anglican focus

The news site of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: nourishing and connecting our faith community

Parish collaboration

Features The Rev'd Canon Stewart Perry and The Rev'd Eron Perry Features

Blueprint plan for parish collaboration

“We are both over six feet tall and share the same surname, but we are very different. We are unrelated, support different rugby league teams, hold differing theological understandings and church experiences, and lead very different parishes. However, in early 2021 we began to explore what working together could look like,” say Resource Church leader The Rev’d Canon Stewart Perry from The Parish of Robina and The Rev’d Eron Perry from The Parish of Burleigh Heads

"Last year St Bart’s really benefited from participating in a national digital learning cohort with churches of different denominations and sizes involved" (The Rev'd Adam Lowe)
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You are invited to join a free ACSQ digital learning cohort

“Last year St Bart’s really benefited from participating in a national digital learning cohort with churches of different denominations and sizes involved. It was a great blessing to learn from others, wrestle with questions together, think intentionally about our own contexts and have great input from world-class experts on the subject. Commencing in late May, we are beginning a similar digital learning cohort with churches across our Diocese,” says The Rev’d Adam Lowe from Resource Church St Bart’s, Toowoomba

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Implementing a cross-parish resource collaboration group: blessings and benefits

“When we’re all using the same lectionary readings week to week, it makes complete sense for us as peers to share the workload, the digital and print resources, and our unique gifts. We maintain the identity and needs of our own communities, while also supporting and encouraging them in their faith formation,” says The Rev’d Chris Bate from The Parish of Booval

Reflections

Collaboration: towards effective missional outcomes

From a personal perspective, I like the idea that I’m self-sufficient and smart enough to solve my own problems. Admitting I need help means being vulnerable and this can be deeply uncomfortable, especially for an introvert like me. Based on conversations I’ve had, I think parish clergy and lay leaders have similar concerns. If we admit that everything isn’t peachy, what will people think of us?” explores Dr Stephen Harrison

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'Bums off seats': creating a community of care

“Our church is thriving because our parishioners are encouraged to coordinate and drive activities and explore their unique gifts in a prayerful, enthusiastic, collaborative and welcoming community of love and care,” say Beth Rigby, Margaret Coombs and Fr Daniel Jayaraj from All Saints’, Chermside