A Project of the Council of General Synod
Interim Report To Council, July 2, 2003
When General Synod in 2001 asked the Council to undertake an intentional listening project, it was aware that the 1995 strategic plan, Preparing the Way, was designed for a 9-year life. The 2004 General Synod would be faced with major decisions about the future direction of the work of the national church.
What are people saying about the General Synod?
What does the church at local and diocesan levels expect of General Synod?
What should our priorities be for the next 3, 6 or 9 years?
To seek answers, the Council undertook a multi-phase project:
- 10 focus groups across the country led by Environics. Their report is available in book form from the Anglican Book Centre: Stained Glass, Sweet Grass, Hosannas and Songs
- A random telephone survey of 1200 Anglicans
- COGS members checking in with their dioceses on the results of the above two initiatives
- Development in November 2003 and March 2004 of a new strategic plan for presentation to General Synod in May 2004
Diocesan Intentional Listening
To date, 18 dioceses and the Anglican Military Ordinariate have held intentional listening events or have found other ways to collect data. 12 dioceses and the Ordinariate have submitted reports. Plans are afoot in the remaining dioceses to complete this work.
The Council’s Planning and Agenda Team will be meeting in September to consider these reports, along with the earlier work. The Team will develop proposals for COGS to consider in November.
| A Summary of what we are hearing
Loud and clear: more communication is needed
Mild appreciation for current national work:
Anglicans are mainly focused on the life of their local parish community. And are therefore looking for more support for parish life:
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Intentional Listening Reports
A Snapshot
This snapshot contains gleanings from ten diocesan consultations and the Military Ordinariate. All of the data will be analyzed before the Planning and Agenda Team prepares the first draft of a new Strategic Plan.
What caught peoples’ attention?
There is a major disconnect between the strategic goals of the national church and the goals of the parishes. Some version of this statement was reported in almost every consultation. Accompanying the concern was widespread cynicism that the national church would pay attention to the survey results, rather that it will just do what it wants. Understanding of the term “national church” ranged from the staff at 600 Jarvis Street to CoGS to General Synod. It wasn’t always easy to know just who/what was meant.
Almost every consultation noted concern for youth and the need to increase their involvement in the life of the church. It was also noted that “youth” was never defined by age group. Declining attendance and aging of members were also noticed. At the same time, several commented that there is a gap between the desire for new people and the willingness to embrace the changes necessary to attract them.
There was some surprise that the Residential School issue was still perceived as a national issue and had not filtered into parochial life.
In one form or another people noticed that there was little talk of spirituality in the focus groups and survey. They wondered where God was in all of this. In some of the reports there was a tone of criticism that the survey had not asked the right questions about faith, spirituality and commitment to Jesus. Participants did not seem to understand that material emerged from what the focus group participants felt was important, rather than from questions formulated by some external group (the elusive national church).
What was missing?
Generally, participants did not find much that was missing. However, there were two things that were consistent across the consultations. The language of faith -God, salvation, Jesus Christ, disciple-making was noticeable by its absence. Broadly put, there was nothing to indicate that General Synod was in any real way perceived as a resource to dioceses and parishes. Although not a widespread item, three reports noted a lack of vision or hope.
How can the national church provide a sense of hope and vision?
It was suggested that the most important thing that the church at the national level could do would be to play the key role in identifying Anglican identity and vision. Along with this, identifying mission and providing spiritual vision were also noted as being important. Another way this was put was that the national church can help us see ourselves as part of a larger body. Although the specifics varied from consultation to consultation, there was generally a positive expression that the church at the national level does have a role to play in providing hope and vision.
The Strategic Plan
Whether it was the way the question was worded, the place in the consultation process, the lack of familiarity with the Plan by the participants, or something else, this section generated the least useful and helpful comments overall.
It was quite clear that clarifying Anglican identity and strengthening services to parishes dominated the reports. For the priorities that garnered little or no support, there was no suggestion that these should be eliminated or re-thought.
- Strengthen our mission and development partnerships outside Canada. There was one comment in favour of maintaining this priority.
- Clarify Anglican identity, doctrine, liturgy and worship. More than half of the consultations indicated that this is a priority for General Synod.
- Nurture ecumenical relationships. Although there were some comments elsewhere in the reports concerning strengthening the relationship with Lutherans, there were no comments vis à vis the Strategic Plan.
- Advocate social justice and prophetic mission within Canada, especially in indigenous peoples’ concerns and social economic and environmental justice issues. There was some support for this priority.
- Affirm healing and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. This priority received a little support.
- Strengthen commitment of the whole Church to domestic mission in partnership with the Council of the North, and work with the Council of the North to move toward self-sufficiency. There was some support for this priority.
- Provide services to dioceses – information, financial, administration. There was an acknowledgement that the national church had a role to play in these areas. However there was widespread desire to see this area increased in programmatic services and in particular stewardship education.
There were two additional and fairly negative comments. 1) We should look at the organization and re-organize with the question being asked “Is a national church necessary?” 2) The Strategic Plan is in a rut. There is nothing prophetic in it. The Church no longer listens to the Holy Spirit.
Additional Messages to the Council
The results of this work (focus groups, telephone survey, diocesan consultations) must drive General Synod 2004. This is an opportunity to reinvent and reaffirm the national church.
The church at the national level is irrelevant to dioceses and parishes.
The national church is there to support the parishes, not the other way around.
There was concern expressed that the decisions in New Westminster will split the church.
There were a number of comments encouraging increased communications and better vehicles for communicating with the dioceses and parishes. One suggestion was to increase the scope and circulation of MinistryMatters.
Some wondered where Jesus is in all of this.
The church must think of itself as WE not “us and them”.
There was hope expressed that the debate on the Primacy would be an open one.
Comment
The overriding sense is a high level of dissatisfaction with performance of the national level of the church in providing services to the dioceses and parishes. There is discontent with the decision made in Preparing the Way to cut domestic work.
There is a concern and a worry about a church in decline and a cry for resources to meet the challenges that parishes and dioceses are facing. These range from education to stewardship to theological training.
There was general scepticism expressed that the Council would listen and respond. There was a plea that the Council would do so.
Some quotes (deliberately not attributed so they could be used anonymously):
“The ‘problems’ that the Anglican Church of Canada has are the same ‘problems’ that the country of Canada has: regionalization, geography, diversity. If it can be said that Canada is impossible, the same can be said for the ACC.”
“CoGS and General Synod have placed themselves in a very precarious position by embarking on this process, and now they must act upon the results or else accept the fact that many people will be even more alienated.”
“The results of this survey prove decisively that the issues that hold sway for the majority of Anglicans are not reflected presently in the work and activities of General Synod, and the issues which are important for General Synod appear to be of low interest to the survey respondents.”
“When planning a park, don’t lay the sidewalks till you see where people walk.”
“Because we have come so close to losing our National Church, everything we do now is an opportunity to reinvent and reaffirm the life of the National Church.”
“What we do is for US for WE are the National Church.”
“The role of the Office of the Primate gives voice and identity to our National Church”
Two comments heard at COGS will be important in working towards a proposal to General Synod:
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Prepared by Jim Boyles and Marion Jenkins
