A Facilitator’s Perspective

Each parish that signs up to Church21 will be assigned a Facilitator, someone who will work with them over the two year process to offer advice and encouragement. Mrs. Mary Good facilitated first time round and answers a few questions about what’s involved.

What do you think is at the heart of facilitation? 

I think the key to facilitation is a listening heart.  Willing to set aside what ‘I’ think would work or is needed and really listen to the group and what they see as important. 

What do you think makes someone a good facilitator?

Being willing to let go of ‘self’ and be there for the group and trying not to impose my own opinions on a group.  I would, of course, venture an opinion occasionally but with the understanding that it is put out there to add to the discussion, not as an answer to it all.  Also trying to encourage those present in the job they are already doing in their church.  I would also be very conscious that I want to build up the Rector in the presence of his/her parishioners.

What would you be looking for from a parish if it’s to benefit from this process? 

I feel they would need to have spent time thinking through some of the basic issues before I arrive.  It’s vital that they have done the preparation course or had other thinking time and have a basic understanding of what the process is all about.  My role is not to introduce the idea of Parish Development.

How did you personally benefit?

I thoroughly enjoyed travelling with the group, seeing them get excited about what could be done.  I just enjoyed the entire experience.

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

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A Rector’s Perspective

One benefit of Church21 is that it can affirm leaders as people with a team around them. Here, Rev. Pat Storey, rector, St. Augustine’s, Derry, speaks of what the process meant to her personally.

Five of us who represented the parish in the Church21 programme, signed up with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. We were an ordinary Parish, nothing exceptional, but we were determined to develop and grow. Church 21 was the ideal vehicle to help kickstart that process.

The choice of facilitator is very important and ours gave us confidence from the beginning. My greatest fear was that there would be lots of ideas, but that the already exhausted rector would be left to carry these through! However, it was made clear at every point that the key to parish development could be summed up in one word – TEAM. I began the Church21 process feeling very much on my own as a leader, and that it was up to me to make initiatives happen. But as the process draws to a close we have five teams in place, each with a co-ordinator and an action plan, and much has already been achieved. The Church 21 process certainly takes commitment and determination but it is utterly worthwhile.

Much has happened in St. Augustine’s in the last 18 months, and there are further development plans afoot. There are more people involved, and I have a key team to whom I can relate. The burden of work is shared. Church 21 started us down a demanding but very rewarding road with no end in sight, but for me it was a no-brainer – our parish had to develop or die. My hopes are rising that it will do the former.

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

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New Wine into Old Wine Skins

One thing that Parish Development can do for a church is help it see new potential in familiar things. Rev Bryan Kerr, rector of Lisbellaw in Clogher diocese, shares one such example:

Church 21 encouraged us not only to look at what we do in church life, but also to find one thing and do it well. Whilst examining our parish life, we were conscious that we had a monthly 9.45 Holy Communion service that seemed strangely detached from the other services. Its sole purpose, it seemed, was to provide quieter worship for those who did not wish to be part of the Family Service later that morning. Additionally, while we regularly prayed in public worship for those who were sick, we had little time to develop sustained public prayer for them in our services.

And so quietly, the early once-a-month Communion service incorporated elements of a healing service. Afterwards willing volunteers serve tea to those who have just attended worship, and to those who arrive early for the 11.00 Family Service, allowing more contact within and between the congregations.

It’s not rocket science, but it has had an impact nevertheless, with more people attending the 9.45 over the past year. Interest has also come from unexpected quarters, including a young father who injured his knee after being felled by a nine-year-old in a game of football. I’ll spare his blushes by keeping him anonymous!

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

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Called to Care

Not all that comes under the heading of “Parish Development” happens within the Church21 programme. Many parishes are engaged in long term planning processes and here, Rev Cliff Jeffers, rector of Athy, describes how he has tapped into some of the resources available through Church21.

In our parish we felt there was a greater need for pastoral care than could be
met by just one person and so we explored the possibility of establishing a parish visiting team. Eventually our aim is to have a parish visitor allocated to every household, but initially we are targeting those who are housebound, those on the fringe of the parish and people with newborn children. The idea was one of several that arose as priorities in a parish vision process and it was helpful for us to have the help of an external facilitator. The idea of the visiting team was spoken about on Sunday Mornings and the rationale given through our parish newsletter. Key to its establishment was identifying a parishioner who was passionate about this area of ministry and willing to lead.  

Initial training was by Rev. Paul Hoey using a simple ‘Called to Care’ course and now we meet for ongoing support and training about four times a year.  The team of ten ordinary parishioners find it a rewarding experience and we’re finding those we visit are appreciative.

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

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Small Church – Big Blessing

Can a small church benefit from something like Church21? Rev Daniel Nuzum, rector of Templebreedy parish in the diocese of Cork would certainly say, “Yes!” He writes,

The small congregation in the rural parish of Nohoval in the Diocese of Cork has been experiencing a slow decline in numbers over many years. In 2005 the Select Vestry decided to address this and started a process of engaging with the parishioners about the future. This process dovetailed nicely with Church21 and we were delighted to be part of something much bigger than ourselves and to journey with others on a similar path.

We started the journey with a willingness to be open to where God might be leading us and knowing that it wouldn’t necessarily be easy or popular! Under the guidance of our facilitator John Tyrrell, we focused on three key areas: Worship, Developing Community and our Church Building. Our decline has been reversed and numbers have increased steadily. Our sense of being the ‘family of God’ has increased and there is a renewed openness to what God is doing in our midst. For the first time in a number of years our financial situation is not the main item on the agenda! We have reordered our church building to provide new seating which has given us greater flexibility and comfort. We have installed a deaf loop system and a Public Address system, a children’s church area and there is more to be done. Some of the structural changes were painful decisions but ones that have allowed us to stay together as a parish family. That for us has been the greatest blessing.

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

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An Open Door Invitation

Half way through the first hymn I noticed a man enter the church and slip into a pew. He was not someone I recognised. A churchwarden handed him a hymn book and he joined in the rest of the service.

At coffee afterwards I discovered that he was from overseas and a regular visitor to his daughter who lived locally. Somehow he’d previously formed the impression that the little Church of Ireland church was not open for worship. That morning he had been walking by when he saw a bright new notice board on the church wall. The church gate was open and he saw that the driveway had been resurfaced recently. At either side of the church door, attractive planters were full of flowers giving the place a cheerful and inviting look. He then heard the words of a familiar hymn come from inside the building so he abandoned his trip to the shop and came to church. He had appreciated the welcome and enjoyed the service and promised to attend our church the next time he was back.

Impressions can count. One of the many things we did as part of the Church 21 programme was audit the exterior of our churches. We saw that our notice board was largely hidden, tired looking and minus the address of our new website and that the gravel driveway was difficult for those with buggies and the elderly. The church was wonderfully cared for inside, but we hadn’t really thought about the image we presented outside.

This is just one small example of how Church 21 has made a positive difference to our parish. It’s the little things that can make a big difference.

Canon Adrian Wilkinson, Rector of the Douglas Union, Cork

Posted by John Ryan on 10 Dec 08

Categories: Stories from Programme 1   •   0 Comments   •   Permanent link