The Methodist Church

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Analysis of Questionnaires

• Mapping the Way Ahead Reshaping for Mission
• Rev Liz Childs

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Sections A, B CCircuits today and in 10 years
time

• 2017 will see 76 sustainable centres of mission.
• 114 churches will be closed.
• i.e. 60 decrease in churches

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Reasons for closure

• 53 identify lack of officers
• 80 declining numbers
• 53 elderly age profile
• Lack of finance does not appear as an issue.

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Ministers

• 20 decrease in ministers in 2017
• Present ratio of minister to members between
  1132 and 1238
• Average ministerial time dedicated to mission is
  35.8, maximum is 50.

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Pause for thought

• Potential for increase in ministerial time with
  60 decrease in churches and 20 decrease in
  ministers.

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Membership today

• Membership 5908
• 74 over 60 years
• 25 membership under 60 years
• 8 under 40 years
• Attendance at worship 4721 one circuit reports
  attendance significantly higher than membership

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Local Preachers

• 274 Local Preachers
• 52 over 80 years
• 71 under 60 years
• 9 under 40 years
• 3 of LPs are under 40.

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Local Preachers

• 45 LPs added to Plan in last 5 years.
• 206 Worship Leaders added in last 5 years

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Pause for thought

• If there is no significant growth by 2017 the
  situation will be disastrous.
• Urgent need for emerging congregations for under
  60s, let alone under 40s.

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Pause for thought

• Community roll is 15174.
• For every member we are reaching 2 more people.

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Good news

• 370 new members in 5 years (6 of membership)
• We have made 251 new leaders of worship in past 5
  years

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Good news

• 48 new congregations have started in the past 5
  years
• 25 of churches have seen some growth in the past
  5 years.

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What needs reshaping?

• Is the style and length of LP training a
  disincentive?
• Is Local Preaching what God is calling people to?
• Emerging church, Fresh Expressions require a
  different style.

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What needs reshaping?

• These questions are being addressed by District
  LP/WL strategy group your thoughts will be
  appreciated.

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Reshaping for the Under 60s

• Can the District grow its own Pioneer Ministers
  and Evangelists?
• What is needed to deliver Fresh Expressions?
• How can the District help in formation and
  resourcing of new ways?

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Learning from older people

• How can the church learn from the spirituality of
  older people?
• What is the distinctive ministry of this cohort?

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Learning from older people

• How can the church meet the increasing needs of
  an aging population?
• Pastoral Heart Mission Mind seeks to address
  some of the issues this raises.

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Section D - Links with other churches

• Anglican/Methodist Covenant is at best slow
• Some energy in some recent LEPs but not limited
  to CofE.

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Section D - Links with other churches

• Meetings with Archdeacon re. Anglican Post 2008
  equivalent of Mapping in progress. Willing to
  ask mission questions together.
• DRMG receives very few joint applications.
• URC asking for hospitality now they have removed
  District level.

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Across Circuits

• Shared preachers across circuits, but no formal
  links between them.
• Is connexionalism valuable across circuits?
• How do we (and do we want to) avoid being
  congregational?
• Can circuit and church stewards explore these
  issues?

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Section E - Communities

• Socio-economic
• Rural, Retired
• Deprived areas, Migrant workers
• The perceived needs of the community are
  sometimes reflected in the targets, but also
  incidents where targets reflect more the needs of
  the church.

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Children and Youth

• Youth and children are being targeted in all
  circuits.
• How do we move from mission to evangelism with
  young people?
• How does this work/congregation fit with
  traditional church?
• Policy implications of forming youth
  congregations are they separate?

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Community and Mission Work

• Coffee mornings lunches pre-school primary
  age schools work holiday clubs social events
  street pastors God Pod estate project film
  nights youth learning difficulties faith
  walkers breakfasts bright hour shoppers
  services..

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Community and Mission Work

• community drama messy church outdoor
  services Christmas tree festival pop-ins
  migrant support Body, Mind, Spirit Fairs.

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Section F - Core Values

• Good reflection of Our Calling in time and money
  priorities.
• Key priorities for ministers pastoral and
  mission.
• How will all aspects of Our Calling be picked up
  when ministers time runs out?

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Wishes

• What are we doing to make our wishes come true?
• The wishes reflect our concerns they express
  what we dont have or what we are not doing.

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Wishes

• The wishes are unity, vision, common purpose,
  deepening spirituality, growth of faith, younger
  people.
• Why are they not reality? How can the District
  help?

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Section G - Spirituality

• Healthy diversity of spirituality across District
• Every Circuit has run some form of discipleship
  course.
• All but one Circuit has run Alpha.

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Section G - Spirituality

• What has been the result of Alpha?
• Is the impact of Alpha being maximised?
• Where do people go post Alpha?

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Prayer and Bible Study

• All circuits have prayer groups, some with
  substantial numbers.
• All circuits have Bible study groups all year
  round.
• All have Lenten groups

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Prayer and Bible Study

• All have inter church groups.
• Are these working as a tool for evangelism?
  Possibly more for nurture?

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Vision

• What strategies are in place to fulfil the vision
  and the priorities of Circuits?
• Is there a Kingdom of God focus?
• 25 say they dont anticipate ceasing anything
  how does that relate to the 2017 picture, and to
  priorities of time and money?

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Pause for thought

• There is little correlation between the perceived
  needs of the community and churches attraction
  of people, vision or target groups.
• Attraction seems to be about the culture of the
  church rather than what church is doing (welcome).

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Pause for thought

• Targets and vision are about the needs of the
  church

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And so?

• Discussion in DLT, DPC and Supers Meeting to
  explore next step.
• DDE and DME to facilitate conversations with each
  Circuit during the next three months
• To expand thinking on some answers
• To explore structures and configuration of the
  District.

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It could be messy!

• Every circuit is at a different place.
• There is no blue print.
• No one size fits all.
• So different outcomes may arise for different
  circuits.
• Do not be afraid!

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Keep thinking out of the box

• Think new mission units, not bigger circuits.
• Think new structures fit for purpose, not how
  can the old ways work in the new configuration.

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Analysis of Questionnaires

• Mapping the Way Ahead Reshaping for Mission
• Rev Liz Childs