“Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up– do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19 Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Baptismal Theology – A New Vision for Ministry “Ministry of all the baptized” “Lifelong Christian formation” “Being the church in the world” “Moving from maintenance to mission” 30 years of gradual emergence Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

“Building the Path” Visions of Church… InclusivityMission precedes self-definition ExpansivenessCollaborationNot set apart Spreading God’s love – not gathering pledge units Telling the StoryListening for the Story Broadening and redefining communitySpirit-filled enthusiasm Encountering the Living God Looking and listening to the un-churched Radical exemplar of our baptismal vows Moving beyond parish identity FlexibilityRelevant in today’s world Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Socio-Cultural and Contextual Shifts Religious and cultural pluralism Post-industrial society Late capitalist consumerism Multiple “identities” Everything is a choice – including religious identity Post-Christendom Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

The “Total Ministry” Model (aka “Local Ministry,” “Ministry of all the Baptized”) Arose in rural areas with small congregations, stable populations, and little access to seminary-trained clergy. Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Theological Foundations Sacramental worldview Baptismal Covenant shapes ministry The Church is a community formed and empowered by Baptism Ministries arise out of the gifts of the Spirit Gifts are abundant, not scarce Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Necessary Shifts in Understanding From church as religious consumer group to church as a community of shared ministry From ministry as “professional” to ministry as part of every person’s Christian profession From ministry as the work of the few to ministry as the work of the many From scarcity to abundance Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Resulting Canonical Changes Enabled small, isolated, poor congregations to raise up local ministers Enabled discernment, formation, and training to take place locally Broadened understanding of ministry from solo leadership to collaborative, multi-gifted team Shifted understandings of ministry within the whole church Provided living examples of different ways of approaching discernment, call, formation, and ministry Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Total Ministry Formation “process” Community education, discernment of mission in context, commitment to a new approach Discernment of gifts Calling a ministry team Shared formation in community Commissioning/ordination of team members Ongoing discernment and formation Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

The “Area Ministry” Model Diverse teams from churches and institutions Discernment of neighborhood needs Seeking innovative contemporary solutions Collaboration leverages resources Spiritual growth and fresh expressions of mission and ministry Missional, outward-directed strategy for transformative and creative ministry Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Skill-sets for Area Ministries – for Congregations Reading context, “discernment of place” Grass-roots discernment of mission and ministry, “from the ground up” Collaboration and community organizing Diverse team-building Intentional formation, Rule of Life in community Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Skill-sets for Area Ministries – for the Diocese Strategic planning and resourcing Discerning what needs to be done at what level Building the congregational skill-set: classes, curricula, learning communities, area gatherings Communication and coordination Articulating the new theology and vision Restructuring institutional resource-flows Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Missional Discipleship Prophetic Discipleship Sacramental Discipleship Sacramental Theology Discernment Formatio n Prophetic Preaching Action/Reflectio n Small Groups Ministry Teams Training Commissioning Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Ecumenical and Interfaith Collaboration Schools, Chaplaincies, Community Groups, Agencies Government Ministry in Daily LifeFresh Expressions of Church Evangelism and WitnessDiverse Ministry Teams Direct Involvement & Community Organizing Shared Advocacy for Justice Pan-institutional Initiatives ECS Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

Challenges Amidst Opportunities Our unease at ambiguity, collaboration, new views of “success” The difficulty of holding onto the vision Institutional “undertow” and organizational structures that don’t quite “fit” yet The messiness of allowing specific, local expressions to emerge Our resistance to the new, and grief for the old Our complex shared history with power, choice, collaboration, competition, in this diocese Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

An Easter Vision Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20) Sue Singer, copyright June 2009

A Pentecost Vision When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1) Sue Singer, copyright June 2009