Ministers Message

Summer 2025

As you know September will mark the end of my first five-year appointment in this circuit and  thanks to your re invitation, I will be beginning a second five year appointment. 

As that time approaches we've been talking at circuit executive about how we as a circuit can improve the way ministers meet the needs of our congregations and how in doing so we can grow as a circuit, grow as hubs, and grow in our ability to meet the needs of our communities - to advance the Kingdom of God, and to grow disciples.

But how do we do that?  In my case for example, where I work with three churches (I'm going to speak in terms of three churches for now because we all understand that Roborough has Pastor Janet, and Janet is doing a sterling job there – so really my role is simply one of oversight). Crownhill, Compton and Mount Gould have had me for the bulk of the time that I have available.

The struggle is that my time is divided all the time - there is no sense of momentum or being able to really get my teeth into the work at one place. 

Studies show that congregations that grow are those that have the presence of a full time minister or a pastoral leader.  But how do we manage that in my hub - how do we choose a congregation to focus on since all three congregations are more or less equivalent in most ways?

Recently the circuit executive put together a small team to work with me and try and envision a way forward that would lead to growth – a way that would be good for the hub and good for congregations, and that would that would take seriously and be realistic about the shrinking numbers of people who are able to put any time and energy into the volunteer work that a church requires. 

After a lot of conversation, the only way forward that we can see as possibly working is for me to put a lot of energy and time into the one congregation that has most future potential, because it has children and young families, which is of course Mount Gould.  

For one thing, children and young people in a congregation offer the potential for a longer future, and such a focus would also be a more responsible use of my years of experience and passion for working with young people and working intergenerationally.

The unfortunate hard reality, though, is that if I do more time into Mount Gould then Compton and Crownhill we'll see a lot less of me so this video marks the beginning of a conversation with the stewards with the trench councils with you as members of the congregation to look at how it might work if I were to give three Sundays a month to Mount Gould, and on the 4th Sunday of the month were to alternate between Compton and Crownhill - what would that look like and how would we still maintain a good pastoral presence in Compton and in Crownhill?  

One option being explored at circuit executive would be possibly employing a lay pastor. 

I want to say right up front that I know this this is not an easy conversation. It involves a lot of change and it will impact a lot of people, but I invite you to approach this conversation with a view to the positives that might come out of this - imagine the kind of ministry and mission that could happen if the minister had a sharp and clear focus for their time and energy?   Please do understand that such focus would not be exclusively for the people of one congregation where the focus is placed; so if I were to focus on Mount Gould to really build the children, family and youth ministry there - and to build the intergenerational interaction so young people are learning from the elders, and elders are enthused by the energy of young people, this would be a hub focus for mission that all congregations and members of the hub would be invited to join and contribute to.

For the sake of illustration, say we begin something like a Messy Church, and perhaps have a church run play group during the week, whatever ministries we begin to develop, the other congregations will be part of that in exploring how their gifts and the resources could be a part of that ministry.  So that it's not a Mount Gould ministry, it's not a Mount Gould mission, it's not a Mount Gould outreach… but it's a hub mission for the glory of God and for advancing the Kingdom of God together.

I know I've given you a lot to think about and I realise that that even the idea of this envisioned change is a lot to process - and may come as a shock to many of you; but please allow me to assure you that I'm here to listen, to hear your questions and concerns.

If we are to move forward together, I really want to invite you to pray about this, and to come to this conversation with a willingness to discern the way of God for us all as we go forward. Please be assured of my prayers for you, and I hope that I too can rely on you to pray for me and for the leaders of our hub and the circuit as we go forward - for the sake of God's Kingdom and for Kingdom growth.

May God bless you richly May God walk with you and give you peace!

Brenton

Brenton