From the Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich, the
Archdeacon of Lambeth, and Canon Stephen Hance
Sir, - There is a tale of two dioceses. As Evangelical clergy
serving on the Bishop of Southwark's senior staff team, we
sometimes find ourselves wondering which of these two Southwark
dioceses we are actually ministering in.
On the one hand, there is the Southwark diocese of popular
perception, at least as some bloggers and commentators are
concerned. This version is apparently experiencing catastrophic
decline, owing, it is said, to the extreme liberal hegemony of the
senior clergy of the diocese, especially the Bishop's staff team,
where it is allegedly nigh impossible for an Evangelical to be
appointed to a senior position or make any significant impact, and
the only agenda is revisionism.
This imagined version of the diocese has almost no Fresh
Expressions of Church, and remains a near-closed door to
church-plants. This is compared with a far rosier picture in
neighbouring dioceses.
Then, on the other hand, there is the reality of the vibrant
Southwark diocese where we find ourselves serving Jesus.
This Southwark diocese has many signs of growth. A recent
diocesan synod reported that the collective electoral-roll
membership rose from 44,200 in 2002, to 45,100 in 2007, to 46,700
in 2013. No one on the Bishop's staff feels remotely complacent
about this, and under the leadership of the diocesan Bishop, the Rt
Revd Christopher Chessun, we have developed an intentional growth
strategy, through, for example, rolling out Mission Action Planning
across the diocese. There is much more to do; but we are moving,
and in the right direction.
A recent study of Fresh Expressions of Church in this diocese
found 40 Fresh Expressions representing 2400 worshippers, with an
average growth rate of 16 per cent in the past two years. We have
recently appointed an Evangelical minister to serve as our first
Dean of Fresh Expressions, and have created a fund of £100,000 to
be invested in new and existing Fresh Expressions over the next
year or so. There have been a number of successful
congregation-plants in the diocese, and more are planned.
In this Southwark diocese, we are thankful to serve in a
talented Bishop's staff team, in which people are appointed because
they are the best for the role. We have been appointed to our
present posts within the past two years.
The experience of working alongside people with different
insights of the gospel is an enriching one, and our own
perspectives are appreciated and valued, too. Our colleagues are
people with passionately held and argued views on every issue,
because they care about the mission and ministry of Christ's Church
in this place. This is what working in a broad and diverse Church
is supposed to be like.
Sometimes a narrative becomes so deeply embedded in people's
imaginations that it is almost impossible to shift. In the case of
Southwark diocese, the narrative has not yet caught up with the
reality. None of us would wish to work in the imaginary diocese; we
consider this to be a God-given kairos moment to be
ministering in the real Southwark diocese.
ALASTAIR CUTTING
SIMON GATES
STEPHEN HANCE, Canon Missioner
c/o Kingston Episcopal Area Office
620 Kingston Road
London SW20 8DN