (and he does seem to be better and buildling, and getting the best out of, a leadership team). I'm not parroting Labour lines here, it's just that Cameron is quicker out of the blocks than Brown, and that looks like decisiveness. Appearances are deceptive. Not a single Tory MP has actually stood down over the expenses scandal, though several of them should. If Cameron were really as angry as he says he is, he would have thrown some of them out by now.
Clearly, Cameron is a much better communicator than Brown, but how much more to him is there?
2. I find myself praying for Gordon Brown more than usual. Why?
- The Bible tells me to (Romans 15)
- I'm praying that he doesn't get distracted. His line at PMQ's today was spot on - there are major national and international issues going on, thousands are losing their jobs every day, and all the other parties can do is talk about expenses, electoral reforms, and calling an election. There is too much important stuff at stake for the PM to take his eye off the ball. Yes the expenses scandal is serious, but so are a lot of other things.
- In Browns early days, he seemed rather good in a crisis. He's done reasonably well over the debt crunch too, though we won't be able to judge that until we're out of it.
- If you're a leader under pressure, you need all the encouragement you can get. We probably get the political leaders we deserve: everyone knows that praise gets more out of people than criticism, yet we repeatedly whinge about our politicians, never give them credit for getting things right, and then complain when they under-perform.
- Patience is under-rated. It's easy to grab headlines, but some things need some thinking time to come up with the best solution. Brown looks indecisive, when perhaps it's just that he (like Rowan Williams), likes to take his time to think things through. Wisdom is knowing when to act immediately, and when to bide your time and get it right. And wisdom is granted in answer to prayer (James 1).
- If I had as much responsibility as the PM, I'd want people praying for me too. I only co-lead a church of 120 and I ask people to pray for me in that, so goodness knows how much prayer you need to run one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.
and having said all that, I reserve the right to change my mind between here and the ballot box....
Update: good election day coverage at Andrew Sparrows rolling blog at the Guardian
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Best Mission Resources from 43 Diocesan Websites.
The last post (cue trumpet) in this diocesan website survey series, here's a list of
a) The best mission resources I could find on diocesan websites
b) Material that could be held by any diocesan website, with minimal local tweaking.
Any diocese renewing its website at any stage could simply cut and paste these things as useful mission resources for their own readers.
(For a site-by-site summary, and a summary of how widely Fresh Expressions is found on Diocesan sites, use the link above.)
I've tried to categorise the resources, sources in brackets.
Children/Schools
1. a 13 page resource booklet on how churches and schools can work together, packed with good ideas on mission and engagement. (Bath & Wells)
2. resource papers for childrens work, with 1-2 sides of A4 on everything from after school clubs to Easter drama (Chelmsford)
3. website devoted to youth ministry, with sections for young people, and for youth leaders. (Gloucester)
4. tips for welcoming children (Southwell)
Communication
1. Communications section, with a ‘communications health check for parishes’ and downloadable fliers on copyright, media relations, noticeboards, how to make your story ‘news’ etc. (Chester)
2. Liverpool also has a good communications section, with concise and good advice on publicity, leaflets, noticeboards, photographs, magazines, new media etc.
3. Manchester has a superb communications home page, which helpfully sets out all the main local media in the Diocese, and which area they cover, as well as what communications the Diocese is sending out and who to.
Enquirers
1. Several examples of pages aimed at people asking questions. E.g. Exploring Faith which covers what a Christian is, testimonies, FAQ’s, how to find out more, books to read etc. (Birmingham)
2. Several dioceses also have pages for those enquiring about baptism, (London) and links to the excellent yourchurchwedding site.
3. a link to egodparents
Mission
1. A ‘local projects’ section which lists the community/mission projects run by local churches, with a contact name (Birmingham) - would need local tweaking, and ongoing maintenance to keep it up to date.
2. Church Planting Policy (Bristol) - every diocese should have one, though obviously it needs praying through first, not just copying from Bristol!!
3. Youtube videos on local fresh expressions (Bristol) - and if you don't have your own, simply link to those dioceses which do, it's still a great way to see something in action, even if it's not within your county.
4. A Back to Church Sunday section with tips on being welcoming, publicity etc. (Bristol). Another diocese has a BTCS resource page with case studies of parishes which did it, and a timeline of what to do when (Oxford).
5. survey of resources of what's on the market for discipleship courses, children and young people's discipleship, small groups, faith sharing, enquirers courses. (Chester, but several other dioceses have versions of this). Oxfords survey of Nurture Courses focuses on the four most popular (START, Alpha, Emmaus, Essence), with a full review of each, and several stories from people who have used them.
6. Mission Fund: have the criteria for mission fund applications, downloadable application forms, and lists of who's recieved grants and what for. (several dioceses)
7. Mission planning statistics - neighbourhood census and demographic stats organised parish by parish, to help parishes understnad their mission context. There is a pack for each parish with maps and key local stats. (Manchester - would need some time and resources putting into it)
8. Experience Easter, ideas about how to make the most of Easter as an outreach opportunity (Manchester)
9. Handy gospel illustrations (Portsmouth).
Parish Development.
1. There are lots of good Mission Action Plan resources, if you're really interested in these, many of them are linked from the ChurchMaps website.
2. a ‘resources directory’ listing resource people/networks around the Diocese in a variety of areas (Blackburn) - needs local tweaking and keeping up to date, but it's a way of sharing expertise without everything going through the Diocese. Blackburn has I.T., Men, interfaith etc.
3. Along similar lines, X-Change section, for online sharing of ideas and resources. Covers things like worship, buildings, stewardship, debt, tourism, children, publicity etc. Each of these has subsections – e.g. Children has Holiday Clubs, Godly Play, Schools links etc. (Carlisle). Similar idea in Chelmsfords Making ConneXions section (covers marriage prep, harvest fun day, deanery curate, fundraising, you name it)
4. a 1-page worship audit questionnaire (Chelmsford)
5. Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts questionnaire (Exeter)
6. a 'Christians at Work' section with a free, downloadable 4-session small group course on the issue. (Hereford)
7. resources from ACTS : (joint TEARfund/Liverpool) which takes parishes step by step through embarking on a new project for the benefit of the community, from building a community centre to running a fun day. Great resource for action planning.
8. liturgical resources section. Not just section, entire website. (Southwell).
9. Some of the Peterborough leaflets, most notably Providing a Welcome, and ministry with the elderly.
There. I hope that saves a lot of people a lot of work. I'm staggered by how much duplication there is out there, when a bit of resource sharing would increase the quality of resources and advice available to everyone. Ideally this should be owned and brokered by the national CofE website.
And a big thankyou to the people who've compiled all the above resources and made them available, I hope I've done you justice.
a) The best mission resources I could find on diocesan websites
b) Material that could be held by any diocesan website, with minimal local tweaking.
Any diocese renewing its website at any stage could simply cut and paste these things as useful mission resources for their own readers.
(For a site-by-site summary, and a summary of how widely Fresh Expressions is found on Diocesan sites, use the link above.)
I've tried to categorise the resources, sources in brackets.
Children/Schools
1. a 13 page resource booklet on how churches and schools can work together, packed with good ideas on mission and engagement. (Bath & Wells)
2. resource papers for childrens work, with 1-2 sides of A4 on everything from after school clubs to Easter drama (Chelmsford)
3. website devoted to youth ministry, with sections for young people, and for youth leaders. (Gloucester)
4. tips for welcoming children (Southwell)
Communication
1. Communications section, with a ‘communications health check for parishes’ and downloadable fliers on copyright, media relations, noticeboards, how to make your story ‘news’ etc. (Chester)
2. Liverpool also has a good communications section, with concise and good advice on publicity, leaflets, noticeboards, photographs, magazines, new media etc.
3. Manchester has a superb communications home page, which helpfully sets out all the main local media in the Diocese, and which area they cover, as well as what communications the Diocese is sending out and who to.
Enquirers
1. Several examples of pages aimed at people asking questions. E.g. Exploring Faith which covers what a Christian is, testimonies, FAQ’s, how to find out more, books to read etc. (Birmingham)
2. Several dioceses also have pages for those enquiring about baptism, (London) and links to the excellent yourchurchwedding site.
3. a link to egodparents
Mission
1. A ‘local projects’ section which lists the community/mission projects run by local churches, with a contact name (Birmingham) - would need local tweaking, and ongoing maintenance to keep it up to date.
2. Church Planting Policy (Bristol) - every diocese should have one, though obviously it needs praying through first, not just copying from Bristol!!
3. Youtube videos on local fresh expressions (Bristol) - and if you don't have your own, simply link to those dioceses which do, it's still a great way to see something in action, even if it's not within your county.
4. A Back to Church Sunday section with tips on being welcoming, publicity etc. (Bristol). Another diocese has a BTCS resource page with case studies of parishes which did it, and a timeline of what to do when (Oxford).
5. survey of resources of what's on the market for discipleship courses, children and young people's discipleship, small groups, faith sharing, enquirers courses. (Chester, but several other dioceses have versions of this). Oxfords survey of Nurture Courses focuses on the four most popular (START, Alpha, Emmaus, Essence), with a full review of each, and several stories from people who have used them.
6. Mission Fund: have the criteria for mission fund applications, downloadable application forms, and lists of who's recieved grants and what for. (several dioceses)
7. Mission planning statistics - neighbourhood census and demographic stats organised parish by parish, to help parishes understnad their mission context. There is a pack for each parish with maps and key local stats. (Manchester - would need some time and resources putting into it)
8. Experience Easter, ideas about how to make the most of Easter as an outreach opportunity (Manchester)
9. Handy gospel illustrations (Portsmouth).
Parish Development.
1. There are lots of good Mission Action Plan resources, if you're really interested in these, many of them are linked from the ChurchMaps website.
2. a ‘resources directory’ listing resource people/networks around the Diocese in a variety of areas (Blackburn) - needs local tweaking and keeping up to date, but it's a way of sharing expertise without everything going through the Diocese. Blackburn has I.T., Men, interfaith etc.
3. Along similar lines, X-Change section, for online sharing of ideas and resources. Covers things like worship, buildings, stewardship, debt, tourism, children, publicity etc. Each of these has subsections – e.g. Children has Holiday Clubs, Godly Play, Schools links etc. (Carlisle). Similar idea in Chelmsfords Making ConneXions section (covers marriage prep, harvest fun day, deanery curate, fundraising, you name it)
4. a 1-page worship audit questionnaire (Chelmsford)
5. Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts questionnaire (Exeter)
6. a 'Christians at Work' section with a free, downloadable 4-session small group course on the issue. (Hereford)
7. resources from ACTS : (joint TEARfund/Liverpool) which takes parishes step by step through embarking on a new project for the benefit of the community, from building a community centre to running a fun day. Great resource for action planning.
8. liturgical resources section. Not just section, entire website. (Southwell).
9. Some of the Peterborough leaflets, most notably Providing a Welcome, and ministry with the elderly.
There. I hope that saves a lot of people a lot of work. I'm staggered by how much duplication there is out there, when a bit of resource sharing would increase the quality of resources and advice available to everyone. Ideally this should be owned and brokered by the national CofE website.
And a big thankyou to the people who've compiled all the above resources and made them available, I hope I've done you justice.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
How Fresh is Your Diocese?
In the course of the last month, I’ve been looking through all 43 Diocesan websites for resources in the areas of mission and Fresh Expressions. The full research is here:
Based on diocesan websites alone (which I’m aware don’t give the full picture), the level of engagement with Mission Shaped Church, Fresh Expressions, and the Mixed Economy church is mixed. Several Dioceses give it a high profile, some don’t mention it at all.
However, this isn’t an indicator of how seriously the dioceses take mission: for example both Southwell and Manchester have plenty going on, but neither gives FX a very high profile.
For simplicity, I’ve grouped all the Dioceses (excluding Sodor and Man, which has a very skeleton website) according to what level of profile they give to Mission Shaped Church, Fresh Expressions etc.
High Profile
The following dioceses use their websites to draw attention to particular Fresh Expressions in their area, and provide background on what Fresh Expressions is:
Bristol, Chichester, Exeter, Guildford, Liverpool, Oxford, Ripon and Leeds.
Of these I would say that Bristol, Exeter, Guildford and Oxford exemplify the level of engagement and fruit that would be good to see in every diocese.
Medium Profile
The following Dioceses (typically) have a Fresh Expressions page, run the Mission Shaped Ministry training course, and have some level of encouragement for Fresh Expressions, perhaps with examples of a particular project.
Chelmsford, Ely, Gloucester, Norwich, Peterborough, Southwell, Truro
Low Profile
Fresh Expressions material consists mainly of links to other sites, no evidence of any work in the Diocese.
Bath & Wells, Blackburn, Bradford, Chester, Coventry, Durham, Leicester, London, Manchester, Portsmouth, St. Albans, St. Edmunsbury & Ipswich, Sheffield, Southwark, Wakefield, Winchester (but a new appointment here, so would expect profile to rise), York.
No Profile
Nothing on the site to do with Fresh Expressions or Mission Shaped Church.
Birmingham (though the ‘local projects’ section has examples of what you’d call Fresh Expressions), Canterbury, Carlisle, Derby, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, Newcastle, Rochester, Salisbury, Worcester
Based on the above, the majority of Dioceses (29 of 43) give low or no profile to Fresh Expressions on their websites.
Though in some Dioceses, mission is a clear priority with or without Fresh Expressions, a glance at the list above will show that for many of them, Fresh Expressions has made little or no impact on their public face as shown through the Diocesan Website – which is also now a prime place for archiving resources, stories and training materials.
I'm sure that there is plenty more going on than the diocesan sites record, and the reasons for this not feeding through to the sites could be many and varied! This information is accurate at the time of writing, based on what I can find on the websites. There may be hidden gems, but they’re too well hidden to find! As websites will change, it’s true as a snapshot, but not as a moving picture.
Based on diocesan websites alone (which I’m aware don’t give the full picture), the level of engagement with Mission Shaped Church, Fresh Expressions, and the Mixed Economy church is mixed. Several Dioceses give it a high profile, some don’t mention it at all.
However, this isn’t an indicator of how seriously the dioceses take mission: for example both Southwell and Manchester have plenty going on, but neither gives FX a very high profile.
For simplicity, I’ve grouped all the Dioceses (excluding Sodor and Man, which has a very skeleton website) according to what level of profile they give to Mission Shaped Church, Fresh Expressions etc.
High Profile
The following dioceses use their websites to draw attention to particular Fresh Expressions in their area, and provide background on what Fresh Expressions is:
Bristol, Chichester, Exeter, Guildford, Liverpool, Oxford, Ripon and Leeds.
Of these I would say that Bristol, Exeter, Guildford and Oxford exemplify the level of engagement and fruit that would be good to see in every diocese.
Medium Profile
The following Dioceses (typically) have a Fresh Expressions page, run the Mission Shaped Ministry training course, and have some level of encouragement for Fresh Expressions, perhaps with examples of a particular project.
Chelmsford, Ely, Gloucester, Norwich, Peterborough, Southwell, Truro
Low Profile
Fresh Expressions material consists mainly of links to other sites, no evidence of any work in the Diocese.
Bath & Wells, Blackburn, Bradford, Chester, Coventry, Durham, Leicester, London, Manchester, Portsmouth, St. Albans, St. Edmunsbury & Ipswich, Sheffield, Southwark, Wakefield, Winchester (but a new appointment here, so would expect profile to rise), York.
No Profile
Nothing on the site to do with Fresh Expressions or Mission Shaped Church.
Birmingham (though the ‘local projects’ section has examples of what you’d call Fresh Expressions), Canterbury, Carlisle, Derby, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, Newcastle, Rochester, Salisbury, Worcester
Based on the above, the majority of Dioceses (29 of 43) give low or no profile to Fresh Expressions on their websites.
Though in some Dioceses, mission is a clear priority with or without Fresh Expressions, a glance at the list above will show that for many of them, Fresh Expressions has made little or no impact on their public face as shown through the Diocesan Website – which is also now a prime place for archiving resources, stories and training materials.
I'm sure that there is plenty more going on than the diocesan sites record, and the reasons for this not feeding through to the sites could be many and varied! This information is accurate at the time of writing, based on what I can find on the websites. There may be hidden gems, but they’re too well hidden to find! As websites will change, it’s true as a snapshot, but not as a moving picture.
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