SHAPE OF PARISH MINISTRY CONSULTATION (SPMC)

At our Synod in October 2022, the three Shape of Parish Ministry Consultation (SPMC) Proposals were resoundingly approved—committing the people, clergy, staff, and bishop of our diocese to take significant steps to strengthen and nurture parish ministry and to take new approaches to engaging with the world through our parish ministries.

Here is an important message about this update from The Right Reverend Shane A.D. Parker and the Eleven Actions document.

The Eleven Actions

1. Building ministry resources and knowledge
2. Developing strategies to engage with the world
3. Guiding major parish changes
4. Stimulating innovation and collaboration
5. Reviewing parish fair share
6. Using dividends for parish ministry costs
7. Bringing clarity to parish governance
8. Training and support for parish leaders
9. Providing services to parishes
10. Equipping parishes to thrive
11. Funding parish engagement with the world

Note: You will continue to receive regular updates as developments occur.

Read The Eleven Actions document

This is the work of our whole diocese and everyone will be engaged in Stages 1 through 3 (see below).

Due to logistical constraints, attendees to the launch are limited to all clergy in parish appointments and lay representatives equal to the parish’s number of lay synod members. The launch attendees should be prepared to champion this work in their parish and help guide its participation over the next 18 months.

The process will culminate at Synod 2022 where members of Synod will make recommendations based on the work of the previous months. Therefore, members of Synod 2022 will need to have been active in this work and, if possible, would be excellent choices for the parish’s launch representatives.

Parish Clergy and Delegates will attend a Zoom meeting with Bishop Shane and the SPMC team. Bishop Shane will introduce the initiative, and, in breakout rooms, participants will have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions and share their initial thoughts with team members.

• Stage 1: Generating a Parish Profile (May 2021 – October 2021)
  • Qualitative Data
    • Clergy and Parish Delegates will engage other lay leadership to participate in an interview with a pair of team members. This interview will focus on the current physical plant, community and church-based uses of the parish buildings, other community involvement and potential initiatives or partnerships.
    • Multi-point and Area Parishes may opt for one or more interviews
  • Quantitative Data
    • The SPMC team will prepare ten-year summaries of statistical return data for each parish.
    • Participants will prepare an approximate age demographic breakdown of their parish list (instructions will be provided for doing this work).
    • Participants will review an initial parish profile prepared by the team and ensure the final profile accurately reflects their parish.

• Stage 2: Analyse & Work with Parish Profiles (November 2021 – February 2022)
  • Parish leadership will review the Diocesan summary and all parish profiles.
  • They will consider their local realities and how they relate to the wider diocese.
  • Tools will be available from the team to aid in this process, including facilitated discussion if requested.

• Stage 3: Gather with Neighbours & Build Proposals (March 2022 – August 2022)
  • With support from the SPMC team, participants will:
    • learn about change processes and consensus decision-making models;
    • develop curiosity about other parishes;
    • meet with their ‘neighbours’ to develop proposals for how parish ministry in our diocese may be (re)shaped. (Neighbours may be physically close to each other; may be those parishes with similar current or potential initiatives; may be those who have knowledge or experience to offer others; or may be those who want to explore new ideas together.)
  • The SPMC team will gather and organize proposals for discussion at Synod

• Stage 4: Synod Recommendation (October 2022)
  • Synod will meet, discern the future direction of parish ministry in light of the first 3 stages, and then formally recommend to Bishop Shane a set of integrated proposals for the shape of parish ministry within the Diocese of Ottawa.

Initial SPMC Team

The SPMC Team serves by the appointment of Bishop Shane and includes:

Co-chairs
Anne-Marie Clysdale, Parish of Bearbrook, Navan, and Blackburn (lay)
Jon Martin, Parish South Dundas (clergy)

Members
Ann Chaplin, St. John the Evangelist (lay)
Barbara Gagne, Parish of Chelsea, Lascelles, Wakefield (lay)
Tim Kehoe, St. Thomas Alta Vista (clergy)
Rhonda Waters, Church of Ascension (clergy)
Mark Whittall, St. Alban’s and St. Bernard de Clairvaux (clergy)

Contact our SPMC team here

The SPMC Terms of Reference can be found here

• Synod October 2020

In his charge to Synod, Bishop Shane, lifted up our four diocesan strategic priorities and announced the establishment of episcopal panels to address the first two, including the Shape of Parish Ministry Consultation Team. Read about it here.

• Bishop Shane’s Easter Message

During our launch, Bishop Shane recommended you listen to his Easter message in which he speaks about the 125th anniversary of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa in light of the Easter Gospel. Watch it here.

• Launch Recording

Did you miss the Shape of Parish Ministry Launch? Watch it here.

• SPMC FAQs

You’ve been asking great questions and we’re compiling them and preparing written answers. Check back here soon.” “We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions and answers. Read them here.

• • Stage 1 – Generating a Parish Profile – Interview Questions

Prepare for your stage 1 interview by discussing how you will respond to our questions. Read them here.

• • Stage 2 Launch Recording

Did you miss the Shape of Parish Ministry Phase 2 Launch? Watch it here.

• • Stage 3 Regional Meetings Recordings

Did you miss the Shape of Parish Ministry Stage 3 Regional Meetings?

Watch the June 28th Consultation at St. Paul’s Kanata here

Watch the June 29th Consultation at St. Helen’s, Orleans here