Fit for Mission is led by local teams with funded specialist capacity to support to local clergy and lay leaders. Heres' how this will work.
Decisions and actions will be led by existing lay and clergy leaders within each deanery. Over a two-year period, each deanery will work together, with tasks spread across many people and sub-teams, all coordinated by a Navigation Team. Each team will be made up of local lay and clergy and will be supported by, or be able to draw on, extra resource and skills they need provided by the Fit for Mission programme.
The Navigation Team
The Navigation team is a local team of clergy and lay who will, as the name says, navigate and coordinate the two-year change programme. The Navigation team members will have specific skills for strategy development and coordination and will serve the deanery/larger parish as they use these skills.
The Navigation team will be supported by a Change Facilitator, who will help the team to plan and progress all the areas of change required. Each Navigation Team will recruit a half time administrator to support with their administrative and communications needs. In addition, coaching will be available to help this team and the wider team develop in their new ways of working.
Growth Team
The Growth Team, again made up of local lay and clergy, will oversee the development and implementation of the Cultivate Pathway as a means to develop, train and support lay leaders. This will result in the planting of new diverse worshipping communities and justice initiatives, and the revitalising of existing ones. This team will ensure the progression of pyramid reviews for each worshipping community and the development and implementation of an annual Mission Plan for the larger Parish.
The Growth Team will be supported by a Cultivate and Justice Officer, who will be working with the Cultivate Lead. They will also have the support of the Schools Cultivate Officer, to develop relationships and worshipping communities in school contexts.
Support Services Team
The Support Services Team, made up of local people, will develop and implement a proposal for a single support services function for the larger Parish. The aim is to do more with greater consistency and efficiency across the larger geography.
The Support Services Team will be assisted by a Deanery Support Service Manager, to develop and set-up the team, and by a suite of products that have been analysed and vetted in advance.
Right Buildings Team
The Right Buildings Team, made up of local people, will in the first instance work to deliver a Right Buildings proposal for the deanery/larger Parish. This will be a significant piece of work that will involve listening to church and local communities, and broad assessment of opportunities for each current building. The team will make a best option proposal that offers the best opportunity for the gospel to be received across the whole of the larger Parish. Once a decision has been made by local leaders this team will give oversight to implementation.
The Right Buildings Team will be assisted with process and expertise by a Buildings Strategy Manager. The development of buildings would be supported by a fundraiser and project manager. Site development/shared use would be supported by the Assistant Diocesan Secretary and a project manager. The sale of buildings would be supported by the Assistant Diocesan Secretary and the Bishop’s Planning Officer's team.
Structural Team
The Structural Team’s task will be to do the background work to facilitate the legal pastoral reorganisation process that will create the larger parish.
This local team will be supported by the existing Bishop’s Planning Officer’s team, which will have some additional resources if needed.
Shadow PCC
A Shadow PCC will be elected to prepare for the governance of the larger Parish – a temporary group. Its members will work together to prepare and adopt policies and procedures, define permeable routes for good communication with parish officers and the leadership teams of worshipping communities, and ensure financial structures and reporting mechanisms are in place. The new PCC will only take governance responsibility after the finalisation of pastoral reorganisation, until then each existing PCC retains its current responsibilities for governance.
In addition, the Shadow PCC will work on its additional larger Parish responsibility:
To champion diverse forms of worship, ecclesiology and justice in all parts of the larger Parish, such that many more people will find expressions of Christian community that draw them into God’s kingdom and His church. The PCC is charged with working against homogeneity, rather it should champion greater diversity and difference.
Local church/worshipping community teams
One of the key principles within Fit for Mission is that nobody should shoulder the burden of leadership alone; everyone should feel part of a mutually supportive and accountable team. Leadership and management of churches, congregations and worshipping communities will be appropriate for the size of each. In every case leadership by the team will be encouraged and for that team to be led by a named focal leader. In some cases the focal leader will still be the priest, in others, it will be a recognised lay leader or Deacon. In addition, every congregation and worshipping community will be under the oversight of a priest who is responsible for the spiritual health of that community.
Ministry Portfolio Teams
Portfolio teams will be responsible for the delivery of a particular ministry across the whole of the larger Parish geography. The portfolios for the larger Parish will be defined locally, and some possibilities could be:
• Planting
• Developing leaders
• Invitation, evangelism & justice
• Deepening discipleship/Rule of Life/Prayer & Worship
• Funerals and Bereavement teams
• Children (primary)
• Young people (11-25)
• Partnership development
• Chaplaincy
Each portfolio team will have a portfolio lead, responsible for ensuring that the vision and goals of the team are clear and understood. The portfolio lead may be lay or ordained. The team may consist of any number of lay or ordained members, with each person having a clear role in the ministry of the portfolio.
Programme Accountability
The Bishops of Liverpool and Warrington have the authority and episcopal oversight of Fit for Mission. The Diocesan Secretary is the Programme Lead responsible for oversight of implementation and coordination with Archdeacons. The Diocesan Programme Manager has responsibility for delivery and coordination, supported by the programme’s Transformation Manager.
How can I find out more?
Contact fitformission@liverpool.anglican.org for more information about Fit for Mission
Together we can be Fit for Mission