1. St. Edmundsbury & Ipswich House of Clergy House of Laity Setting God’s People Free July 2017

2. Setting God’s People Free Findings, Recommendations, Next Steps

3. Lay Leadership Task Group: One framing question
“How can the Church of England increase the effectiveness and confidence of lay people in leading where they are called to serve - in wider society, in local community and within the Church - in ways that grow disciples, extend God’s Kingdom and transform society?”
NB: Alongside this report, the Lay Ministries Working Group is looking specifically at lay ecclesial ministry within the Church and will report separately in due course.

4. 1946 report ‘Towards the Conversion of England’
“We are convinced that England will never be converted until the laity use the opportunities for evangelism daily afforded by their various professions, crafts and occupations.”
“This being so, the Christian laity should be recognised as the priesthood of the Church in the working world, and as the Church militant in action in the mission fields of politics, industry and commerce.”
“The member of Parliament, the town councillor, the employer of labour, the trades’ union official, the clerk the artisan, the farmer and the labourer, should be called on to address Church gatherings on “my job” as naturally as are missionaries on furlough.”

5. Implications of not understanding secular vocation
“In nothing has the Church so lost her hold on reality as Her failure to understand and respect the secular vocation. She has allowed work and religion to become separate departments, and is astonished to find that, as a result, the secular work of the world is turned to purely selfish and destructive ends, and that the greater part of the world’s intelligent workers have become irreligious or at least uninterested in religion…. But is it astonishing? How can anyone remain interested in a religion which seems to have no concern with nine-tenths of his life?” (Dorothy Sayers) 

6. Chapter 1: Two essential shifts in culture and practice
Until, together, ordained and lay, we form and equip lay people to follow Jesus confidently in every sphere of life in ways that demonstrate the Gospel, we will never set God’s people free to evangelise the nation.
Until laity and clergy are convinced, based on their baptismal mutuality, that they are equal in worth and status, complementary in gifting and vocation, mutually accountable in discipleship, and equal partners in mission, we will never form Christian communities that can evangelise the nation.

7. Chapter 2: The situation today
Previous efforts to release and empower lay people all failed to trigger or sustain the scale of change proposed in their recommendations
Whilst lay involvement and leadership is clearly pervasive and essential to the mission and life of the Church of England, only a very sketchy and incomplete picture exists as to the nature and scale of this vital contribution
Although there are many encouraging examples of innovative practice to equip lay people, awareness of these initiatives is limited, demand and take-up is low, and resources are minimal

8. Gathered church: elected leadership roles
Gathered church: unelected leadership roles
28,000 working with young people (including 2,000 employed)
100,000 mainly at local parish level
1,300 lay diocesan workers
10,000 Reader s
General Synod
15,000-30,000 Messy Church leaders
Churchwardens/P CC
39% of Fresh Expressions lay led
Deanery Lay Chairs/members
Diocesan synod
Home group leaders
Prayer ministry leaders
Administration & Management…
Organists/choir leaders
Worship leaders
Sent church: involvement & leadership of church-led community social action
Sent church: involvement & leadership in workplace, wider community, society
Street Pastors
Elderly support
Parenting/ marriage courses
1 million lay people in every sphere of society: the untapped source for mission and ministry
Food banks
Homelessness projects
Job Clubs
Debt counselling
4,700 CofE Schools employing 135,000 teachers and 22,500 foundation governors serving 1 million children
Mum’s/ Toddlers groups
Local faith groups: deliver 220,000 social action projects; serve 48 million beneficiaries, mobilise 2 million volunteers, give over £3 billion worth of social support. The vast majority of these initiatives are led by lay people. (The Cinnamon Network, Audit of Faith Action, 2016)
The Digital Evangelism Report highlights the importance of also focusing on the additional 4.5m ‘Occasional Anglicans’, who attend Church of England churches occasionally, and feel some identity as Anglican.

9. Chapter 3: Four factors that constrain lay engagement and leadership
A deficit of theology and vision
Weak lay voice that is not well heard, listened to, understood or acted on
Unhealthy relationships between lay people and clergy
Inadequate resources and support

10. Chapter 4: Eight levers of culture change to enable the two shifts we highlight
Theologically grounded identity and vision for lay people
Front-line lay perspectives given voice
‘Lay aware’ episcopal priorities and praxis
Equipping the front-line
Liturgy that underscores the role and identity of lay people
Re-focusing clergy selection, training and development
Reforming structures
Lay-integrated communications

11. Chapter 5: Next steps for the National Church
National championing of the two over-arching culture shifts.
A national portal for whole life discipleship, accessible by every member of the Church of England, designed to inspire and support them in their whole-life discipleship and vocational journey.
A learning community of ‘Pilot Dioceses’ that are prioritising both culture shifts.
Re-modelling the selection, training and on-going ministerial development of clergy in line with the priority of lay formation and discipleship.

12. Reflections on the first shift in culture and practice: towards whole-life discipleship

13. What is discipleship?
“Discipleship is a way of life; a ‘state of being’... It is rooted in a living relationship with Christ in which we learn and grow by following him and living in his Way. A disciple is one who is called to learn how to be a place in the world where the act of God can come alive.” (Rowan Williams, Being Disciples)

14. How does God call us to follow him?
Four elements of discipleship…
By developing relational intimacy with God
By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship By
discerning our specific vocation and calling By
becoming a learning community of practitioners
“By him we cry ‘Abba, father.’”
(Romans 8:15)
“I am making everything new!”
(Revelation 21:5)
“Here I am; you called me.”
(1 Samuel 3: 8)
“Encourage one-another and build each other up.”
(1 Thess. 5:11)

15. 1. By developing relational intimacy with God
Four elements of discipleship…
By developing relational intimacy with God
By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship By
discerning our specific vocation and calling By
becoming a learning community of practitioners
“By him we cry ‘Abba, father.’”
(Romans 8:15)
“I am making everything new!”
(Revelation 21:5)
“Here I am; you called me.”
(1 Samuel 3: 8)
“Encourage one-another and build each other up.”
(1 Thess. 5:11)

16. 1. By developing relational intimacy with God
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:14-16)

17. 2. By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship
Four elements of discipleship…
By developing relational intimacy with God
By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship By
discerning our specific vocation and calling By
becoming a learning community of practitioners
“By him we cry ‘Abba, father.’”
(Romans 8:15)
“I am making everything new!”
(Revelation 21:5)
“Here I am; you called me.”
(1 Samuel 3: 8)
“Encourage one-another and build each other up.”
(1 Thess. 5:11)

18. We are called to ‘Integral’ Mission
The indivisible proclamation and demonstration of the Good News
The participation in God’s mission of restoration of all things
The restoration of relationships with God, with ourselves, with our neighbours, with wider creation
Re-discovering the Image of God in all things
Making disciples
We are all missionaries

19. Which image best depicts the Church?

20. 3. By discerning our specific vocation and calling
Four elements of discipleship…
By developing relational intimacy with God
By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship By
discerning our specific vocation and calling By
becoming a learning community of practitioners
“By him we cry ‘Abba, father.’”
(Romans 8:15)
“I am making everything new!”
(Revelation 21:5)
“Here I am; you called me.”
(1 Samuel 3: 8)
“Encourage one-another and build each other up.”
(1 Thess. 5:11)

21. Some frameworks and questions to help us think about our vocation
What is your Holy Discontent?
What is your passion and how can this intersect with service of people?  
If God was in charge in your workplace, how would things be different?
Where do you see God at work in your workplaces, in your frontlines? How is God working to restore, redeem your workplace?
LICC’s 6M framework

22. 4. By becoming a learning community of practitioners
Four elements of discipleship…
By developing relational intimacy with God
By embracing a whole-of-life vision for discipleship By
discerning our specific vocation and calling By
becoming a learning community of practitioners
“By him we cry ‘Abba, father.’”
(Romans 8:15)
“I am making everything new!”
(Revelation 21:5)
“Here I am; you called me.”
(1 Samuel 3: 8)
“Encourage one-another and build each other up.”
(1 Thess. 5:11)

23. Becoming far more intentional about creating powerful learning communities
7. Enables us to go deeper and further, to dream
A community of action learners: life-long, taking responsibility, coaching & mentoring
1. Affirms, encourages and celebrates
2. Instills courage to take the 1st step
6. Connects us with others in similar contexts
5. Enables mutual accountability for growth & fruitfulness
4. Describes outcomes & enables measurement, review
3. Signposts and connects to the best available resources

24. Discipleship is about the whole of life
“The Church gathers every Sunday, the day of resurrection and of Pentecost, to renew its participation in Christ’s priesthood. But the exercise of the priesthood is not within the walls of the Church but in the daily life of the world. It is only in this way that the public life of the world, its accepted habits and assumptions can be challenged by the gospel and brought under the searching light of the truth as it has been revealed in Jesus.” (Leslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society)

25. Discussion: What are we already doing across the Diocese in terms of the two culture shifts? How do the recommendations dovetail with the Diocesan ‘Growing in God’ strategy? What further opportunities might we prioritise in the light of the report and the steps that the National Church are taking? What can we do for ‘easy wins’?

26. Discussion: What further questions does this raise for you?

28. A few core messages
This is about a culture change so everything is connected to everything else
General comms around the culture shifts is being ramped up
The learning from the pilot dioceses will be significant; progress must flow up and from dioceses - not about waiting for the National Church
We are developing accessible, high quality materials that will be ready for the autumn
Resources will be made available to help those who need help
Reminder of 4 priority areas – 1st steps in implementation

29. Reminder: 4 priority areas
National champions
Including a bishop
Pilot dioceses
Learning communities
National portal
Information and network
Re-work selection/training/ministerial development of clergy
Huge challenge
Reminder of 4 priority areas – 1st steps in implementation

30. For information Established an Advisory Group Met once
Lay/clergy mix
Will include children/young people focus
Setting All God’s Adults Free?
Programme capacity
Currently recruiting a SGPF Director
Then will recruit programme support
Before reporting on the priority areas – couple of bits of additional information
Advisory group – to keep the focus on implementation. Will meet 4 – 5 times a year and will be solely SGPF focussed
Note the point about children/young people – I’m finding children/young people advisors to come onto the Advisory Group to make sure that it isn’t adults only in focus
In terms of recruitment – the job ad is out for the Director. Interviews week after Synod.

31. Quick wins Peer review Anglican Voices General comms
Chairs of House of Laity routinely invited
Revised guidance to peer reviewers to ensure SGPF a mainstream item
Anglican Voices
Written to generate new voices (2:1 lay/clergy balance)
General comms
Story-telling,
Stories to Share
Comms DNA
Further background.
Peer review – you know all about
Anglican Voices – this is about training people to be confident advocates for the Christian faith across different forms of media and developing a wider cohort of voices that ‘the church’ can put up when there is an issue that interests the media. There was a pilot run for Anglican Voices a couple of years back. They were more clergy focussed. This second cohort will seek to ensure a good clergy/lay balance. Training will take place in the autumn.
Maybe re-state the point here that SGPF is not about the laity only; it’s about all God’s people having equal worth/status/voice.
Our general communications work is very SGPF aware – clergy/lay balance, the kinds of stories we are putting out. It’s now part of the DNA of the comms team. This is very significant in terms of the on-going culture shift.

32. Next wave of quick wins Summary of report Support to churches
Commissioned LICC to produce summary + questions + where to go for help
Supported by films
Available August
Support to churches
7 steps/Rule of Life
Available October
Next set of general actions are about getting the report to be more accessible. Needs high design values and good content.
The summary of the report will be geared towards PCCs, Diocesan/Deanery Synods, individuals – quick, accessible, practical. The reason for the delay was coordinating my diary with Mark Greene’s. I will have a draft of the summary by Synod.
Trying to help churches with specifics ideas like This Time Tomorrow. Just to get started. So the 7 steps is about what churches can do to begin to turn the culture around to ensure that it is lay aware/whole of life aware – eg. how we pray, who we profile in church.

33. PA 1: National champions
Lay champion: Jamie Harrison
Episcopal champion: out for consultation
Member of SGPF Advisory Group – help interpret/guide the work of SGPF
Model SGPF in his/her own ministry – how we look beyond/outside Church structures to see/affirm the whole people of God at work in communities and wider society
Affirm and enable the complementary roles and vocations of clergy and of lay people, grounded in our common baptism – and to help articulate these complementary roles
Bless, nourish, illuminate, connect what is working already in/through parishes
Strong and determined advocate for SGPF in the College of Bishops
Strong advocate for SGPF through social and other media
PA = Priority area!
Jamie is lay champion.
We are bound by CofE process (that we can’t control) around getting a bishop. It is out for consultation. I have listed what we put in the consultation as an indicator of the episcopal role. Jamie’s is a lay equivalent.

34. PA 2 : Pilot dioceses Report suggested pilot of 5 dioceses
Now looking at 3 pilot groups of 6 – 8 dioceses
Hope to cover c 50% of dioceses
1st cohort in the autumn
Based on successful strategic learning communities model
Pilot dioceses is going well and there’s lots of interest around.
The strategic learning communities model is to meet for 30 hours at a time with a combination of action learning within dioceses and ideas sharing between dioceses. The aim is that each learning community will meet 3 times over 12 months. At the end each diocese should have 2 lists:
Things to do now to promote a culture of discipleship across the diocese
Things to do in the medium term to make sure that this culture goes deep and wide – this is not a passing fad.
The pilot dioceses are a huge point of learning for us. It will, however, take some time for that learning to come through as we identify what really does work.
If it was easy we would have done it!

35. PA 3: National portal Commissioned research from Codec
What do people want from an on-line resource
What inhibits people in their discipleship
What encourages people in their discipleship
Begin to build a resource based on knowledge
Rather than pre-guessing what people might want
Align with new CofE website
This is progressing well. I’m really excited about the possibilities on all of this.
Again, we need to be honest that there are websites around on discipleship that have had some impact but nothing like what we need to achieve. So we are doing careful research to make sure that the portal meets people’s actual needs rather than what we think they might be.

36. PA 4: Clergy selection etc
Major issue/area of challenges
NB balance between urgency, learning from pilot dioceses, comprehensive nature of the challenge
Quick wins
Working with Ministry Division on clergy selection criteria/process
Will develop broader-based strategy on where we can impact most significantly
This is a massive area. Again, if it was easy we would have done it. We are looking to the pilots for good learning here.
We have engaged over clergy selection. We will seek to engage colleges over training. But it will take some time for the learning to come through. It’s the point a the start about doing this right/well rather than doing things quickly.