Dear People of the Diocese of Newark,

I want to update you on the development of our Covenant process.

As you perhaps know, we have held three meetings across the diocese to solicit feedback on the document.  Over a hundred people came to each session.  We estimate that two-thirds to three-quarters of the congregations were represented.  Many people spoke.  There was a sense of safety in each of the three sessions because people were able to be honest in expressing their hopes and concerns.
 
The Congregational Vitality work group of Diocesan Council reflected on the comments and tone of the three meetings in preparation for the fourth gathering on May 12.  It became clear to the ten of us that many people were not only wrestling with the language and content of the Covenant, but were also confused about its context:  how does the Covenant fit in with the mission and vision of the diocese?  We began to realize that the Covenant was the third of three important steps.  For me, it called to mind the first Star Wars movie, which came out in the late 1970’s.  That movie, it turned out, was not the first Star Wars episode:  there were at least two prequels that came out later.

We decided that the Covenant needed to have two prequels:  the first, a statement of our relationship with each other and with the living Christ.  The second, a clear diocesan mission statement and an emerging vision from the mission statement.  We also decided that the Covenant needed to incorporate recommendations from the first three gatherings.

We presented all of this on May 12 in Denville to a gathering of at least one hundred people, many of whom had been to one of the first three meetings, and some of whom were coming for the first time.  There seemed to be a positive response to the three-step process – and to the changes to the initial Covenant.  Many suggestions were made – and hopes and concerns were expressed. (The revised draft documents are available at www.dioceseofnewark.org/covenant_agreement_2009.pdf.)

David Manting, who has been retained as our consultant to help us develop a diocesan ministry plan, indicated to the group that “the vision starts where the buck stops”.  To that end, I have been about the task of developing a mission statement which captures the essence of who we are as a diocese and what God is calling us to do.  I am working on a mission statement with a small group of people – and will present it to the diocese by the end of June.  The vision and ministry plan will emerge from the mission statement– and it is my expectation that we will get to a place where our ministry is aligned with our mission and vision.

The Congregational Vitality work group continues to solicit feedback about the Covenant. You can offer your thoughts through the blog which is posted on the diocesan website. (The covenant blog can be visited at http://covenantconversations.blogspot.com/).

 We will continue to receive comments until May 30. The work group will take all the gathered material from the forums and the blog in order to make a presentation to the Diocesan Council at its June 10 meeting.

I began this process by saying – many times, that we are all in this together.  These four meetings have brought the reality of that home in a deeper way.  I am grateful for the work we have done together – and for the many opportunities that are unfolding before us.

 Peace,

Mark