Strategic Working Group: Terms of Reference

30 Nov 2011

Terms of Reference, Strategic Working Group

Purpose: to write and oversee the Strategic Mission Action document for the Diocese in terms of recovery, re-development and new initiatives, including Mission and Ministry initiatives, and the buildings to support them.

The foundational document for the Strategic Working Group is “Growing Forward”, the Strategic Plan for our Diocese. Our purpose is to devise a strategy for Growing Forward so that it moves from being aspirational to being reality. While our group is called into being by the damage and change caused by the earthquakes in Christchurch Canterbury, the priorities of Growing Forward--Young Leaders, Faithful Stewardship, and Christ-centred Mission--remain the priorities for our work.

The Strategic Working Group was called for by the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Christchurch in light of the damage caused by the earthquakes of September 2010, and February and June 2011, as well as the numerous aftershocks over the past 13 months. The Strategic Working Group will answer to the Standing Committee but also inform and relate to the Project Leadership Group. Secondarily the SWG will also report to CPT and Anglican Care to keep them informed as to their work.

The Strategic Working Group will collect information about diocesan demographics past, present, and future, and city council and district plans that define and identify the environment of our Diocese’s mission and ministries post-disasters. This includes the reports of CPT on earthquake damage, the CHCH City Central Plan, information about population shifts, and proposed new developments. The redevelopment of ministry and mission is as much about Hororata as it is about the Christchurch City Centre. The mandate includes those areas not earthquake damaged.

The SWG will examine mission models which have served other dioceses well. While these models may not be the fruit of natural disasters, they are Mission Plans that have turned dioceses around. Mission Action Plans, The Discovery Course, and Leading Your Church into Growth are ways already identified for fulfilling the challenges and making the priorities of Growing Forward a reality.

The Strategic Working Group will monitor the growth and decline of ministry areas across the Diocese and ask probing questions about what decline is the result of the earthquakes and other disasters, and what is due to lack of ministry planning and mission mindedness. Alongside the various Design groups which will be working with the concepts of rebuilds and new builds, as well as repair and strengthening, the SWG will assist the determination of the necessary priorities for each ministry and mission area. This is to be done in consultation with the leadership and membership of each Ministry and Mission Unit. The SWG needs will work as a filter for ideas so that no one Ministry and Mission Unit gets out of step with, or left behind by, the Strategic Mission of the whole.

Categories to be considered:
• High damage areas, e.g., eastern suburbs, Hororata, city centre, Sumner, Mt Pleasant

• Red Zones: Kaiapoi, Burwood

• Areas anticipating de-population

• Areas anticipating population spurts

• Inadequate facilities for future growth

• Parishes in temporary worship space

• Paralyzed parishes

• Staffing levels in high needs areas

• Communications within the Diocese and with those outside the Church

• Fundraising and Development

• Parish partnerships and amalgamations

• Anglican Care divisions

The Strategic Working Group will make a presentation at the 10 March Synod on its progress and plans.

The Diocesan project management Group, RCP, needs to be kept in the loop with the work of the SWG, and SWG needs to use RCP as a resource.

As of 10 October, the new Director of Development will working from the Anglican Centre, and will be another resource and partner in the SWG mission.

Membership:

Bishop Victoria Matthews The Rev’d James Ullrich Mr Peter Cook

The Ven. Ian Smith The Ven. Andrew Starky The Rev’d Katrina Hill

Staff:

The Ven. John Day The Rev’d Dr Peter Carrell Mr Philip Baldwin