WORSHIPPERS from across our diocese gathered to hear future plans - and to comment on our latest budget.

Churchgoers from Havant and Portsmouth deaneries gathered at St George's Church, Waterlooville, where they heard from the Bishop and other speakers and discussed the issues in small groups

Bishop Christopher led three sessions - one in each Archdeaconry - at the end of September, at which our diocese's Ministry for Mission framework was outlined, exciting plans for the future unveiled, and parishes were invited to have their say on the diocese's draft budget for 2013. They took place at All Saints Church, Ryde; St George's, Waterlooville; and St John's, Shedfield.

The bishop introduced the evening by explaining this was a different style of consultation process, in which our diocesan finances would be set in the context of our mission.

"Every day we pray 'Thy Kingdom Come'," he said. "We don't want our churches to flourish in order to pay the bills or keep the fabric in order. We want to be financially strong and maintain our buildings to help bring in the kingdom as we worship, engage with our community and cherish our inheritance.

"Ministry for Mission isn't a strategy. It's a reminder of why we are who we are, a way of living and a way of loving. It's not a set of rules or regulations or a strategic plan, but it gives us a framework to focus our witness."

Canon Bob White, the chair of our Ministry for Mission group, explained the three aims of Ministry for Mission:

1. to enable everyone to hear and experience the transforming power of the gospel, which leads to spiritual and numerical growth.

2. to recognise that all baptised Christians have gifts and a vocation. We are all ministers and we can all offer ministry.

3. to affirm that all ministry is collaborative, and we should work together, clergy and lay people, across parish boundaries and with ecumenical partners.

He also outlined the four areas for strategic growth:

Called for Growth (vocation): 

Trained for Growth (training and development): 

Structured for Growth (deployment): 

Supported in Growth (mission support): 

He compared Ministry for Mission to a trellis, which would help to encourage new growth. In time, that growth and the fruit would cause that trellis to disappear.

Various diocesan staff then outlined existing and new areas of work which reflected the Ministry for Mission framework, and which the 2013 budget would help to finance.

Ben Mizen, youth and children's work adviser, spoke about Discovery - a new initiative to encourage young leaders to discover their vocation as they spent a year working in parish ministry.

The Rev Ruth Tuschling, spirituality adviser, spoke about spirituality as being part of mission, not just a way of deepening our individual relationships with God.

Canon David Isaac, head of Mission and Discipleship, mentioned other initiatives in his section that would help to resource local mission. They included 'Exploring Christianity', a two-year discipleship course that will also form the basis of our training for lay ministers; and Transforming Worship, a training programme for those wanting to lead worship. Advisers were able to offer bespoke training for your parish in your unique situation.

Our new Mission Development Officer, the Rev Charlie Peer, was introduced. He spoke about how the diocese could help resource local mission. It involved hearing what God had to say and then putting that vision into action. Practical support could be offered to PCCs or whole congregations in how to structure your church for growth.

Canon Nick Ralph, who leads our Mission and Society section, spoke about the charity he runs - the Council for Social Responsibility - and its work. He referred to rpd - the rapid development programme which has already helped 21 churches in this diocese and beyond to re-think their offer, re-energise their parish and re-connect with their community. The CSR is running an rpd conference in October.

Chris Pritchard, one of our schools advisers, spoke about the work of our education team in helping church schools across both Portsmouth and Winchester dioceses. He referred to the 18,000 children who encounter education infused with Christian values every day, and reminded us that the Church invented mass education in the 19th century.

And Jenny Hollingsworth, who heads up our Mission and Resources section, talked about the care we take over maintenance of our vicarages. This helps the ministry of our clergy, as the diocese takes care of repairs and upkeep of their homes. She said inspections had identified some urgent work that needed to be done in 2013, and therefore an additional £111,000 was needed to help fix parsonages across the diocese.

Finally, Stephen Collyer, director of finance for Portsmouth, Winchester and Guildford dioceses, explained how the 2013 budget had been put together.

He said our PCCs spent £9.4m (excluding capital projects) on mission and ministry in 2010. Of that 46 per cent was spent via parish share and 54 per cent was spent on locally-funded mission.

Our 2013 draft budget of £6.99m involved raising £4.7m in parish share, an increase of 1.6 per cent on 2012. And of that £4.7m, 70 per cent would be spent on ministry in parishes, 26 per cent on support for that ministry and four per cent on specific Ministry for Mission development.

For a copy of the full Powerpoint presentation (as PDF pages), click here.

For a copy of the 2013 budget consultation paper, which was handed out at the meeting, click here.

For a copy of the response form, which allows your parish to state its preferences, click here. You can download this form, fill it in electronically and send it to the Rev Wendy Kennedy here. Or you can print it out, fill it in and send it in the post to the Rev Wendy Kennedy, diocesan offices, First Floor, Peninsular House, Wharf Road, Portsmouth, PO2 8HB, by Tuesday 2nd October.