Thursday 10 January 2013

So - this is the future?

From the Church in Wales [here]
"A group of five people will examine how radical proposals for the Church in Wales can be delivered.
They will look at recommendations made to the Church following an independent review, which took place across Wales last year, and advise the Church on how they can be taken forward.
The implementation group was appointed by the Governing Body of the Church and will report to it. It will review the recommendations and the responses received to them, draw up a timetable of action, act as a liaison point and monitor progress.
Chairing the group will be Helen Biggin, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation. She is joined by the Bishop of Bangor, Andy John; business consultant James Turner;  Nigel King, a market research professional; and Revd Paul Mackness, Vicar of the Benefice of Haverfordwest. All five are members of the Church’s Governing Body.
Their first report will be made to the Governing Body’s Standing Committee in February. A full report on progress will then be made to each meeting of the whole Governing Body.
Judge Philip Price, chairman of the Standing Committee, said, “We are very fortunate to have a group of talented and insightful people who between them bring a wide range of experience and ability to the task ahead and we are very grateful to them for giving their time and energy to it. Theirs will be a challenging job but one which will hopefully bring exciting changes, enabling the Church better to serve today’s Wales.”
Mrs Biggin said, “This is a really exciting time for the Church in Wales. The Review Group has made some radical and challenging recommendations, which offer great opportunities. Together with an enthusiastic team, I am looking forward to helping meet these challenges and deliver the changes that will enable the Church to thrive as it serves communities throughout Wales....”
To say that this press release hardly fills me with confidence  has to be the understatement of all time...
"Exciting, radical, challenging" - why is it that, in the face of the scale of the crisis that confronts us, those adjectives  (so decidedly unscriptural in their manufactured conventionality) ring so hollow? In order to serve "today's Wales" and its communities, we must all first learn again to serve God and not the passing fashions of the age..

These comments have been made by Ancient Briton  
It's very hard to disagree. His post is entitled "C in W: Going for broke " -I'm afraid we already are - on so many levels...
The crucial question - and this is where we will disagree quite violently - is how we effect the cure - how do we put Humpty Dumpty together again?
All very nice and ironic - until we consider that this is part - a small part, even a tiny fragment, but a part nonetheless - of the Body of Christ.

2 comments:

  1. Helen Biggin's comments are pure NHS speak. The high minded tone of The Welsh NHS Confederation web site may fit the management structure but the reality in England and Wales for many is somewhat different if you are sat outside hospital in an ambulance prior to hours of waiting inside.
    Thanks for the link and enjoy your break next week if you can.

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  2. Whenever a church spokesperson uses the word "exciting" you just know it's going to be sh!t.

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