It will be the moment when we mark a new phase in the life of our parishes.

Our Kairos celebration service next month will be the point at which we ask God to bless a collection of ambitious new visions for mission and ministry in this diocese, and then start to implement them.

The service will be the culmination of months of hard work on Kairos theology, intensive research and detailed planning to help us meet the physical, spiritual and social needs of those living in our local communities.

The five-year deanery Kairos plans will be laid on the altar of our cathedral during a Eucharist at 6pm on July 17.

The service will include a sermon by the Rev Tom Stuckey – chairman of the Southampton Meth-odist District and president of the Methodist Church conference for 2005-06 – to emphasise the ecumenical principles behind Kairos thinking.

A band will lead informal worship before the service, and it will end with the congregation processing out of the cathedral’s west doors, symbolising our commitment to the world outside the church walls.

Kairos plans already agreed by PCCs, clusters of parishes and deanery synods include radical proposals to re-shape church buildings for community use; to launch groups to help meet the needs of children, young people, the bereaved and the lonely; and to employ new youth workers, administrators and community workers. These are just a handful of the specific ideas:

l parishes in Gosport want to work with local authorities to make church halls available for agencies working with prolific young offenders;

l the Havant deanery wants to employ a specialist to plant new churches in both Wecock and the new housing development west of Waterlooville, as well as employing community liaison officers for the Wecock estate;

l worshippers in Bembridge are reaching out to villagers by meeting people regularly in local pubs;

l the Petersfield deanery wants to identify and foster five full-time ministers, five non-stipendiary ministers and five Readers by 2010;

l and Paulsgrove, Cosham and Farlington parishes want to prepare and deliver a parenting skills course this autumn.

All the plans will go to the Bishop’s Council for discussion and approval during June, before being presented at next month’s service which will be led by the bishop.

Bishop Kenneth said: “I am greatly excited by what I have seen of the deanery Kairos plans. They show imagination, innovation and a deep appreciation of the Kairos aims of building a Church that has a broader base in its local community, a deeper spiritual life and leaner structures.

“I’m pleased that Tom Stuckey can preach at our Kairos service. He has been a good friend of the diocese and his presence will emphasise the ecumenical nature of many of our ideas.”