Church without Walls The Presbytery Revisited Church without Walls – the Upside Down Church Local, regional and central – focus on regional/area expression Humble Presbyterians – 3% of the world church Where it all began – “the weekly exercises” Spiritual support for ministers in their pastoral and evangelistic calling Q: If there was no Presbytery, what would we create? A: A support system to break isolation and reduce stress What we experience Congregational member – inductions only Office-bearers – vacancy, five yearly visit, financial crisis, buildings, records Presbyters – monthly meeting, committee work, visiting teams, pastoral support What we appreciate Efficiency Good-natured discussion Supportive advice and contacts Challenging moments What frustrates us No strategic overview No consistency of contact No induction process Little interaction time – e.g. topic slot Little inspiration time – e.g. worship, stories from congregations Ethos - Courtroom v courtyard Pretentiousness – church law v company regulations What was the CWW Theology? – Community of Communities sharing in God’s mission Vision of God – marked by stability or mobility Grace – expressed in worship and mission Mission of God – community shaped by possibility rather than precedent Trinity – mutually honouring persons in community Cross and Resurrection – mutually sustaining courage and compassion Holy Spirit – recognising gifts (personal and congregational) New Creation – becoming a sign of reconciliation and thriving on chaos What was the CWW Vision? – 3-D Presbytery Area groupings – for mission and support e.g. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dunkeld/Meigle Regional groupings – for oversight and overview e.g. Borders, Argyll “Presbyterial Cathedrals” – for inspiration and resourcing e.g. Antioch Churches Korean Example: Prayer Vision Missionary Movement Evangelism and Nurture Public integrity What did CWW recommend? Revamp the style of meetings Release elders to area leadership Require all ministers to allocate time Review the role of the moderator Resource the regions with staff and money What were the specific instructions to Presbyteries? Imaginative new forms of ministry as an alternative to readjustment e.g. Angus, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Task Force For Change Coordinated strategy to equip congregations to sustain worship, pastoral care and mission with appropriate staffing e.g. Orkney Study the report and establish a “regional needs plan” of support e.g. Perth Establish necessary accountability for progress by 2005 e.g. Irvine and Kilmarnock – all Kirk Sessions NB: Mitigating circumstances – Presbytery Boundaries discussions, but 2003 revisit How might area groupings offer mutual support? 1. Agreed areas of shared enterprise. 2. Shared worship and prayer with and for each other. 3. Rhythms for getting to know each other. 4. Patterns of shared decision-making. 5. Shared resources 6. Clergy teamwork How might Presbytery become more supportive and strategic? 1. Convene a strategy process every three years to focus a five-year vision, priorities and goals. 2. Align the committee/team structure to serving the vision rather than servicing the system. 3. Select, release and prepare Presbytery elders for “area leadership” e.g. procedures, roles of committees, annual overview, congregational visits. 4. Ensure that we know one another: as congregations, communities and people. 5. Allocate trained Presbytery teams (e.g. Superintendence, Deployment of Resources, Education, Stewardship and Finance) to relate to the Presbytery groupings. 6. Work intentionally at cross-cultural partnerships to encourage justice based on authentic relationships. The original thinker is too much occupied in trying to express the creative thought which is welling up within him to think about getting it straightened out… Unfortunately, it is much easier to make a tidy pattern out of dead wood than out of growing shoots. A D Lindsay, Introduction to Das Capital Questions 1. Think of Presbytery when we meet in plenary and committees. What do you value about Presbytery? What would you change? 2. Think of Presbytery as a “community of communities with a missionary strategy”. How can we build Presbytery as a supportive community with a clear strategy? 3. What preparation/induction would help us to be more effective Presbyters? 4. From your discussion, identify three key action points for the Church without Walls Committee.