sustain:if:able kiwi

pioneer night for a pioneer course in a pioneer country: launch of mission shaped ministry Adelaide

Last night was a good night. The wind was wild and the rain heavy. But the room felt warm and alive.

A pilot of the mission shaped ministry (msm) course kicks off in Adelaide July 27. A partnership between Anglican, Lutheran and Uniting churches, it will run over 14 weeks and one weekend.

Last night Dave Male, Director of the Centre for Pioneer Ministry, at Ridley College, Cambridge was in town. It seemed an opportunity to good to miss, a chance both to hear from him and to offer some information about mission shaped ministry.

About 40 folk showed up, which was pretty exciting for a wet and wild winter’s night. A representative from each of the 3 partner churches offered prayer and input. This included a ringing endorsement from Archbishop Jeffrey Driver, who hoped that when Anglican history is written, the most important thing about the year 2011 will be the successful launch of the mission shaped ministry course. Dave Male shared about the impact of msm in the UK and it’s importance in cultivating a missional climate. I shared some of the story of how the course came to be in Australia and spoke about the shape of the programme. (For those interested, my notes are below the fold).

Some time for questions. And then we prayed together. Across denominations. A  living ecumenism, gathered around the task of mission.

Please join us. Please do pause at this point

… and pray with us … and for God’s ongoing purposes in Adelaide and Australia.

MSM Australia
The Msm course began in UK. At a local – adelaide, australia – end, we’ve been working on msm since november. There is a national partnership with 7 partners and in 2011, two local pilots – Adelaide, Canberra. A pilot means that we will need your input, to help us iron out the Englishness of the course.

My story

As we’ve been preparing, I’ve kept thinking back to my early attempts at fresh expressions. In 1994 – I was in my 2nd year training for ordained ministry, with a dream of church planting, but with no models of doing anything different. In 2004, I moved to a 93 year old church. Everyone saying ‘do creative things in a church plant, not in established church.”

As I’ve worked with the msm course material I’ve actually got a bit jealous. I wished I had some

• Clear input about mission
• Room to ground that in my context.
• Iron sharpens iron – different voices – not negative voices but provoking voices
• 1-1 coaching opportunities
• Creative space
• Appreciation of both/and fresh expressions (my 1994 experience) and fresh expressions in an inherited church (my 2004 experience).

Now when you turn to the core values of MSM, on the back of the brochure, I found my wish list contained in an msm course.

• Clear input about mission – practical
• Room to ground that in my context – relational
• Iron sharpens iron – different voices – not negative voices but provoking voices
• 1-1 – ecumenical
• Creative space – formative
• Serve multiple options – flexible

So from a practioner, 1994, 2004, perspective I’m jealous. And excited.

Practical shape

Wednesday 27 July to 30 November, gathering from 7 pm, 7:30-9:15pm. Here’s the course content

• mixed economy in a mission context (A)
• mission of God (A)
• missional values (A)Weekend 12, 13 August- Spirituality for mission (B); Listening for mission (C); Handling setbacks (C); Team roles (B)Vision and call (A)
• Gospel and culture (A)
• Evangelism (B)
• Engaging with the community (C)Putting legs 5 weeks exercises Starting something new (A)
• Growing a fresh expression to maturity (C)
• Discipleship (B)
• Small group church/What is church/First 3rd (C/A)
• Worship and sacraments (C)
• Celebration party

Note first. three streams are woven together
a – some theory
b – some practical stuff
c – some planning

Note second, the 5 marks of msm

• learn as disciples – of Jesus, sends us, humility and hope
• grow as reflective practitioners – not selling model, plant seeds in you and your church
• learn from one another – activists, reflectors, theorists, pragmatists
• journey in spirituality – worship, pray together – different ways
• work and learn together – practioner teachers, shared hosts, coaching, groups . teams and collegiality are heart of f ex.

Given that “teams in mission and ministry are the heart of fresh expressions”; meet the Adelaide team, which includes 4 hosts from 4 denominations, an administrator and a teaching team of at least 15 folk.