Strategic Goal: Establish Resource Churches to effectively support parishes across the Diocese.
Timeline of progress
The Resource Churches project was approved by the Parishes and Other Mission Agencies Commission, Diocesan Council and Synod in 2019. The project was proposed as a four-year pilot running until the end of 2022.
Churches were recruited and announced towards the end of 2019, and Resource Church leaders began meeting as part of a learning community. The Resource Church project was largely on hold during 2020 while churches adapted to the COVID-19 environment.
The first phase of the project is focused on building the capacity of Resource Churches and their leaders.
Bishop Daniel Abot — Ethnic congregations, Parishes and Other Mission Agencies CommissionThe Rev’d Daniel Hobbs — Mission planning and implementation and Lay ministry and leadership development, St John’s Cathedral
Dale Lennon — Youth and children’s ministry and digital ministry, Robina Anglican Church
Betrys Lowe — Youth and children’s ministry, St Bart’s Toowoomba
Bowen Miller — Communications and digital ministry, Robina Anglican Church
Amy Norman — Faith formation and discipleship, St Bart’s Toowoomba
Mary-Anne Rulfs — Community engagement (mission and evangelism), Robina Anglican Church
Following reductions to the PMC budget for 2022, there are now four Resource Churches:
St John’s Cathedral
St Bart’s, Toowoomba
Robina Anglican Church
St Paul’s, Ipswich.
These Resource Churches have set targets for the number of churches they are seeking to support and the types of resources they are seeking to share. A model has been developed outlining three levels of parish partnerships and resourcing:
Formal partnerships that may involve arrangements such as MOUs and significant budget implications.
Informal partnerships focused on direct and ongoing relationships with activities, such as intense resource sharing and coaching.
Self-service partnerships where resources are provided on the web and accessed as needed.
In addition to these levels of assistance churches may seek assistance from a Resource Church at any time.