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Tyndale |
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Church Growth Thinking about the English Church |
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Prospects |
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Tyndale, 15 Craig Avenue, Flixton, Urmston, Manchester, M41 5RS, United Kingdom, Email:BronnertRevdDrJohn@tyndale.freeserve.co.uk |
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When you have had time to look at the web sites (see next page), Church Growth Scheme and English Church Growth you may well be thinking that I should have been in touch with the Archbishops and diocesan bishops in the years 1999 to 2000. The answer? Copies of my doctoral dissertation were in the hands of the Archbishops and the Secretary General, Philip Mawer in 1999, and every English diocesan bishop received a prayer card about the scheme. Indeed, my ideas were considered carefully and I received thoughtful responses. However, after the General Synod of November 2000, it was clear that matters were on hold until nearer 2005 when the House of Bishops was to report concerning its ‘1997 Guidelines on Communion before Confirmation and to report back to the Synod by 2005, with a recommendation as to whether any changes in Canon Law are required as a result of developing practice and understanding in the Church.’ |
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Certain things I need to do! I need to gather a team of supporters. Most of the possible supporters among the clergy and bishops have now retired so approaching them means leaders no longer recognised as leaders. However, they may not be convinced by my ideas anyway. One of the difficulties is that my overall approach is based on major differences. I do not advocate continuing with the Reformation and Prayer Book order: baptism, catechism, confirmation and then Holy Communion. Rather, I am thinking that we should move to a more Orthodox order which means baptism, chrism, Holy Communion, with a continuing catecumenate until a child reaches 16 years old. The bishop only needs to be involved at this age and over with ‘confirmation’. My researches have convinced me that the Prayer Book approach has worked well enough in the past but should be abandoned for the future as no longer successful. In any case it has always been based on a mistaken understanding of Early Church practice. |
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Inevitably, children need to be cared for efficiently using modern computer technology. Records of baptisms and confirmations are already kept but these need adding to pastoral computer records, which can be used to follow-up each child contacted. If my scheme is adopted each parish office will have many children to care about as they grow older. |
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TEAM OF SUPPORTERS? |
