MAP recommendations go to Bishop Michael Ingham

Bishop Michael Ingham has named a large parish and a smaller one-St. Mary's, Kerrisdale, and St. David of Wales in East Vancouver-as the first to participate in the diocese's new Ministry Assessment Process (the MAP).

 

 

The bishop also affirmed that two regions-the three parishes in the city of New Westminster, and five parishes in the Fraser Valley East will also be participating in the program.

Both parishes had asked to participate, even before the MAP program was adopted at the Synod in May; the parishes in both of the regions had already started to explore their future ministry direction together.

By the end of the summer the bishop hopes to be able to appoint four "mentors" to chair each of the four processes, and local coordinators from each parish involved. He then will call four MAP meetings for all involved. There participants will we asked to agree on the parameters for each MAP: questions to be asked, and the timetable.

Parishes that will be involved in the first Ministry Assessment Processes:

  • St. David's, Vancouver
  • St. Mary's, Kerrisdale
  • 3 New Westminster parishes - Holy Trinity Cathedral, St. Barnabas and St. Mary's, Sapperton
  • 5 Fraser Valley East parishes - St. John's, Sardis; St. Thomas, Chilliwack; Christ Church, Hope; St. Peter's, Rosedale; and All Saints, Agassiz

All four Ministry Assessment Processes should be completed in time for next year's Diocesan Synod. Recommendations go to the bishop for his approval as to how each parish or region will minister in their communities over the next few years.

The result of a Ministry Assessment Process can be wide ranging, and include such things as setting up new missions, planning new parishes, growing a new congregation, constructing new buildings, and even merging, amalgamating, or closing parishes. All parishes should experience a Ministry Assessment Process within the next seven years.