Michael Perkin is the Stewardship Coordinator at St Mark’s, and offers this perspective on the Ministry Assessment Process events held this past week:
I have been following our (St. Michaels, St. Richards, St. Marks) Ministry Assessment Process at all stages and so I was looking forward to see where our conversations, sharing of worship and research had lead us. MAP, like its geographical counterpart, shows us different routes that we can take, leading us through the maze of new frontiers and the exploration of areas where we have never been before.
I attended the Thursday session at St. Mark’s which was well attended and well presented, as was the session at St. Michael and All Angels’ the day before, I was not disappointed in the information provided. What I heard and saw was a well thought out and unbiased assessment of both the raw data and the exceptional feedback received from the various joint events we have participated in since January. I heard about our current strengths, passions and ministry (St. Michael’s truth and justice, St. Richard’s community and outreach and St. Mark’s wellness and hospitality). We were presented with facts about our buildings, finances, congregations and we saw the declining trends evident in each of the separate parishes. I also heard hope for managing our Holy Currencies, our passions and our ministries.
I left the session with great hope and enthusiasm about where this process was taking us. As a member of Diocesan Council I know that the process we are undertaking is viewed with great excitement and anticipation to see where we will go. I also know that change can be difficult and even frightening. We do not know the way but, like our important stories tell us, if we are prayerful, faithful and go forward with an open heart and mind the path will be there to continue God’s work through the resources that are available to us.
I trust that the next step will be as exciting and dynamic as the efforts to date. I have enjoyed the opportunities created in the wider community and celebrate the fact that we have gone from an US/THEM paradigm of the three parishes and are now closer to WE. If we want to continue to affect our environments in a loving, caring and giving alternative to the current secular model of consumerism and self-focus, then we need to embrace change and look for a new MAP for our future.
Michael Perkin
You can download a copy of the report
Stage 3: The Story and other documents at www.stmarksottawa.ca/MAP