In church yesterday, we began to explore Paul’s letter to the Romans and what it says to us – in very simple terms it’s focus is real people facing real issues, but it also shows how God wants to meet us in those challenges and the good news that He wants to bring to us, through the Gospel.
After the service, I reflected on these words and wanted to share with you some good news that will help us as we fulfil our mission purpose within the diocese.
We ended 2023 with our Diocesan Synod approving the 2024 budget and the net zero action plan. It might not sound immediately like good news or be even close to the excitement of Paul’s good news, but both will help us move forward with our commitment to serve and support our parishes and the wider diocese.
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth is one of the Five Marks of Mission and a key commitment in Our Shared Future. The net zero action plan will help us progress towards net zero carbon and, in our budget; we have been able to allocate resource to pilot net zero works and implement decarbonisation improvements in our clergy housing. We have also been successful in securing national funding to employ a project officer who can begin to implement funded energy audits, establish a net zero quick wins fund and work with the top 20% of highest-emitting churches to develop net zero action plans.
In the listening we did last year, we heard about the drain on missional energy caused by some of our church buildings. We began 2024 with more good news from the national church, learning that we had been successful in securing funds to set up a small grant-aid fund to help parishes for urgent minor repair or improvement projects on their church buildings. Coupled with the success of our application to fund a Church Buildings Support Officer (jointly with Worcester Diocese), we can also provide targeted support to a defined group of our churches.
There is much to look forward to in 2024. In the Bishop’s Strategy Integration Group meeting last week, we reviewed the breadth of activities and projects that will move us towards our 2030 vision of restored health, new growth, renewed relationships. Focusing on the wider diocese, it includes everything from setting up a parish HR support service to continuing our diocesan grants to parishes as well as helping our churches to be healthy and our work on growing new worshipping communities. I will keep you updated on all of these activities.
I am thankful to the diocesan office staff for the work they do, and for the commitment and dedication of our clergy and volunteers who serve their parishes so well.
