Deanery Mission Outline

Outline Sandwich Deanery Mission Action Plan  – Jan 2021

 ‘How can the Deanery express its mission and develop the local plan to enable the Deanery to flourish?’.

 1) Vision

Across the Deanery we want to see:

Up:      Flourishing worship – diverse and vibrant, enabling people to draw near to God

In:        Flourishing churches – loving, welcoming, and disciple-making

Out:     Flourishing mission – transforming our parishes through faith, service and witness

 2) Values

The mission is Christ’s - ‘As the Father sent me, so I am sending you’

The mission is local   - mission arises through engagement in the life of local communities

The mission is diverse – different approaches and traditions in a mixed economy

 3) Key considerations

1) Flourishing Clergy – able to focus on the work of ministry 

2) Flourishing laity – enabling a Christian presence in every community requires the whole body of Christ to be equipped and lay leaders developed

3) Flourishing mission –transformational engagement with local communities, and the lives and concerns of those who do not yet know Christ

 4) Priorities

 To create an environment in the Deanery where such flourishing is encouraged, we will seek to simplify our structures and broaden our approach.

 ·         Explore the development of a mixed-ecology of mission with three Minster groupings – possibly 1) Walmer & Cornilo, and 2) Eastry & Sandwich benefices developing existing patterns of ministry, and third based at St. George’s developing Fresh Expressions and new forms of lay-led church within and beyond the Deanery

·         Continue to review the appropriate use of church buildings including consideration of whether some become Festival churches

·         Review continued online presence after return to buildings

·         St Andrews to pursue partnership with a parish of similar tradition beyond the Deanery

·         Upper Deal to explore the shape of its mission with the incoming mission priest

·         Given the Deanery’s commitment to the primary importance of stipendiary ministry, the Deanery will continue to press for significant reductions in diocesan and national church costs, and all parishes will seek to sustain and grow income from congregational giving as an expression of worship and discipleship