A new online forum has emerged as a space for Canadian Anglicans to discuss church growth and explore how buzzwords like “congregational development” and “missional” translate into actual, life-changing ministry in their neighbourhoods.
General Synod’s coordinator for dialogue, the Rev. Canon Dr. Isaac Kawuki Mukasa, launched the forum last fall and invited church professionals to share the work they were doing in their dioceses. Participants have so far described their unique ministry contexts, the challenges that they face, and how they are trying to support church work in their community.
They also have discussed higher-level topics like their dioceses’ mission priorities and the Marks of Mission, the Anglican Communion’s five areas of mission focus, which have become an important framework within the Anglican Church of Canada.
Now Canon Mukasa is inviting other interested leaders in the Anglican Church of Canada to join the conversation.
“The value here is to be able to network with people, learn from them, and maybe teach them something,” said Canon Mukasa. “I think there is an energy that can be tapped in to.”
The online forum is an initiative that sprang from Vision 2019, the Anglican Church of Canada’s strategic plan, adopted at General Synod 2010. Vision 2019 began with a broad consultation that invited input from all Canadian Anglicans through the “dream the church” exercise. The final report, available online, named “leadership education for mission, evangelism, and ministry” as one of seven priorities. The online forum is one way General Synod is putting this priority into practice.
Canon Mukasa emphasizes that Vision 2019 initiatives such as this are designed to support work at the grassroots, not impose a program that will add to the workload of already busy church professionals.
“The idea is for people to see that what they’re already doing is what Vision 2019 is talking about,” said Canon Mukasa.