Copthorne Village website

2.  The Deanery Review Group’s Vision for Mission

Two of the most common errors that the Church can fall into at the present time are the beliefs, first that the Church is an end in itself, and secondly that it is the possession and responsibility of those who belong to it.

We need to remind ourselves that the Church always exits for the benefit of the kingdom, and that it is Christ’s Church. His Body on earth today, inspired by his Spirit, and sustained by His Word and Sacraments. The Church whether we think in local or universal terms is always going to be dependent on Christ and his followers are going to be interdependent on each other. The Diocese is the local Church, and the focus of unity is the Bishop. Parishes and Deaneries are simply subunits of this local Church family, but an important part of our Life Together. There have been past debates about abolishing Deaneries - we feel that if there were none, we would need to invent them now.

Traditionally Anglicans have seen themselves as being parochial. This is a complement rather than a criticism, for parochialism should not suggest narrowness of approach or smallness of vision. Indeed the parish is a constant reminder that we are not a congregational Church. All who live within the bounds are to be the concern of priest and people. This is a useful practical reminder of our kingdom and incarnational theology. Many clergy for example, spend more time ministering to the non-churched than the churched.

This present Deanery review is not about the gentle or genteel management of decline. Realism requires that we recognise that we live now in a very different culture to the one many of us were born into. Christianity having been part of the prevailing culture is now distinctly counter-cultural. This inevitably raises questions about whether new patterns of ministry are needed. Further questions to do with numbers and man and womanpower, finances, and buildings, and our understanding of shared leadership and shared ministry are also on the agenda.

This review is about re-equipping the Church in this Deanery in order that it may be more effective in its mission and ministry. The intention is that we should grow - numerically and spiritually.

Of course we are not called to be ‘successful’ Christians or Churches, certainly not in worldly terms. The Cross reminds us of that. We are, however, called to be effective in both proclaiming the gospel and being Christ in the world today.

Sometimes the vine has to be pruned in order for the new growth to take place. Of course, that is a painful experience, but we may end up being a more obedient, faithful, prayerful, and mutually supportive Church in this Deanery, better equipped for mission and ministry, than we have been in the past.