Currently, the CRC is in the midst of a 28-week prayer campaign as a way of continuing the broad congregational dialogue, with each week focusing on a different concern or plan outlined in the committee’s November submission. Additionally, the CRC has joined forces with the Synod Mission Committee whose purpose is to develop a mission strategy for the Church. Together they have re-launched the operation of eight working groups which were formed in September 2013 for the first so called “Mission Day”. The CRC determined that the groups’ strategic objectives for strategic planning were so closely related to the themes and issues dealt with in the “Diagnosis” and therefore it would serve both committees best to combine efforts.

The first step in the revision process focused on dialogue with the release of the “Touch” booklet and questionnaire. Congregations were asked to hold a number of meetings to determine the community’s present context and vision for the future as well as a short questionnaire. Once completed, churches were asked to return the booklet to the CRC. The committee then evaluated the congregations’ responses and formulated a “Diagnosis,” presented to the Synod in November 2013.

Following this, the CRC went about re-establishing the Mission Committee’s eight working groups to focus on three crucial areas identified in “Diagnosis”: missionary identity of congregations, mission oriented operation of church-run institutions and structural revision. These working groups were charged with drafting proposals for the next step of the revision process, “Therapy.”

In their workshops, the working groups focus on deepening congregations’ mission identity, the establishing stronger youth and child participation, as well as the topics of church-run institutions, church structure, the payment scheme of pastors and creating a better atmosphere of trust and solidarity. The groups are not only made up of pastors but professionals and experts from different fields as well. At the moment, 20 full-day workshop discussions are scheduled to take place through the end of May under the coordination of the organization development expert.

At the end of May, the CRC will take the draft proposals from each group and unify them into a single proposition to submit to the Synod. The CRC will draft and revise the final action plan from May to September to make it ready for submission in November.

The most recent report from the CRC was at the Synod session in April. The Synod heard the committee’s progress report and accepted the RCH Mission Statement and Developing Vision and Strategic Objectives for further discussion.

Amy Lester