10.07.2015
Come&C Day to Shape a Year of Discipleship and Development in Dublin and Glendalough
2016 will be the year of Come&C in the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. Next year will be a very significant one in the life of the country but it will also be significant in the life of the dioceses as members look to the future and meet to share experiences. The first event will take place in the Autumn and will shape how Dublin and Glendalough enters that year. A Come&C Day will take place in High School in Rathgar on Saturday September 12 from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm.
Last Autumn saw the launch of the Come&C booklet which provides a snapshot of parish life in the United Dioceses. The booklet is the report of the Diocesan Parish Survey 2014 and presents to members of the United Dioceses and to the wider Church of Ireland the key expressions of the people of the parishes in their own words and voices. The questionnaire, which was returned by 80 percent of parishes and their comments were compiled into a booklet.
The material shared by parishioners gives voice to the aspirations and the achievements of parish communities the length and breadth of the dioceses. Parishioners also raised warning signs and concerns. The analysis of responses is broken down into three sections dealing with current activities in the parishes, future developments and vision statements. Come&C was launched at Diocesan Synods by Mr Sam Harper, Lay Honorary Secretaries of General Synod.
Now preparations are in train to take Come&C to the next level. A team of lay people and clergy from Dublin and Glendalough, facilitated by Dr David Touhy and Dr Anne Lodge, has reflected on the findings contained in the document in the context of the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion.
The focus of Come&C will be the recognition and development of discipleship among the people of the dioceses. It will offer the opportunity to move forward in the understanding and expression of the Christian faith. The key to the process is that it recognises that there is no external expert or specialist to be parachuted in to do the work for people and parishes. The aim is to encourage each parish to develop a response to Come&C and be inspired by others. The programme for the year is being finalised and involvement of parishes, their people and their clergy will be entirely voluntary.
The Come&C Day in High School will give people a chance to reflect on the outcome of the survey and respond to what other parishes have said. It will also create an opportunity for the people of the dioceses to look forward and explore new ways of supporting individuals and parishes in their discipleship. High School was the venue for the very successful Diocesan Growth Forum meeting which took place there in 2012 and which, in many ways, planted the seed for Come&C.
The Archbishop has written to Rectors and Parish Secretaries about the Come&C Day to which the Rector and four members of the parish are invited. It is suggested that the parish representatives would include no more than two members of any of: Select Vestry, youth workers or pastoral council, but most of all people who will be eager to share the story of parish life with others in a structured yet informal day building on the invitation to discipleship and service which is Come&C.
The Come&C booklet can be downloaded at http://dublin.anglican.org/cmsfiles/archive/files/ComeC.pdf