KAIROS news

WORSHIPPERS across the diocese are starting to implement Kairos plans that should place churches at the centre of the communities they serve.

Ambitious plans to employ extra staff, re-shape church buildings, launch new church activities and re-draw parish boundaries are now taking shape across South-East Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The aim is to create new models of mission and ministry suitable for the 21st century.

Each parish in the Portsmouth diocese was asked to work with its neighbouring parishes to draw up 'Kairos' plans that might help serve the physical, social, spiritual and emotional needs of people living in their neighbourhoods. The result was 277 five-year Kairos plans that were approved and then blessed at a service in Portsmouth Cathedral in July.

Churchgoers are being asked what they think of radical plans to re-shape diocesan structures. Part of the 'Kairos' process included a review of the structure and staffing of our central diocese structures so it could be more responsive to parishes' needs.

Our diocese's Structures Review Group suggested getting rid of some boards and committees to help us all focus more effectively on mission. It based its report on the principles of more support to parishes, cementing Kairos thinking at the heart of decision-making, more accountability in the system and a leaner diocesan structure.

Those principles were agreed by our diocesan synod in November. But synod members agreed there should be consultation across the diocese before the report is debated in detail at a special, Kairos synod meeting on February 25.

The report recommended that the main responsibilities of the Board of Mission, Council for Social Responsibility and Board of Ministry be shifted to the Bishop's Council. It also suggested working with other dioceses to create a joint Board of Education and Diocesan Advisory Committee, and joint arrangements over IT, accounts, human resources and legal support.

It also suggested a new structure for central diocesan staff, working in four teams in the fields of education, discipleship, society and central resources.

Copies of the report have been sent to all PCC secretaries, and a copy is on the diocesan website

www.portsmouth.anglican.org

If you have any comments, positive or negative, please send them to Sally Read, the Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight's PA, 5 The Boltons, Kite Hill, Wootton Bridge, Isle of Wight, PO33 4PB or adiow@portsmouth.anglican.org

There will also be meetings in each Archdeaconry at which the proposals in the report can be examined in greater detail. They take place at All Saints' Church, Commercial Road, Portsmouth on January 12 (for Portsmouth and Havant deaneries); Newport parish centre, Newport on January 17 (for both Isle of Wight deaneries); and a venue to be arranged on January 18 (for Bishop's Waltham, Gosport, Fareham and Petersfield deaneries). All the meetings will be at 7.30pm.