Copthorne Village website

9.  Strategy for Mission

Archbishop Rowan Williams reminded General Synod in 2004 ‘It is not the Church of God that has a Mission - it is the God of Mission that has a church’, and at Greenbelt 2004 said ‘Mission is finding out what God is doing - and joining in’. The DRG has been greatly encouraged by signs of how ‘mission-shaped’ some of the work and growth at parish level already is, with much good practise, and many excellent ideas, to be shared.

Some parishes valued the collaboration of the Walking the Way mission venture in the Deanery some 5 years ago, or have picked up on Fan the Flame, or Growing Healthy Churches, and found it helpful to apply what has been learned. Individual parishes of London diocese all had to produce Mission Action Plans under Bishop David Hope, and 10 years on it is perhaps no coincidence that some of the statistics demonstrate a more consistent growth there than any other single diocese.

There is a danger in promoting ever more initiatives at parish level; but perhaps the Deanery can truly be the focus for mission in the church, exploring new possibilities, thinking ‘outside the box’-pew. The DRG hopes that mission, will become the main engine of, rather than an optional towed-trailer to the Deanery, and thus to the parishes, possibly under the aegis of a new Deanery Mission Group.