Our diocesan Synod team led a feedback day last Saturday for diocesan local listeners. Joined by Bishop David the day was mainly feedback from the team split with small group conversation where the listeners had the opportunity to reflect on what they had heard.
Looking at how we are viewed as a Church was in many ways quite sobering. It is clear that for a significant number of participants the Church has been inauthentic in its behaviour. Many of the words in the feedback were clearly representing passion, anger and frustration. More worryingly, some of the boxes for positive feedback were left blank. None of this went unnoticed by Bishop David.
Towards the end of the day, Bishop David shared his own reflections from what he had heard and there was clear call to action. A call to be relevant in the lives of ordinary people to make the Gospel known to them, through our actions – not our words.
“My dream for the Church is I would like to see it more outward looking, said a young lady on the video and I think that would my dream for the Church too. Whether you are a parish, pastoral area or school, lets become missionary in our outlook and dynamic”
Bishop David has called for the Synod to continue beyond the length of the current process. He has asked for further questions to be asked, and challenged the Synod team to reach even more people, especially to those on the fringes of society.