Post-Synod Reflections on Community Engagement

Russ Grant, community engagement co-ordinator for the Diocese of Ontario offers these reflections on Synod 2023:

Big thank you to Bishop Susan Bell’s leadership walking us through a process designed to move us toward being a more missional diocese. We learned that community engagement is a key in this process and what it is about:

It is what we do with and in our communities that makes our presence felt in the most positive ways versus our worship and spiritual growth, both of which are important.

It is about demonstrating God’s love in tangible ways in our communities through action versus words.

It calls for us to be constantly aware of our community and mindful of growing needs versus a box that we tick to say we ‘are doing’ or ‘have done’ that.

It will be unique to both our strengths (could be hospitality, organizational leadership, music, etc) and to the unique needs of each of our communities.

It is about partnerships that support the things we do. These can be with other churches, faith communities and agencies within our communities, remembering that we don’t have to do this on our own.

Thank you for the many wonderful examples shared of what is already happening in our diocese. To my friend and colleague Barb Gilbert who observed that the 1st hymn at the 160th Anniversary service was the community engagement hymn!!!! ‘God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind’ is certainly a great reminder of what we need to do and who we need to be, I hope congregations will include it in their services occasionally.

I very much look forward to both visiting parishes and working with them building a mission plan. Filled with hope and enthusiasm for the road ahead.

To contact Russ, you can reach out to him on email at russellgrant@outlook.com or phone (416) 931-7153.