The Bishop's Council
set itself the task of developing mission, ministry and discipleship
in the Diocese of Derby. This was the outcome of a working day at
Eyam in February 2002.
Ever since the Ministry Strategy, A
Better Way, was adopted by the Diocesan
Synod in March 1998, the Bishop's Council has wanted to focus
successively on selected tasks in promoting the proposed developments.
The starting point was provided by the Diocesan Purpose and Vision
statements which were affirmed by Synod and addressed by A
Better Way:
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Purpose: To love and worship God in unity with other
Christians offering witness and service to those communities in which
we live and work.
Vision: To be a Christian community recognised as experiencing and
sharing God's salvation. |
Building on this Purpose and Vision, the Bishop's Council has now
adopted three priorities for its own work. These are:
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1. Enabling evangelism and witness
2. Releasing new ministries and refreshing established ones
3. Building confidence and growth in faith |
As a result of this development there is much work to be done by Diocesan
Boards and Councils and their related Advisers and Officers. First
of all there is the need to consider how work in these three areas
in parishes and beyond might be significantly resourced and enhanced.
The Bishop has often been challenged by those who have expressed a
hope that the Diocese as a whole - parishes and people - might feel
they have a sense of direction, of 'going somewhere'. These three
priorities offer scope not only to focus the work of diocesan organisations
and personnel, but also to inspire our prayer and life at large -through
and beyond the remaining events in 2002.
May these priorities encourage us, in the words of the 75th Anniversary
prayer, to 'open our eyes to a vision of tomorrow that will bring
hope and faith in your world'. |
