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Rediscovering Our Parish Churches

A Strategic Approach To The Management Of Church Buildings

The re-discovering our parish churches project began as a pilot to determine how the diocese could begin to equip our deaneries and parishes to understand what they and their communities need from their buildings and to ensure that any change is underpinned by the mission imperatives outlined in the five marks of mission.

The Vision

The Diocese aims to stir the imagination of deaneries and parishes on the future of their buildings in the context of their mission plans and of the setting of these buildings in the communities that they serve.

By 2012 we hope to see the following:

Increased confidence at all levels in the diocese generated by a sense that our buildings are a well-managed gift.
The ability to communicate a theology of place in such a way that the common life of our parishes, deaneries and diocese is transformed, that people feel at home in church and able to connect their daily experience with the worship that is offered throughout the week.
A means of evaluating the potential of every church building in each Deanery, so that strategic decisions can be made about which resources to devote to which projects.
A decision-making process which is understood and trusted, and which can address short and long term issues in such a way that local communities feel supported and empowered.
Ways to seek out new resources and target existing resources in a principled and effective manner.
Evidence of better co-ordination between the Pastoral Committees which have responsibility for oversight of the Deanery Strategic Plans and the Diocesan Advisory Committee which focuses on the use of church buildings

The pilot project

Diocesan Synod approved this pilot project in January 2008, involving two deaneries (Heytesbury and Sherborne) as a scoping exercise to develop a methodology for achieving this vision. The project has three strands which:

Explore different ways to develop the potential of church buildings to meet both the congregation and community needs and to make buildings more welcoming to those who currently find church unfamiliar. How the building is used for worship, how that worship is developing the life of the congregation and how the building might also be host to a variety of community forming activities.
Ensure that any development is underpinned by the mission imperatives outlined in the five marks of mission: - Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure.
Provide clear information on the historical, architectural, spiritual, community and social value of their church buildings to enable people in parishes to talk about their aspirations for the use of their church in the context of the wider community.

Click below to find details of the project itself, the report to Synod, the English Heritage Findings, the responses so far to the community audit and the tool-kit developed by Bishop David to help parishes think about what their church is for.

What next?

We are now looking for two more deaneries to work with on this project. If you feel that church buildings are a significant part of your deanery strategic plan and would like to discuss this further please contact Christine Romano: christine.romano@salisbury.anglican.org

If your parish wants to look at ways to think about the needs of the community in which they are placed and how the church can respond please contact Colin Brady (colin.brady@salisbury.anglican.org) if you are in the Sherborne Area or the Ramsbury Office (ramsbury.office@salisbury.anglican.org) if you are in the Ramsbury Area.

There is also a course available called “Exploring the Local Church in Mission”. Details can be found within the CMD brochures.