Methodist Enable

LSM Gathering 1 - 3 July 2010

2010-04-05T22:15:00.005+12:00

This is an opportunity to share stories, ask questions, learn from others and support each other.

Who is invited?

· all Local Shared Ministry Teams, Parish Councils and interested members from Methodist, Presbyterian, Union and Co-operating Parishes

· all congregations planning to enter into Local Shared Ministry

· all congregations interested in learning about Local Shared Ministry

Where and where?

Epworth Retreat and Recreation Centre, 116 Finlay Rd, Hora Hora, RD2, Cambridge

Thursday evening, starting with dinner, to Saturday afternoon.

To find out more click here!

Supported by Methodist Mission Resourcing

Mini Conference

2009-04-22T12:29:00.009+12:00

Can't make it to the Equipt 09 Conference in Ngaruawahi?
BUT
Still want to get some ideas on how to reach people in your community for Christ?

Then Carey Baptist College on Saturday 2 May is THE place for you to be.

You can choose from

Faith Sharing Workshop Dr Eddie Fox (Executive Director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute)
An all day workshop in which Dr Fox will share fresh ideas and ways of sharing your faith.

OR

In the afternoon there will be two sessions when some speakers will offer the workshops they ran at the main conference in Ngaruawahia.

For more details Click here to see the flyer

Enable '09: Church Possible

2009-03-17T09:52:00.003+13:00

Church Possible is a ministry training programme for churches, to help ordinary people in ordinary churches minister effectively to the people of their own area.

This event will be stimulating and practical. There will be plenty of opportunity to connect with people from other Northland churches, and to get ideas from what they are doing.

It will be held at the Centre for Re-Creation of Bay of Islands Co-operating Parish in Paihia from Sunday afternoon March 29 to lunchtime Wednesday April 1.

For more information please click on the links below

Church Possible - Information flyer

Church Possible - Registration form

Equipt 09 - Connecting Communities with Christ

2009-03-03T09:20:00.008+13:00

Equipt 09 is a multi-cultural conference geared to resource pastors, youth workers and lay leader ship teams to reach their communities with the gospel.

The programme contains a range of international speakers, practical workshops and Wesley Groups and will provide opportunities to learn, interact and reflect.

Equipt 09 is a regional conference of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute and has been organised in New Zealand as a co-operative venture between the Methodist Church of New Zealand Te Haahi Weteriana o Aotearoa, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand and the Church of the Nazarene in New Zealand. Equipt 09 is structured around five components: Worship, Plenary speakers, Workshops, Wesley Groups and Headspace.

For further information and registration forms please email Andrew at gammanclan(@)bindon.co.nz or visit our website at www.equipt.org.nz

Local Shared Ministry Booklet 2009

2009-02-19T10:55:00.003+13:00

We have now posted the updated Local Shared Ministry Booklet onto our website

Please Click here to link to the LSM Booklet 2009

Nehu Te Pou

Methodist Enable '09: Advance Notice

2008-12-04T14:59:00.004+13:00

UPDATED 5 FEBRUARY 2009

News flash: Date and venue has changed and been confirmed.
The new dates are Sunday afternoon March 29 to lunchtime Wednesday April 1. We will be hosted at the gorgeous facilities of the Centre for Re-Creation in Paihia, Bay of Islands.
Speakers will include Peter MacKenzie (Executive Officer for UCANZ) and Marilyn Welch (Anglican). Program and costings are currently being confirmed and will be notified as soon as they are available on this blog and through E-messenger.

Please note that this information is different from what was previously advertised.

The Local Shared Ministry workgroup are pleased to announce that Methodist Enable 2009 will be held in Northland. The venue is still to be clarified. The Northland Synod / Churches Together in Northland will be hosting the event, which will be held from Sunday March 29 to Wednesday April 1, 2009 (Please note the change of dates). There may also be a further day event for enablers if there is sufficient interest.

As in previous years, an invitation is therefore extended to the church to send participants. Participants are asked to seek the support of their synods for attendance. Synods are also encouraged to send people who they would like trained for Enabler ministry, or informed about Local Shared Ministry or the ministry of enabling.

Topics/ workshops are still to be confirmed, but at this stage include Creative Mission, Supervision, Worship, Building Christian faith, and expectations of enablers. As usual there will also be significant time to share each others stories and swap resources.

Details of cost, venue and final program will be announced as they become available.
Keep an eye out on http://methodistenable.blogspot.com/ for updates and conversation topics.

Nigel Hanscamp
Director Mission Resourcing
for the Local Shared Ministry Workgroup

Faith and Wellness

2008-09-26T09:03:00.003+12:00

Here's an idea for a pastoral care group study or for personal reflection.

A few months ago, I came across an article written by Alan Leadley, currently chaplain at Waikato Hospital. The article grabbed my attention because it sought to bring under a spotlight some questions and tools around the issues of health, faith and wellness. Alan begins:

Chaplains are involved in patient and family care, primarily in the spiritual and religious arena. Chaplains inevitably are deeply involved in the care of dying patients and death, such as through trauma or stillbirth, but what of the living and the recovering patients? It is a given that people who believe in a Higher Power are prone, like all people, to life's vagaries, crises, trauma, sickness and death. The question that is asked in this paper is 'do religious or spiritual people cope with illness and death more effectively than persons who do not hold such beliefs?'

He then goes on to explore where spirituality has positive health, how religious beliefs are defined (including the difference between organised religious practice and spirituality and the benefits of both), how research may measure health and wellbeing in connection with faith, whether there is a valid relationship between religion, spirituality and health, how and where spirituality can have a negative impact on health, how to get a person's 'spiritual history' and how to assess spiritual needs. I found the last two sections particularly helpful in getting into pastoral conversations, particularly in its critique of Rogerian counselling methods.

This would be a very interesting base for pastoral care group study or training – or for a home group wanting to talk about care in a missional setting. It opens questions of exploring spirituality and how God's grace is experienced in people's lives. At very least it certainly is worth the 15 minutes reading over a cuppa.

The full article is available here. Please acknowledge Alan when you use it, and feel free to contact him with any comments (or comment here on the blog).

Nigel Hanscamp

A week in the life of an enabler: Gillian Mary @ Riverton

2008-09-02T09:42:00.001+12:00

A Week in the life of Gillian-Mary, Enabler for Riverton Union parish.

I am an Anglican priest, contracted by Methodist church as Enabler for Union parish of Riverton, coastal Southland. This is my second year. I live in Lumsden, 100km away. The first year I tried staying in Riverton for a long weekend, Thursday – Sunday. We found this was taking too much of parishioners precious weekends so now I stay one week a month in a rented crib and enjoy some free time and work 8 units ( 1 unit = morning/afternoon or eve session). Is this a great job! A typical week looks like this:

Help: Talk with a small group about principles of LSM. How can we share more of what we do in the parish? We were worried about burnout for the preachers but maybe its burnout for the leaders? Teams working well, how does role of Parish Council challenge LSM model of ministry? Can they too learn to work as a team? Interesting conversation, expect to continue this, probably at parish planning day.

Listen: Coffee with parishioner as I listen to some more of the parish story and the hurts still needing healing in the aftermath of parish changing direction to LSM.

Supervision: Check in with Ministry Leadership Team. We talk about tasks, what resources needed, pray together and usually have a laugh as we get to know each other better.

Encourage: Talk through with Pastoral Team leader about a training session on "story listening". The difficulty is timing as all leading busy lives!

Refreshment: Time out for me. Enjoy walking on the beach, discover I'm not as agile as I was jumping the rocks. Bothereration! I might be getting older.

Provide: Resources for preachers – looking at Methodist Lead Worship year 2. Think we could get a group going. Also get further with setting date for first adult Sunday Club gathering. This is really exciting for a group of parishioners looking for a chance to revisit subjects they have put on a graffiti board. Starting off with the Holy Spirit. Sure hope she comes!

Assist: Visit home group "Friday Friends" and join in bible study looking at coming reading for Sunday. A wonderful group of women that energise me and give me hope for future church!! Wonder if we can get a group together, men? Maybe Monday Mates!!

Facilitate: On-going call process and discernment for next Worship team Leader. Wow, God surely led us left field on this one!

I am not "the minister" but enable the ministering community to be the presence of Christ in this community. To do this I have received Enabler training with the Anglican Church (Waikanae 1997), receive regular supervision and spiritual direction, have a supportive family and a group of friends with whom I am able to let my hair down, relax, enjoy good food and wine and laugh! I love what I do and feel I am greatly blessed.

Workgroup August meeting

2008-08-19T15:44:00.005+12:00

The LSM Work group has just finished its August meeting and considered the responses to the LSM paper sent to August Synods. We will publish our responses to the comments here on the blog, as well as updating the paper for Conference. WATCH THIS SPACE for more details.

Meantime if you haven't registered your interest in going to Enable '09 Opunake, please do so. It would help us to know who is wanting to come - and if there is something we can do to assist.

We would love to hear your stories of LSM. Whether you are an enabler or a Ministry Support Team member or a parishioner who has a story to tell, please email nigelh(at)methodist.org.nz and we will look at getting it published here.

Thirsty for training

2008-08-19T15:40:00.003+12:00

I wrote the following on the Mission Resourcing Blog after a visit to Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast last weekend. Rather than try and write it afresh for here, I'll let it stand on its own!

In the Synod business session, the Local Shared Ministry report generated some exciting conversation around enabling, empowering Laity and training. "I can't believe that you let us loose on a congregation, and don't train us", one person said. Others nodded. A consistently strong theme was that people are hungry for resourcing. They want to go to enabler training – not necessarily for the LSM stuff, but for the training in how to enable, encourage and enhance lay (read 'whole congregation') ministry. Lay teams, lay ministers and those authorised for (and often pushed into) sacramental ministry want more conne(x)ction, and resourcing. The LSM movement has really touched a wider need.

If we embrace LSM training as offering something wider to the church, I wonder what impact it could have?

Nigel

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 3

2008-08-01T16:19:00.000+12:00

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 3

by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

A Model for Fruitful Leadership

In working with these concepts of pastoral effectives, the following working draft of a model for fruitful leadership has emerged. I share it for your reflection and feedback.

(Character × Competence × Contribution)^Grace ® Fruitful Leadership

Times Not Plus

The model uses "times" instead of "plus" because of something everyone learns in elementary mathematics: anything times zero equals zero. In this model, one must give care to all three categories and avoid the tendency to pick and choose. The person who says, "I'm not really into accomplishment, I just love and care for people," scores zero on this scale. So does the person who is high on accomplishment but is not trustworthy. So does the person who is a skilled professional with accomplishments but who neglects spiritual foundations.

Yields Not Equals

The "yields" symbol (®) is used instead of the "equals" symbol to acknowledge that this model is akin to a scientific equation in which each of the elements reacts with each other to yield something the individual elements alone could not produce. It is not enough to have the components alone. Their power in combination with each produces something more than it would be otherwise.

To the Power of Grace

No model can adequately capture the power of fruitful leadership. The seemingly ordinary components of character, competence, and contribution are raised to the power of grace by God. The Holy Spirit takes all of our best efforts and plans, and our failures and limited visions, and converts them into something far more than a human achievement. Fruitful leadership depends on the vigorous and responsible use of the talents God has given to each of us. It also depends on the work of the Spirit weaving those talents into a rich tapestry. And it is the marvelous and mysterious working of God through our lives and work that we call grace that takes human efforts by ordinary people and converts the sum into and exponentially greater reality.

by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

Lovett H. Weems, Jr,. is distinguished professor of church leadership and director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He also directs the seminary's SPE program, the Church Executive Leadership Program to Sustain Leadership Excellence This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2006, edition of Leading Ideas, a free online newsletter of the Lewis Center.

[For a Local Shared Ministry context the words 'pastor' and 'clergy' have been substituted with Ministry Team - Bonnie]

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 2

2008-07-26T16:19:00.003+12:00

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 2

by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

Faithful Ministry

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership is currently analyzing descriptions of ministry effectiveness developed separately by numerous different denominational judicatories. The goal is to identify the most common recurring features. At this point we can report that three primary categories seem to capture virtually all the specific descriptors of effectiveness: 1) "Character" or who the Ministry Team are; 2) "Competence" or what the Ministry Team does; and 3) "Contribution" or what the Ministry Team accomplishes.

The first two categories are normally associated with faithful ministry. "Character" captures those characteristics of the leadership as people. These include matters of spiritual authenticity, integrity, and wholeness. "Competence" captures those characteristics of the leadership as a religious professional (sic). These include matters of biblical and theological knowledge; life-long learning; ministry skills in preaching and other pastoral areas; relational skills; the ability to empower the leadership of others; judgment; and accountability.

How Faithful Ministry Becomes Fruitful Leadership

The third category, "Contribution," may hold the most potential for revitalized pastoral excellence. Contribution captures those characteristics of the Ministry Team as stewards of the church's mission. These include working with a congregation to discern God's vision for them and guiding the implementation of the vision so that the congregation bears fruit — experiencing God's presence, transforming lives, growing disciples, and serving others.

Not surprisingly, this third component is the least developed in the effectiveness descriptions studied by the Lewis Center . Serving institutions, such as churches and schools, tend to focus on "who we are," "what we do," and "how we do it." Very little attention is given to "what we accomplish." There is often resistance to the whole notion of results in such settings, as if to focus on results takes something away from the work. The opposite is actually the case. By giving attention to accomplishments, we will tend to channel our efforts in the most beneficial ways for those we seek to serve. Obviously many of the results we are seeking are complex and ambiguous at times, but they still deserve consideration.

by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

Lovett H. Weems, Jr,. is distinguished professor of church leadership and director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He also directs the seminary's SPE program, the Church Executive Leadership Program to Sustain Leadership Excellence This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2006, edition of Leading Ideas, a free online newsletter of the Lewis Center.

[For a Local Shared Ministry context the words 'pastor' and 'clergy' have been substituted with Ministry Team - Bonnie]

LSM Conference 2008 Report

2008-07-21T17:59:00.007+12:00

The latest version of the LSM proposal for Conference 2008 has been posted on the MCNZ Website, as is the Faith and Order committee report on Sacramental ministry in LSM. (Click here). This document is for discussion at August Synods. All responses are to be sent to Val Nicholls. If you have any questions, please contact one of the Workgroup members.

The Art of Enabling: Part four

2008-07-19T08:18:00.000+12:00

The Art of Enabling: Part Four

Extracts from a paper presented at Enabler Training 2007 by Anglican Enabler Geoff Haworth

"The joys of Enabling"

Seeing a worshipping community develop confidence in its sense of mission and its own involvement in that mission
Being alongside people who have experienced a sense of calling, and observing their spiritual growth as their ministries develop
Helping LSM units to become more self-sufficient and progressively less depending on the authority and status of clergy.
Helping people to develop their God-given gifts of creativity, as they feel encouraged to develop their gifts.
Enjoying with LSM units signs of growth, for example, as groups work together to revive youth ministry, plan sermons together, initiate community projects, work more closely with other local churches etc.
Developing close and trusting relationships with the people of the LSM units
Constantly learning more about how God’s grace transforms problems into opportunities and God’s spirit continues to provide worship communities with useful gifts. In practical ways, to “hear what the spirit is saying to the church”.
Discovering more about the resources God gives us to carry out the ministries to which God calls us – personal growth in the Spirit
Seeing LSM units become more closely connected to other LSM units so that they gain a sense of working with other faith communities within the same model of ministry.
Being able to leave the Sunday by Sunday preaching and worship preparation to others; and likewise the day to day pastoral care i.e. training others for ministry but not having to DO it all the time.

To provide a concluding focus, I’ll borrow the words of Ken Booth and Jenny Dawson from “Practising the World’s Future”:

“The Enabler comes not just to endorse what is done, but as a kind of ‘apostolic visitor’ who asks questions the locals have forgotten to ask, or provides support when they do not know how to go about being the living body of Christ in this place. The Enabler is an outsider, though not a stranger. (To which I add the Enabler knows when to step in and spark some significant action or reflection, and when to step back and let the people attend to God’s business.) The Enabler is always representing a wider vision of ‘church’ than just the community in which the LSM unit is situated and must help people be aware that ‘church' is always bigger than their local experience of it. The Enabler always needs to be able to say: “What is God’s mission for you here? How are you responding to that call of mission”? And – crucially for the future of LSM – “What are you doing to ensure that this unit is vital and growing? Who will be doing Christ’s work of ministry here in ten years time?” "

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 1

2008-07-12T16:18:00.004+12:00

From Faithful Ministry to Fruitful Leadership Part 1

by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

Lovett H. Weems, Jr,. is distinguished professor of church leadership and director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He also directs the seminary's SPE program, the Church Executive Leadership Program to Sustain Leadership Excellence This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2006, edition of Leading Ideas, a free online newsletter of the Lewis Center.

[For a Local Shared Ministry context the words 'pastor' and 'clergy' have been substituted with Ministry Team - Bonnie]

"What is your ideal picture of the excellent pastoral ministry team of the future?" An ecumenical gathering of church leaders reflected on this question. The first person to respond described the ideal pastoral leadership team as deeply grounded in the faith tradition, strongly connected to God, steeped in ongoing prayer, and faithful in taking weekly Sabbath time. This picture of pastoral excellence resonated with many in the group.

Something, however, is glaringly missing from this picture. Hundreds of congregations in my denomination are in serious trouble. Children are not being taught the faith. Disciples are not being made. Lives are not being transformed. The poor are not being visited. Communities are not being redeemed. These congregations know something is terribly wrong. And in most cases, the problems have little to do with the Ministry Team's prayer life or whether Team members take weekly Sabbath time. In fact, in many of these churches members deeply respect their Ministry Teams as sincerely spiritual people of the utmost personal faith and integrity. But they also know more is needed from their pastoral leaders.

Generations of ministers have grown up with the saying, "We are not called to be successful; we are called to be faithful." Obviously, there is deep truth in that statement. I believe it. I have said it. But I do not say it anymore, because I fear it is used as a way for Ministry Teams to avoid an essential accountability beyond faithfulness.

The Bible talks about accountability in terms of fruitfulness. For John Wesley, "fruits of ministry" was a key concept. He liked to ask three questions: is there faith? is there fire? and are there fruits? Wesley's attention to fruits was one factor that led him to permit women and other lay people to preach. While Wesley shared reservations about such preaching that were common in his time, he saw the obvious fruit of such preaching as evidence that it was of God.

NEWSFLASH: Methodist Enable training 2008

2008-07-12T15:52:00.007+12:00

Exciting News

Methodist Enable training 2008 has been confirmed as being October 5-9 in Opunake. Our commitment as a resourcing team has been to spread the training around the country over several years. This year it is the Lower North Island's turn to host it. Opunake are very successfully running LSM, and are offering to host the training in their patch.

Program details will be available soon, but in the meantime, please plan on being there and start planning to book your tickets - flights are best booked to New Plymouth.

UPDATED 31 July 2008: Registration form and program details are available. Click here for the registration form. Remember that Synod support is required for all Enablers - and a good idea for everyone else.

UPDATED 3 September 2008: The programme for this event is also now available. Click here for the programme.

Sacraments in LSM units

2008-07-12T15:35:00.003+12:00

Following is a report from the Faith & Order Committee that will be considered at August Synods this year. It would be great if any comments could be posted on the blog. I will forward them to the F&O committee in time for their consideration.

Nigel

++++

Sacraments within Local Shared Ministry

Conference has accepted Local Shared Ministry as a model of ministry that parishes may consider adopting. Provisions exist to enable a parish to embark upon a process of discernment to establish whether this form of ministry will suit the context and challenges being faced by the parish.

Local Shared Ministry is a model that recognizes that the gifts of the Holy Spirit to lead the local church in worship and witness are to be found within the local Christian community. Resources are made available by the wider church to support the development of a ministry team.

Should a parish decide to embrace Local Shared Ministry, the parish will identify those from within the congregation who have gifts to serve within a team where ministries are exercised. The question arises as to how sacramental ministry should be provided.

Within Methodism it is the ministry of the ordained presbyter to preside at the sacraments. After exploring the options, Faith & Order propose that this principle be retained for Local Shared Ministry in Methodist parishes or congregations and in Union and Co-operating Parishes.

The Committee encourages the Church to draw on its understanding of the Local Presbyter. This could be developed in such a way that a person, chosen by the local parish could be assessed for ordination to take responsibility for sacramental ministry within the Local Shared Ministry.

Such a person would have the confidence of the local parish and the wider Church. They would be mature in faith, receive preparation for this ministry and be ordained to the presbyterate. Because ordination does not confer status but the Church's endorsement to exercise ministry, they would take their place within the team.

Within the setting of Local Shared Ministry, the one ordained to the presbyterate would have a covenant in which the parameters of their ministry would be defined. The focus of their ministry would be sacramental, exercised alongside others engaged in preaching, pastoral, educational and missional forms of service.

Not only is this approach consistent with Methodist polity, it would have the advantage of being ecumenically acceptable, as Anglicans and Presbyterians, our partners in co-operative ventures, have chosen to take the same path. Recognising that there are still questions to be answered and details to be resolved, the Faith & Order Committee commends this approach to the Church.

May 2008

The Art of Enabling: Part three

2008-07-07T08:10:00.001+12:00

The Art of Enabling: Part Three
Extracts from a paper presented at Enabler Training 2007 by Anglican Enabler Geoff Haworth.

"The skills and training required for effective enabling"

Coping with loneliness i.e. becoming self sufficient. Enabling can be lonely. Enablers tend not to have close links with parish personalities and social life that other ministers can enjoy. They can also be ministering many miles away from home. They may be a member of a parish which has very little understanding of LSM. Enablers can also feel quite cut off from the Diocese too.

Maintaining personal spirituality. Enablers, because their ministry is often not anchored in one place and they are on the road frequently, may fall out of the way of regular prayer and reflection time. They need self-discipline to attend to their own spiritual wellbeing and development: time to pray and reflect, and time spent in spiritual direction and ministry supervision, and on retreats.

Teaching and training others. Enablers need to be good at teaching and training. In some cases they may need to attend courses to upgrade their teaching skills.

Training for oneself. Training for the enabler can be sporadic and difficult to access when needed. The best I’m aware of is the Auckland diocesan course, The Art of Enabling but that’s only once a year. Enabler’s meetings can accomplish some useful training but new enablers need a total immersion experience.

Role Confusion. This can sometimes be a problem – especially when the Enabler is trying to be a presbyter at the same time in another unit or has been steeped in traditional minister-led ministry for years and struggles to adapt. Sometimes people in a unit will try to manipulate the Enabler into becoming a presbyter because they think that’s what they really want. Enablers need to be effective at defining their own roles and at helping the local team to do the same.

Managing conflict. There will always be conflict to manage. This can be draining. It’s usually historic, and often based around tension between power groups or around the influence of powerful individuals who expect to get their way. Enablers need to learn to be confident in the way they help people cope with conflict.

Managing change. An Enabler has to be able to help a congregation manage change. This can be hard work and needs skilful management.

Time Management. This is a constant issue particularly where Enablers have to balance their time between a number of units or alongside other types of ministry. Time management is a vital skill to have bearing in mind the multi-tasking of an Enabler’s ministry.

Being comfortable with the LSM model. Enablers need to be able to discern how flexible the model can be, without losing its integrity. How much room is there for adaptation in any one unit? How far can an Enabler go with changing, for example, a calling process without unravelling it? Who can they check with? Is there a manual on the basics of enabling?

NZ Liturgical resources

2008-07-04T13:16:00.002+12:00

From time to time we highlight some liturgical resources that those in LSM ministry may find useful. Here's one from a New Zealander - it includes a variety of material, including a substantial amount of material for Matariki.

www.liturgy.co.nz

Enjoy

Nigel

Feature Parish: Bay of Islands Co-operating Parish

2008-06-20T08:05:00.003+12:00

Bay of Islands Co-operating Parish was the first Local Shared Ministry unit with a Methodist component being commissioned in 1992. Sixteen years down the track the parish is still viable, full of life and looking to serve the local community. The current Ministry Support Team has the roles of Coordinators for Worship, Administration, Outreach, Pastoral Care and Education. They are all full members of the Parish Council.

It is a small parish with a worshiping congregation of about 30 members gathering at three different worship centres. Up to twelve people are involved in leading worship which is a high percentage of the congregation.

Some of the things they celebrate about their life are the really great services every Sunday that are relevant to their lives. Newcomers report that they find it a warm, welcoming, accepting environment with good fellowship.

Looking outward to the community has always been a priority for this LSM parish. Currently they are involved in BOI Combined Churches Foodbank, Residents’ and Ratepayers Association, Community Patrol and a group called MINDS. They have found that in an LSM structure they have money to give away and have set up a “Helping Hand” award in the local schools which is given out annually. With thousands of tourists in the area all year round the Team and the Parish are also on the look out for ways to minister to these visitors. Sometimes it is as simple as making sure the welcome on a Sunday morning is really high quality and that travellers are included in meaningful ways in the service.

When there was no longer a need for a manse or parsonage the parish redeveloped their property and finances to build two purpose built homes on the church site which now for the Centre for Re-Creation. These homes are available for hire or nights can be gifted to those who really need a break but can’t afford it.

There are frustrations and many of these are around the small numbers and the lack of younger people. And sometimes, even after all these years, its hard communicating with the community how the parish is structured and what it offers.

For those parishes that are still new on the LSM journey the Bay of Islands Parish has a lot to offer by way of encouragement, wisdom and resources. Contact them through their Administrator annpearson(at)in2net.co.nz.

The Art of Enabling: Part 2

2008-06-12T12:00:00.002+12:00

Extracts from a paper presented at Enabler Training 2007 by Anglican Enabler Geoff Haworth.

"How my time as Enabler is spent"

I attend the Ministry Support Team (MST) meetings of all three LSM units I work with. I'd expect Enablers to make such meetings a priority as the MSTs are the ministry nerve centre of the unit and their proper functioning gives a barometer reading of the health of ministry throughout the unit. I also attend vestry meetings at two of these units. Where there is a worship planning team, I attend those meetings where possible. One has a sermon preparation group, whose meetings I go to in an advisory role. Two of them have put me on their worship rosters, about once every five weeks. It is their wish to provide some relief for the priest as, at present, each of those two units has only one LSM priest, until a calling process brings forth another. The other unit includes me much less frequently which is entirely appropriate given the strength of their ordained ministry.

While attending meetings goes with the role, it needs to be managed with care. Meetings can consume a time disproportionate to their usefulness. The most constructive use of my enabling time is in teaching and training. As LSM depends so much on teamwork, group dynamic skills are an essential part of training and I've had to begin upskilling in this department. Why were these skills not taught to us as College students prior to going into parish ministry?

Enabling time for me also involves one-to-one supervisory sessions for members of the MST; getting involved in ministry reviews; preparing sermons, handling some administration, writing reports, and helping locals resolve conflicts – or at least learn to live with each other more peacefully!

Like vicars, Enablers can go new into an LSM unit and encounter negative 'stuff' still blowing about from the past. Helping people deal with such 'stuff' can enable relationships to heal and real issues and priorities to be addressed rather than avoided. It's important for Enablers to do regular barometer readings of the spiritual and emotional health of their units.

At times people need specialist training, advice which is beyond the scope of what the Enabler can offer. Then one needs to locate the appropriate person and organize whatever training sessions are needed with someone else. Enablers also need to check that their LSM units are fully 'in the loop' with the communication systems of the diocese, so that everyone knows what are the main things happening on the wider scene.

The Art of Enabling: Part 1

2008-05-09T09:03:00.005+12:00

The Art of Enabling Part One

Extracts from a paper presented at Enabler Training 2007 by Anglican Enabler Geoff Haworth – Used with permission.

In the beginning, when the model of LSM was being explored there was much experimentation with how it would be maintained and developed. Some tried to make it work through an existing network of rectors, others with a regional dean who keeps a supervisory eye on LSM and regular parishes. I have serious doubts about the outcome of any policy that does not recognize and develop the specialist, creative ministry of the enabler.

No-one should consider an enabling ministry without a willingness to become committed to the LSM model. A good way to encourage that commitment is to reflect on the biblical basis of LSM. When Paul, Silas, Barnabas and other early evangelists went out into communities in Palestine, Antioch, Corinth, Rome and Ephesus their characteristic pattern of ministry was to:

preach and teach
gather a community of believers
train some of its members as leaders
give the leaders responsible ministries
leave the community to be self-supporting with its own leaders
return to it later for further instruction, encouragement and sometimes chastisement

The essential vision that enablers need to nurture in LSM is that centred on the ministry of all the baptised. The baptised share together in ministry, so time is needed to nurture everyone’s ministry skills. An enabler’s ministry is about helping the baptised community to remain focused both on their identity as God’s gathered people in that place, and therefore on the work of mission.

The spark for developing a theology of LSM came from English priest and missionary in China about 100 years ago, Roland Allen (Missionary Methods: St Paul’s or Ours?) The seven main elements of Roland Allen’s theology are that every local church

has within its own membership sufficient gifts for its life and mission
is trusted with the bible, creeds, ministry and sacraments
is responsible for recognizing the spiritual gifts and needs of its members and calling forth those members
will share its message and life with neighbouring communities not yet evangelised
in allowing the Holy Spirit to work on the human endowment of the community, will have leaders sufficient for its life, without importing leaders or over-training them
that can’t do these things is a mission field and not a church
needs the denominational leaders and staff as crucial for education and support

To be strong at grassroots, the LSM system needs constant watering and feeding from the wider church. It also needs the commitment and Spirit given gifts of enablers.

Feature Parish:Turangi

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Transitions in Turangi

This narrative was read at the ordinations of two local ministers in Nov 07

When Kevin Tarry was about to leave the parish as its minister in 2002, Ian Render, the Ministry Advisor of the Diocese of Waiapu at the time, held a series of consultations with parishioners and Parish Council to explore the options for future ministry. These included the possibility of becoming a Local Shared Ministry Parish or having a half-time stipended minister. The parish opted for a half-time ministry and in 2003 Pat Olds was installed. Pat encouraged the development of lay ministry which began to flourish with parishioners taking the services for those weeks each month when Pat was in her other half-time position in Ruapehu.

At the end of 2005 conversations began again with the Parish Council about future directions and when Pat announced her retirement at Easter 2006, a series of parish meetings explored LSM and the ramifications for the parish into the future. This process was especially challenging as we are a co-operative venture with three partner churches.

So on 11 June 2006, the parish voted to become a Local Shared Ministry Parish and the partner churches were notified of our intention. Having made the decision the next step was to decide which ministry portfolios were required for the calling and forming of the Ministry Support Team.

By 23 July this had been completed and nomination forms were sent out to all parishioners on the electoral roll inviting nominations for the roles of priest/minister; administrator; pastoral care co-ordinator; worship co-ordinator and outreach co-ordinator. Bishop John, Lance Thomas, at that stage the Ministry Committee Chair for the Bay of Plenty Presbytery and Alex Webster as the Methodist Superintendent conferred over who God and the church were calling to these roles.

A service of commissioning was soon to follow with Bev Lawson as Administrator; Mary Inwood responsible for co-ordinating worship and preaching; Tiu Bristow as Pastoral Care Co-ordinator; and Laraine Lash and Maurice Costello as Outreach Co-ordinators. Emily Tamepo and Joe Beattie were called to be ordained by their respective churches. Emily was ordained Deacon on 3^rd December last year in the Cathedral in Napier.

Conversations with the Presbytery bring us to this day, with the ordination to Word and Sacrament of Joe Beattie and the ordination to the priesthood for Emily.

The team have worked hard to continue the development of ministry here in Turangi both in the community and within the parish itself. This model of ‘hands-on’ ministry and training will continue into the future for all involved, both team members and parishioners: for the key to this ministry is the honouring of the ministry of all the baptised. May God continue to guide and bless this place.

Welcome

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Welcome to Methodist Enable, the communication voice for Local Shared Ministry in the Methodist Church of New Zealand.

Make yourself at home.

If you are in Local Shared Ministry as an enabler, team member or a parish member, this space is yours. These are your resources to enable your ministry and mission to grow and develop - and to develop you as a person. Feel free to comment on the articles posted here. If you have something else to offer, contact the workgroup and we can post your work here too.

If you are interested in what Local Shared Ministry has to offer, feel free to browse, read, ask questions and take ideas.

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Nigel, Bonnie, Val, Terry, Alex
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