The Mission Strategy Committee (MSC) is a subcommittee of the Standing Committee (SC), and meets on the third Tuesday of each month. MSC is convened by David Fox, with Janise Wood as Secretary and Andrew Smith providing key support. The membership of the committee also includes Rev Michael Palmer, Martin Harris, Rev Karyl Davison, Rev Miriam Parker-Lacey, Rev Elizabeth Raine and Rev Daniel Mossfield. This committee has a focus on the second pillar, to resource Congregations to discover new futures.
Its main focus is on high level thinking and planning and acting to enrich the missional capacity of the Presbytery; with the capacity to engage with and be called upon by committees of the Presbytery for special expertise or knowledge to facilitate, enable and collaboratively deliver particular missional developments within the Presbytery.
Its role includes recommending to SC strategies for use of property for the mission of God, including strategies for income generating missional use of properties to fund further mission of the church and strategies for reallocation of properties for mission.
It will also recommend to SC strategies for increased lay and ordained leadership capacity for mission in the Presbytery, including:
In addition, it will recommend to SC strategies to discern, support and encourage congregations that are experiencing growth to build their potential and capacity to expand their mission.
Recently the SC adopted recommendations from the MSC about a “Strategy for Engagement to Grow Mission” for the Presbytery’s engagement to grow mission with its Congregations, faith communities and other initiatives. SC also supported recommendations from MSC about a developing missional relationship between the Presbytery and Rise Ministries to explore and develop fresh expressions of church. This relationship is to be based out of the St Aidan’s church building in Narrabundah.
The last meeting of MSC included an extended conversation on zoom with Rev Glen Schweitzer, Presbytery Minister in the Bremer Brisbane Presbytery of the Queensland Synod. Bremer Brisbane seems to be a few steps ahead of us in applying mission strategy in their Presbytery. The conversation has inspired the committee in the work it is undertaking at the moment, and was also helpful to Glen for the leadership he offers in his Presbytery. We plan to stay in touch to continue the relationship of encouragement in mission for both Presbyteries.