FOUNDATIONS | TuaPAPA

Covid-19 and the lockdown have disrupted more than our calendars. We are now presented with an opportunity to reset our focus and our way of being church together. In this spirit,  you are invited to gather as ministry unit leaders for four consecutive Tuesdays from July 21 to August 11 (7pm-8.30pm). These four sessions replace this year’s Te Huinga (clergy gathering) and will involve a combination of teaching and local discussion focused on your context.

This series of online presentations is called “Foundations | Tūāpapa” and the four parts are as follows:

July 21 - Foundations: Vision and Strategy Overview

July 28 - Change: Culture and Leading Change

August 4 - Growth: Sowing, Growing, and Shaping Church

August 11- Whanaungatanga: Reconciliation and Partnership

We would like you to gather your vestries/parish councils/key leaders together each Tuesday to participate in this series. We will use Zoom to deliver the presentations and your discussions will be managed locally. To support this series we will be distributing conference books that capture the key messages and offer some questions to engage with. There is an open invitation for anyone in the Diocese to participate in this series so please advertise amongst your homegroups as well.

This virtual conference is an opportunity to work together as a diocese to build up the body of Christ. It’s a space to ask difficult questions and face the future. Significantly, it offers an opportunity for ministry leadership teams to determine how their plans connect with diocesan objectives.

Over the next few weeks more information will be released online. Right now however, please take this opportunity to talk about how you will meet together (perhaps log in from home or gather for a shared meal at 6 - whatever will work for you). At the same time, please give thought to any technology needs you may have to ensure the proposed meetings are feasible.

Questions?

• What if I’m clergy but not a Vicar or part of a conventional parish? We encourage you to work out who your best conversation partners will be. It may be appropriate for the following groups to gather virtually and/or in person: school/tertiary chaplains, hospital/industrial chaplains/volunteers, etc.
• Can individuals attend? Of course, all you would need is the link (tba - please register below).
• Is this a requirement of my licence? As a substitute for Te Huinga, all clergy who hold a Bishop’s licence are expected to attend. LLMs are not required to attend, but they are strongly encouraged. Everyone else is welcome.
• Will it be recorded? It is our intention to record the sessions where possible.
• I need IT help, who do I talk to? In the first instance you should talk to your community to see if you have local solution/skills to help you. If this does not work, please let your archdeacon know – she/he may link you with another local group or redirect you to the Diocesan Office for support.
  At the very least you will need a computer, an internet connection, and enough sound for all to hear. If you had a camera, microphone, and keyboard they would be useful but not absolutely essential.
• Do I need to register? Yes, please register. This will enable us to keep you up-to-date with important information about the event (like the zoom link and conference booklet).