Generous, Engaged, Open
The challenges of Church life in the 21st Century are many, but in the Newcastle Diocese, we’ve narrowed them down to five:
- How can we keep before us a vision of God that will empower and inspire people in their everyday lives to answer the question ‘Who is Jesus Christ for us today?’
- How can we be a Church confident of its place in the public arena, unafraid to listen, debate and speak out?
- How can we grow and develop more disciples?
- How can we provide imaginative and good quality leadership, lay and clerical, to realise possibilities and fulfil our mission?
- How can we nourish a viable model of church and devise the means to renew and sustain parish ministry?
In trying to meet these challenges and plan for our future, the Diocesan Synod has embarked on a process that sees us living with lighter structures, encouraging greater participation, working with partners, learning together, and trying to discern a way forward in which we can ensure “a vibrant, authentic and sustaining Christian presence in every community in the diocese.”
We’ve come to believe that the Church of England – even with its tensions and inadequacies – has a distinct contribution to make in its desire to be vitally present in the parishes.
Put simply, this “vital presence” adds up to a desire to be Generous, Engaged and Open in the way we follow Christ, and the manner in which we invite others to join our pilgrimage of faith.
Generous, Engaged and Open are the keynote qualities of our diocesan priorities – to pursue Bold Evangelism, to provide Useful Buildings, to Develop Disciples, to encourage Lively Worship, to promote Vocations, and to draw in Young People.
There is still much to do, but few would disagree that much is already happening in the Newcastle Diocese. Watch this website for updates on the strategic plan and the furtherance of our diocesan priorities.