Key Findings: Parish Review Consultation at the 22nd Session of Parish Council Saturday September 28, 2013.
After presentations by Fr. Mark and other Parish leaders, Q&A, and discussion, the following comments were gathered from six self-selected groups at Parish Council during the Review Consultation. Three major questions were posed: 1) What is God calling us to maintain as the core vocation of St. James' Parish?, 2) What is God calling us to give up / surrender?, and 3) What is God calling us to initiate at St. James'? We have integrated the Parish Review Consultation document with the feedback from Council to present a synoptic response to recommendations, implementation, and further action. ______________________________________________________________________________ A) What is God calling us to maintain as the core vocation of St. James' Parish ? 1) A catholic liturgical and sacramental tradition. Sunday Mass Assessment Attendance at each Sunday Mass is in gradual decline in spite of a stable membership in recent years. At High Mass the number of attendees at the Peace is sometimes a third more than at the beginning of the Mass. There is significant chatter before High Mass. Action 1.1 Encourage and equip parishioners to: - make weekly attendance at Mass a priority; - be present at the beginning of Mass; - take the opportunity for silent prayer and reflection before Mass. Who Collegium Timeline Ongoing Comments: •
Agree with attendance on time. Do not agree that silence kept before Mass is absolutely necessary.
1.2 Designate one Sunday a month as a High Mass in contemporary language with a varied and contemporary repertoire of music with the involvement of Music Academy students as part of the Liturgy. This initiative would be on a trial period of six months followed by a review. Who Collegium with Organist & Choirmaster, Servers Guild and SJ Music Academy.
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Timeline Comments:
Subject to support and interest.
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Discussion about different singing style not unanimous in its desire to [unreadable] although one [unreadable] would be an Aboriginal language service.
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We support contemporary mass, 1 per month
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Keep church doors open more
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Is the decline the lack of something people are not getting at church?
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Music great attraction
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Some people are uncomfortable coming down here
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Agree but also have young people participate in readings, prayers, sewing. Modern hymns with piano – not necessarily from hymn books reprinted in bulletin. Weekday Mass
Assessment Mass on most weekdays has a stable attendance between 3 -10 persons. Tuesday Mass, recently moved to 9.30am, is not yet well attended. Mass on a Saturday, the liturgical day – rather than the Vigil of the Sunday, has not been celebrated since 2008. How important is the daily offering of the Mass at St. James’? Should a Saturday Mass be reinstated as a priority of the Parish? If this isn’t a priority, should Mass on Tuesday be dropped also? The Parish custom of observing many solemnities on the actual day, rather than transferring to a Sunday, has been maintained on the whole in recent years (e.g. Candlemas, Corpus Christi, Michaelmas). Attendance is in gradual decline. It is increasingly challenging to find hosts for the potluck suppers. Action 1.3 A Either: Move all transferrable Solemnities to the nearest Sunday – with or without a potluck. 1.3 B Or: (This option is my preference because it gives us a distinctive opportunity to practice an aspect of “liturgical evangelism” rarely offered elsewhere – Fr. Mark.) Maintain St. James’ custom of keeping observances on the calendar day with pot luck. Enrich these occasions with a programme of guest preachers who are invited to give a fireside chat during the potluck describing their work, ministry and vocation. Improve promotions of these Solemnities, especially through the Diocesan parish mailing. Who Rector in consultation with parishioners. Timeline This Fall. • Comments: No comments Daily Offices Assessment Most of the Daily Offices are led by the laity who do so with faithfulness and care. Attendance at these Offices is variable. Current attendance is increasing. Action 1.4 Maintain the provision of public Morning and Evening Prayer each day of the week. Who Daily Office officiants Timeline Ongoing
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1.5 Encourage and equip parishioners to attend the public offices and to pray the offices privately. Who Collegium and Parish Leaders Timeline Ongoing •
Comments: No comments
2) Pastoral Care Assessment The New Members Ministry and New Members dinner ceased to function a few years ago at St. James’. Yet we experience an ever increasing need to engage newcomers and enquirers into membership and service at St. James’. 2.1 Reinstate a New Members Ministry Who Seeking support from Parishioners Timeline Within six months 2.2 Encourage recruitment and training to the Pastoral Care Ministry. Who Collegium with Pastoral care coordinator Timeline Within six months • Comments: No comments 3) Outreach Programmes: Street Outreach Initiative / Saint James Music Academy Assessment Each of these programmes has matured and flourished since their inception. Because each is distinct with respect to funding and governance St. James’ Parish has an opportunity to develop and grow its relationship with each. By any measure these are two remarkable outreach initiatives with which the Parish is in partnership. 3.1 Promote support and recruitment of volunteers for these programmes. Who Trustees and Collegium / Parishioners Timeline Ongoing • Comments: No comments
B) What is God calling us to give up / surrender? 1) Assistant priest position Assessment The Parish does not currently have financial capacity for such a position, nor for the foreseeable future. Even if it did, funds for staff positions would be more strategically spent for the growth of the Parish on short term specialized ministries: Youth worker / Development Officer / Communications - Public Relations Officer / Sunday School leader. Any two of these at half-time would cost less than a full time assistant priest and have a potentially higher impact on the growth of struggling areas of parish life.
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Action 1.1 St. James’ has to offer the Liturgy with the current members of its Collegium . Who Fr. Mark – Rector / Fr. Matthew – Street Outreach Priest / Mtr. Alexis – Honorary Assistant Priest / Sr. Mary Christian – Honorary Deacon / Fr. Douglas – Visiting Priest / Br. John – Support Priest / Fr. Bill Crockett – Support Priest. Joyce Locht – awaiting ordination to the Diaconate. Timeline Ongoing 1.2 A few specific donations have recently been generously given to St. James’ which could fund a halftime youth worker for one year. The Trustees are ready, in principle, to act on this recommendation. Who Trustees Timeline Immediately Comments: •
Support ½ time youth worker for one year
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Support a youth worker but what happens after one year? Will the funded year be devoted to development of a structure that can continue youth work without a salaried position?
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In favour
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Supportive of Youth Worker & Parish Dev’t Officer 2) Inaccessibility of our buildings
Assessment Except for during the offering of public liturgies when doors are open to either one of the chapels, or the church, it is impossible to enter our building without a key. Access for persons with disabilities is problematic. Action 2.1 Plan and implement a street front Office. Possible sites are the Rectory / May Gutteridge Room. Who Trustees are awaiting a report from the Buildings Committee. Timeline Subject to findings of the report. Comments: •
Essential to have street front office – leaning towards Rectory
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Street access & open church also in favour
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May Gutteridge not suitable. Need more information regarding rectory i.e. ground floor only or whole?
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Keep church open
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For street front – use May Gutteridge Room. Find the most economical solution, May Gutteridge users to the crypt
2.2 Plan and implement volunteers to facilitate an “Open Church” project so that our sacred space can be available for quiet, prayer and pastoral care on a regular and consistent basis. Who Awaiting offers and ideas. Timeline No later than during 2015. Comments:
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Christ Church Cathedral has a volunteer cadre of “hosts” who welcome & supervise guests in the Church. Could we meet with people from Christ Church Cathedral and ask how they manage to garner this kind of volunteer involvement?
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Host open church – offer from Julian community on once per month basis
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Where are the volunteers to come from?
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Open church-yes 3) Parish use of the Bishops’ Rm / Hall / Sacristy / Offices
Assessment Since the “Clinton Hall Development Project” became no longer viable ideas have been mooted with respect to the future use of the Hall. The principal finding of the Physical Resources Task Group was that consideration be given to leasing the space. Action 3.1 Plan and implement a Parish withdrawal from these spaces in order to enable all this space to be leased - to the Music Academy as a preferred tenant. Improve the Crypt for Parish use. Determine whether the Rectory can be modified as a duplex for Rectory and Office use. Who Report of Physical Resources Task Group has been submitted to the Trustees. Awaiting report from Buildings Committee. Awaiting report from Finance committee. Timeline Within one year establish viability. Comments: •
Rent out hall, Bp Room – shared space. Use downstairs
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Support parish withdrawal from Clinton Hall in order to lease the space
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Church space – yes explore ways of using by offer [to] organization “if needed”
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Yes withdrawal from spaces SJMA Improve the crypt 4) Permission for Guilds / Ministries to choose to merge or end
Assessment Some Guilds and Ministries report unviable levels of membership. Action 4.1 Ask if your guild or ministry would appreciate the opportunity to give itself "permission" to conclude, or merge with another? Who You / your Head of Guild / Ministry Timeline This Fall Comments: •
Yes in favour of giving “permission”
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Yes – permission for Guilds to conclude/merge
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C) What is God calling us to initiate at St. James'? The structure of the seven headings is taken from a Diocesan policy “on Vital, Sustainable and Strategic Parish Ministry (December, 2009)”. 1) to provide services of worship, 1.1 Retreats: annual Parish retreat / smaller focused retreats on a theme / topic Who Collegium / Parishioners Timeline Within one year Comments: •
Yes, eg. M[unreadable ] Lodge
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A very positive experience in the past
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Mixed enthusiasm 2) to provide for pastoral care,
See A 2. 3) to provide opportunities to participate in the Mission of God, 3.1 Develop an intentional community in close proximity to St. James’ Who Mtr. Alexis and Julian Group Timeline In process Comments: •
Yes, eg St. [unreadable ]Servants
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Await further information
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In favour
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Yes to intentional community close to parish 4) to re-connect to the spiritual and physical needs of the community,
4.1 Create a Parish Mission Centre which is a consolidation of all offices with street front access. Who Trustees are awaiting a report from the Buildings Committee. Timeline Subject to findings of the report. Comments: •
Yes, library hub of [unreadable]
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Use May G. room, close all stairs towards church
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Yes agree, excellent idea
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Yes
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In favour 5) to provide a ministry of education,
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5.1 Reinstate Sunday School, at least twice monthly. Who Collegium to liaise with our Youth and families Timeline This Fall Comments: •
Yes, Mtr. Alexis
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yes to Sunday school 1 per month (to start)
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Yes but why did it die the last time?
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In favour
5.2 Implement a Bible Study based on the Sunday readings on a weekly basis for a trial period. Who Collegium Timeline This Fall Comments: •
Yes, absolutely, also implement [ ] study group for recruitment of new Christians
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In favour
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In areas, eg., N. Van in homes
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Implement, think about Alpha program
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Yes with a focus
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Yes
5.3 Implement ongoing workshops on essentials of the Faith and Anglo-Catholicism Who Collegium / Parish leaders Timeline Within six months Comments: •
Yes, dinners & dialogue, dinner & dialogue, Severs Guild & Order of St. Vincent documentation could be used for education in bulletins too, eg “Did you know”
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After pot luck suppers
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Implement
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How different is this from Formation?
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Yes, with food
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In favour
5.4 Implement leadership development tools: Systems theory / Strengths testing Who Trustees Timeline Within one year Comments: •
OK!
5.5 Implement a “Bookstore” of essential resources for reading Scripture, prayer, Anglo-Catholic devotions.
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Who Timeline Comments:
Collegium with interested parishioners Within one year.
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Yes
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Yes
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Will only work with a dedicated person? All on-line now.
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Yes
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Mixed enthusiasm 6) to provide for the proper stewardship of the parish and the property,
6.1 Plan and implement all essential maintenance of Parish property. Who Awaiting report from Buildings Committee. Awaiting report from Finance committee. Timeline Within one year. Comments: •
Absolutely, roof $350,000
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What use are our investments? Can we use more?
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Essential Maintenance, our buildings make our ministry possible. Without them, our worship & ministry will take place where? What are the implications for our financial strategy? What are our investments for?
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes, city & Diocese, $240,000 + 110?
6.2 Identify funding and plan for part time short term staff positions - Development Officer / Communications - Public Relations Officer. Who Trustees Timeline By 2015 Comments: •
Yes, we should look for benefactors to fund position
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Yes ½ time youth worker in place of assistant priest 7) and to practice partnership.
7.1 Invite seminarians to undertake summer placements at St. James’. Who Rector and Collegium Parishioners – accommodation? Timeline Immediate and ongoing Comments: •
Yes
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Yes, seminarian in training
7.2 Invite and encourage ministry placements at St. James’ . Who Rector / Collegium. Timeline Immediate and ongoing Comments: No comments 7.3 Make regular submissions to the Anglican Journal and Topic. Who Individual parishioners / PAX editorial team. Timeline Immediate and ongoing Comments: •
Not easy to have article accepted
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Yes, Journal submission
Other Comments ______________________ In order of priority: 1) Parish retreat for all members 2) Summer seminarians 3) Employ a professional fundraiser, get an analysis and plan 4) Open the church, when volunteers are available ______________________ Drop-in Open Bible Study – are there others with a theological education Think 6 week segments All suggestions are fabulous – where are the leaders? Same ideas across all questions then can become a logical sequence Retreats are not Advent & Lent parish retreats Know need [unreadable] a fun weekend at a campsite with daily offices, mass, sports, music ______________________ 1) Weekday Mass – keep the status quo, keep the “modern” aspects, potlucks – try to encourage & advertise 2) Pastoral Care – emphasize & expand, especially home communion and visits 3) Outreach – more & more important ______________________ Add food & have meals/food after service a) Masses, b) Daily Office Feast Days – encourage the social (after service) – food/music/dance SJMA – Yes, involve them more in the church ______________________ 1) Yes to youth ministry 2) Yes to SJMA in Clinton Hall 3) Merging of guilds if desired 4) Yes to accessibility & yes to rectory/office shared
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5) Yes to annual parish retreat – Joyce will help, Kathy interested in helping ______________________ We have a responsibility to care for this building Decide what we must & cannot do to care for the building ______________________ Maintain weekday Mass Could Douglas & [Bill?] help? Rotation? Major outreach Small honourium for clergy to come in to do Sat.? Protect day off for Fr. Mark ______________________ Potential fundraiser for St. James’ Susan Thompson •
Former mayor of Winnipeg
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Chief fundraiser for U. of Winnipeg (many years)
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friend of Bruce MacKenzie (assistant organist)
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Recently moved to Vancouver
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She attended HM in Sept/2013
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Very personable
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Randy & I could easily contact her, Joyce.
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