CHURCHES TOGETHER IN FARNHAM
Our member churches have been invited to consider the following documents and respond by the beginning of March.
i. Proposed Plan of Action
ii. Mapping What We Do Already & The Way Ahead
iii. Questionnaire
The documents were despatched to Church Leaders and CTF Representatives with a covering letter from the Steering Committee following Churches Together in Farnham’s agm last October.
The Action Plan was set out for us by Sue Loveday, Coordinator for Churches Together in Surrey, following her visit on 30th April and she promised to return in 12 months for a further Council Meeting to consider the response.
i. PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION
FOR SABBATICAL YEAR ENDING MAY 2010
Following the April Council Meeting Sue Loveday sent the Chair of CTF the following report:
At a meeting of Churches Together in Farnham and District on April 30th 2009, facilitated by Revd Sue Loveday, the Coordinator of Churches Together in Surrey the following plan of action was agreed:-
As Churches Together in Farnham and District we will have a period of Sabbatical until May 1st 2010
During this time we will
1. Map what we do already –we will need to identify how this will be collated and presented to our churches
2. Discern what new things we might do and what might be ended
3. Consult with our local congregations and networks, especially the younger members
4. Have a dialogue with the Farnham Christian Community Trust
5. Discover what would add value to our mission in, to and with the communities of Farnham
6. Look at what we need to do at a minimum to remain constitutional
Underpin all of this with prayer in our congregations
In order to create appropriate relationships and structures for our future mission
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ii. (response from the Steering Committee)
MAPPING WHAT WE DO ALREADY
- & THE WAY AHEAD
Point 1 of Sue Loveday's Proposed Plan of Action is a call to 'Map what we do already' - so here goes:
Churches Together in Farnham comprises 21 churches in the town and surrounding district. It sponsors and is involved in the following main activities:
Christmas Lunch for those on their own
Nativity Display at Farnham Library
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity including United Service (held annually in a different churches each year)
'What to do in Lent' booklet
Good Friday Walk of Witness
One World Week Annual Event
'Friday Focus' weekly Christian article in the Farnham Herald
Chaplaincy at University of Creative Arts
These events are organised and run by particular members of our various churches, in many cases forming specialised teams which have built up considerable experience over the years.
They have the backing and assistance of the CTF Steering Committee- including preparation and distribution of posters and other publicity and any other help they may require, including in some cases financial.
Additionally CTF is associated with a number of Christian groups. Many of us are mutually involved in each others activities and their leaders come to Churches Together's AGM to report on their progress, their plans and occasionally their problems. CTF offers them support in any way we can.
These include:
Bible Society
Christian Aid
Farnham Christian Community Trust
Farnham Industrial Estate Chaplaincy
Communication is a major task of CTF. This involves liaison between churches and groups within CTF and with outside bodies and individuals - and includes the CTF Website. As the officially recognised inter-denominational body in Farnham, CTF receives and deals with a variety of queries and requests on relevant matters.
CTF promotes friendship and understanding between the individual members of our diverse churches with opportunities for laity as well as clergy to pray together, get to know each other and share in fellowship.
Point 2 of the Plan of Action is: 'Discern what new thing we might do and what might be ended.'
We welcome your views on the above centrally organised activities.
CTF also recognises that much work for unity is not centrally organised, but is locally initiated by 2 or 3 churches working together in a particular area. The Steering Group of CTF welcomes such initiatives.
We invite you to Map how you are currently cooperating with other churches, and discern what new things might be done, and what might be ended. (See questionnaire)
Point 3 of the Plan of Action - 'Consult with our local congregations and networks, especially the younger members': Thatis up to you.
We will all of us be considering Point 5 - 'Discover what would add value to our mission in, to and with the communities of Farnham'. The Steering Committee will be looking further at Point 4 (Dialogue with FCCT) and Point 6 (Constitution) before the April meeting.
We look forward to hearing your answers to the enclosed Questionnaire by Monday 1st March 2010. Meanwhile we can all take part in the final injunction of the Plan of Action:
Underpin all of this with prayer in our congregations
May God bless you all
CTF Steering Committee
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iii. QUESTIONNAIRE
In response to Sue Loveday's Proposed Plan of Action the Steering Committee has prepared the following Questionnaire for consideration by each of our member Churches in conjunction with the enclosed document: 'MAPPING WHAT WE DO ALREADY & THE WAY AHEAD'. You are then invited to answer the following questions.
QUESTIONS
· To which church do you belong?
· Which other churches in Farnham do you relate to, and what activities have you done together?
· What joint activities are planned for the future?
· How do you come into contact with / serve the community around you?
· With what community organisations in your area are you liaising?
· Would you like stronger links with 2 or 3 other churches?
· What new things might you do / what might be ended?
· Any further comments (on separate sheet?
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