Recreating the Diocese as a Network
You can read about this here on the Diocesan website.
I wanted to post this so people could read a little bit about the goal as this network idea seems to have a lot of energy right now. So read through and make comments, I will comment early next week or later today depending on how much time I have to write.
This is just the first operational strategies, #6 not the entire Goal, so the rest will come soon.
Thanks!
A+
Goal 3: Recreate the Diocese as a Network
To redevelop the entire diocese by the end of 2009 to function primarily as a network of congregations and ministries. These networks will exercise local initiative and responsibility for shared ministry in their contexts.
Recommended Mission & Ministry Initiatives
Initiative 6: Develop Network Infrastructure:
We need to re-conceive and redevelop the diocese as a network of congregations and ministries where organization, communication and the use of resources flow along the lines of meaningful relationships and shared ministry commitments. We anticipate that much of this network will be experimental in character, especially initially, but that patterns once established will become more formally operational over time. In the short term, we may decide to maintain existing structures, such as regions, where they are helpful as an overlay on this emerging and evolving network. We need to devote attention, time and resources to cultivate the informal connections between congregations and ministries that are already coming into existence in numerous places.
Theological Foundations – Because our life as Christians resides in the living Christ, is continually informed by the biblical narrative and is forever open to the action of the Holy Spirit, we expect new expressions of the churches’ life to appear. We recall St. Paul’s proclamation that in Christ we are “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The church must always be incarnate within particular cultures, and culture is always changing. Today, our culture is shifting from bureaucratic and hierarchical forms of organization to decentralized networks, the primary example being the Internet. People seek connection through relationships more than institutional allegiances. In redeveloping the diocese as a network, we hope to follow the emerging work of the Holy Spirit and allow congregations to experience being “a new creation” as we engage others in fresh and culturally-relevant ways.
Operational Strategies 2007-09
6.1 Map existing and emerging networks and identify actual and potential hubs.
6.2 Invite and convene conversations among existing and emerging networks.
6.2.1 Recruit, orient, and resource a group of facilitators to convene and lead
Conversations among networks of congregations and ministries.
6.2.2 Invite existing and emerging networks of congregations to explore how
Their ministries can be strengthened and enhanced.
6.3 Identify hub congregations and their roles.
6.3.1 Determine criteria for hub congregations.
6.3.2 Identify potential congregations which can serve as hub congregations
within a network of congregations and ministries.
6.4 Reconfigure the structure and organization of the diocese.
6.4.1 Based on the patterns experienced in working with the emerging networks
Of congregations, finalize recommendation to the Diocesan Council
Regarding organizational structure to replace the regional structure.
I wanted to post this so people could read a little bit about the goal as this network idea seems to have a lot of energy right now. So read through and make comments, I will comment early next week or later today depending on how much time I have to write.
This is just the first operational strategies, #6 not the entire Goal, so the rest will come soon.
Thanks!
A+
Goal 3: Recreate the Diocese as a Network
To redevelop the entire diocese by the end of 2009 to function primarily as a network of congregations and ministries. These networks will exercise local initiative and responsibility for shared ministry in their contexts.
Recommended Mission & Ministry Initiatives
Initiative 6: Develop Network Infrastructure:
We need to re-conceive and redevelop the diocese as a network of congregations and ministries where organization, communication and the use of resources flow along the lines of meaningful relationships and shared ministry commitments. We anticipate that much of this network will be experimental in character, especially initially, but that patterns once established will become more formally operational over time. In the short term, we may decide to maintain existing structures, such as regions, where they are helpful as an overlay on this emerging and evolving network. We need to devote attention, time and resources to cultivate the informal connections between congregations and ministries that are already coming into existence in numerous places.
Theological Foundations – Because our life as Christians resides in the living Christ, is continually informed by the biblical narrative and is forever open to the action of the Holy Spirit, we expect new expressions of the churches’ life to appear. We recall St. Paul’s proclamation that in Christ we are “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The church must always be incarnate within particular cultures, and culture is always changing. Today, our culture is shifting from bureaucratic and hierarchical forms of organization to decentralized networks, the primary example being the Internet. People seek connection through relationships more than institutional allegiances. In redeveloping the diocese as a network, we hope to follow the emerging work of the Holy Spirit and allow congregations to experience being “a new creation” as we engage others in fresh and culturally-relevant ways.
Operational Strategies 2007-09
6.1 Map existing and emerging networks and identify actual and potential hubs.
6.2 Invite and convene conversations among existing and emerging networks.
6.2.1 Recruit, orient, and resource a group of facilitators to convene and lead
Conversations among networks of congregations and ministries.
6.2.2 Invite existing and emerging networks of congregations to explore how
Their ministries can be strengthened and enhanced.
6.3 Identify hub congregations and their roles.
6.3.1 Determine criteria for hub congregations.
6.3.2 Identify potential congregations which can serve as hub congregations
within a network of congregations and ministries.
6.4 Reconfigure the structure and organization of the diocese.
6.4.1 Based on the patterns experienced in working with the emerging networks
Of congregations, finalize recommendation to the Diocesan Council
Regarding organizational structure to replace the regional structure.
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