The Mission Strategy Implementation Organizing Team issued a letter on March 10 updating the diocesan community on the team's initial work so far and inviting everyone to get involved, particularly at the local congregational level.
"As members of one diocese, we have the wonderful opportunity to share our stories and experiences with other members and other congregations, so that we can all learn together how better to follow Christ and do God's work in the world," the team writes.
Read the March 10 update letter here.
The Diocesan Convention in November 2016 approved the new mission strategy. It sets a path toward “embracing brave change” by recommending 22 initial actions under three thematic categories: "Reimagining Our Congregations," "Building Our Relationships" and "Engaging Our World."
In December 2016, the bishops and the Diocesan Council named the 12-member Implementation Organizing Team--six members elected by the Diocesan Council and six members appointed by the bishops to ensure broad representation. Ex officio members include both bishops, the diocesan treasurer and two diocesan staff members: the canon to the ordinary and the canon for congregations. The team's role is to identify actions and goals for 2017; develop a prioritized, sequenced plan to inform the 2018 diocesan budget; and continue an open, participatory process that includes regular communication with the diocesan community.
The Implementation Organizing Team invites communication from members of the diocese via e-mail to the team at diomassmission@gmail.com; to the co-chairs, the Rev. Nancy Gossling (ngossling@diomass.org) and Win Treese (treese@acm.org); or to three sub-team leaders: George Chu, Reimagining Our Congregations (gchu33@gmail.com); the Rev. Matthew Stewart, Building Our Relationships (matt.hsfr@verizon.net); or Louise Gant, Engaging Our World (lgant20@msn.com).
Visit www.diomass.org/new-mission-strategy for additional information and updates as they become available.