Circuit Mission

Following a presentation I made to the September Circuit Meeting, on the subject of mission in the circuit, the meeting appointed a working group to consider the issue in more detail, with a view to preparing a mission policy, to guide the circuit in the years ahead.  The working group has held several meetings and is acutely aware not only of the size of the task, but also of the importance of discerning God's will for North Bradford.  We are encouraged by the prayer support which we received from across the circuit, and trust in God, working through his Holy spirit, to make his will clear to us.

Listening for God's guidance and seeking to discern god's purpose, is where we need to be, as a circuit and as local churches.  As part of this process, it is proposed that members of the Mission Working Group will meet with each of the circuit churches, over the next six months, to listen together for God's purpose for each church, and thus for the circuit.

In order to prepare for these meetings, the churches' leadership teams are being asked to take a careful, prayerful look at all aspects of the life of their church, using a checklist which has been prepared and will be given to each church.  Taken from "The Healthy Churches' Handbook" by Robert Warren but adapted to suit our situation, the checklist refers to 'Seven Marks of a Healthy Church', with criteria and scores to set against each mark.  Once the direction of mission for each church has been discerned, the circuit can consider what help and resources it can provide to help that mission to be fulfilled.  Above all, we will be able to operate as a circuit, in accordance with a coordinated plan for bringing the love of God to our neighbours in North Bradford, whom Jesus came to save.

We will not be collecting the checklists back from churches.  They are simple a tool for their use, in guiding their thoughts.  we hope that members of congregations who feel that God is saying something to them about the way ahead, will contribute to the conversations.

In connection with this review of mission and to set the scene for congregations, a series of services is being brought to each church by one of three teams of preachers.  for nine of the churches, these series are on the current January-April plan.  The rest will be early in the following plan.  You can identify these services by seeing a 1, 2 and 3 after the names of preachers on the Plan, signifying the series of three planned services.

Please pray that we will be a listening circuit, over these next few months, and that God will make his purposes known to us.

Martin

Circuit Steward (Mission)

Canon Robert Warren, author of "Developing Healthy Churches" is leading an interactive day at Cornerstone, Skipton, on 13 March - full details