Weybridge Deanery Change Management Programme Meeting of Advisory and Communications Group January 20, 2015

Opening Prayer: Mk 1.14-20

Agenda Preparing the Way Forward:  Feedback on Coolham Clergy residential by Fr. Rob Esdaile (Dean) Discussion of Draft Vision Statement produced as a result of the Coolham meeting Working Together Across the Deanery – meetings planned for Feb 24 for particular groups and ministries Developing Communications Across the Deanery Growing Together in Ministry and Mission Next Steps/Future Meetings

Reflections From Coolham (1): A New Calling for a New Millennium Pope Francis’ call to become A Church of Joyful Missionary Disciples was anticipated by JPII in 2001: ‘Put out into the deep’ and ‘Contemplate the Face of Christ’ (Novo Millennio Ineunte) Pope Francis more recently wrote to Religious urging them: look to the past with gratitude, live the present with passion, look to the future with hope

Reflections From Coolham (2): Dealing With Change Change is inevitable in any living organisation – but organisations naturally resist change! Change may be reactive (forced on us) or proactive (freely chosen) Change may be incremental (presuming existing structures) or transformational (the result of ‘blue-sky thinking’) Management seeks to do things right; Leadership seeks to do the right things: we need both! Change involves bereavement – leaving behind – and is inherently unsettling/disturbing

Reflections From Coolham (3): Begin With The Positive Our rationale has to be a better way of being Church, NOT reducing number of clergy A Kairos-moment (both grace and decision) as we await New Bishop in Golden Jubilee year Resistance costs energy, alignment increases energy – so when we feel resistance LISTEN and seek to convert resistance into alliances Task of everyone is Discernment A particular task of the Clergy is to empower the baptismal vocation of all and guide our communities through a time of change

Reflections From Coolham (4): Reasons For Seeking Change: Freshness of the Gospel (‘New Wine, New Wineskins’) and power of the Spirit Our broken world is in need of salvation Being Christ-like and prophetic (like Pope Francis) Nature of the Church is transformational mission Reaching out to the hurting, to those not touched by existing models (‘resting Catholics’); using the gifts of all to build community more efficient use of resources

Reflections From Coolham (4): Moving Through A Change Process Need to be attentive to emotional dimension (honesty about feelings, hopes/fears) What empowers us (or dis-empowers us)? We need to articulate a clear and compelling vision for the future: ‘even better if ...’ Ask: what steps are required to achieve that? We need to acknowledge and value difference – aim is alignment of energies, not uniformity

Reflections From Coolham (5): What Sort of Change Do We Want? What are we hoping for? What are we passionate about? What is the most appropriate response to our situation?

Reflections From Coolham: Types of Change Proactive Reactive Incremental Tuning Adaptive Transformational Re-orientation Regeneration

Draft Vision Statement for Weybridge Deanery As members of Christ’s Church, reading the signs of the times and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we respond to the call to proclaim the joy of the Gospel to all, most especially the marginalised and the broken hearted.   We commit to creating an inclusive community where the gifts of all are used for God’s service.  

Why This Statement The Holy Spirit calls us and empowers each one of us through our Baptism. We are all called to contribute our Spirit-given gifts and to work together to build up the Christian community. The very act of celebrating the Eucharist sends us forth to share the Gospel. Christ comes to us unrecognised in the least and the most rejected (Mt 25.40) both within and beyond our community.

Why Now? In a rapidly changing world, new ways of witnessing to the Gospel are needed. Through the media we are being made aware both of increasing brokenness in our society and the world at large and of new possibilities for connecting with others as our brothers and sisters. There is a growing awareness in the Church of our call to be missionary disciples. Pope Francis has challenged us all “to be bold and creative in ... rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelisation” and in acting together to undertake the task of sharing the Joy of the Gospel. So we believe that ‘Now is the favourable time’ (2 Cor 6.2) – a God-given opportunity to renew and deepen our faith and witness in our locality.

Other Agenda Items Working Together Across the Deanery – meetings planned for Feb 24 for particular groups and ministries Developing Communications Across the Deanery Growing Together in Ministry and Mission Next Steps/Future Meetings