First of all, thanks to the author(s) of the paper “Living in a time of change” and recently posted for wider distribution. I’d like to offer the thoughts below as a contribution to the mix of contributions that I’m sure will come from others.
Under item 1 of the “…big challenges…” facing us, I suggest (again) the conspicuousness of overemphasising Sunday in considering the Church’s raison d’être. Of course Sunday is important, but it is not what it used to be and putting the word ‘Sunday’ right at the beginning of the first sentence changes the significance of the sentence and paves the way for a broader appreciation of the fullness of “Our Calling” as (Felixstowe) Methodists.
I think there is still a very strong case for continuing to keep four separate church premises and developing and refining/sharpening their mission. Having trialled our now-established (but not permanent) pattern of Felixstowe-Plan making, there – probably – is a case for weighing in the balance the (current) pattern of Sunday worship at 2 of the locations but it is clear that all 4 locations play an important role as a community resource, and MORE importantly have a lot of potential to increase their importance to the local community.*
The challenge, going forward, is to realise that potential in a sustainable way. We are on a journey in the company of the Spirit and, just like the Early Church (and ever since), we are likely to encounter prospects that will cause us to ‘fear’ the future as we journey – remembering, though, we are forever a means to an End!
I think as full a consultation as possible is the only Methodist way to explore further the subject matter of the published Paper !
* In considering a possible weighing again of the Felixstowe-Plan making it is clear that all the fundamentals of why we went to two Sunday services a week are all still a part of the landscape. The latest bulletin regarding Stationing has made things more challenging still. What the current Plan making culture has encouraged is a greater sense of ‘oneness’ amongst us and the benefits of it is something we did not have before!