Survival to Revival
In 2002 Churches in the Diocese were visited by the Bishops, Archdeacons and Dean, and encouraged to do the Healthy Churches exercise.
Out of this, some trends became clear: Churches across the whole Diocese expressed their inadequacy at listening to God's will, and their desire to do more work with children and young people and families.
Survival to Revival was the response to this: it was simply the idea that Churches think about a goal or aspiration in each of six areas (young people, giving, ministry, mission, discipleship, worship) - and then make a couple of these goals their targets for the year. This was
It has released a lot of energy over the five years it has been running, and has also produced offshoots like Resourcing Revival, which - as requested by the Parishes - focussed our Diocesan resources on the Parishes, and Parochial ministry.
Out of it also came the idea of doing away with the Parish Share system, which was too much like a tax on parishes; instead, we now have the Parish Offer system, in which Parishes make offers of what they will pay to the Diocese: these offers need to be both realistic and generous.
All of this has been about growth - in all its aspects - as the Church, throughout the world and here in Cumbria has always been.
Three focuses on GROWTH
Now, after five years, the Bishop's Council has reviewed its work and priorities and for the years 2009 - 2011 Diocesan efforts are focussing on just three areas:
- Young Diocese
- Rural (and the Rural Manifesto)
- Vocation, Ministry, and Training (and the Strategy for Ministry)
Two postcards have been produced to remind us all of this; we hope that you will put them in Bibles and Prayer books and around Church, and read them again and again, and use them in your prayers. Click here for the postcards
Parish Aims
Meanwhile we continue to ask the Parishes to think about their aims; these are reported to the Diocese through the Archdeacon's Articles of Enquiry. Click here to see the Articles of Enquiry.
Leaflets / Downloads
55kb 
29 Nov 2007
Resourcing Revival Downloads
Bishops' Letter
Dear Friends
Years 4 & 5 of 'From Survival to Revival'
You will know how excited and encouraged we have been by parishes' response to the Diocesan Plan From Survival to Revival. Each year more parishes have taken up the challenge of looking to see how they can develop, move forward and grow. If your parish has not yet joined in, can we strongly encourage you to do so this year.
Once again we are structuring the Plan under the headings of worship, discipleship, young people, giving, mission, and ministry. Once again we would like you to use the six headings as a way of reviewing progress and deciding where you want to put your energy in the coming year. Of course you may be implementing an idea that will take a number of years to come to fruition and feel that you want to continue with that. Or you may want to try something new. We would again urge you to involve as many people as possible in discussing and praying about what your parish will be doing.
Once you have decided what your aims will be for 2008, please could your parish complete and return the form headed Revival in Our Diocese - Year 4 (enclosed with PCC Secretary's copies of this letter) to Eleanor Scott at Church House, West Walls, Carlisle, CA3 8UE, tel 01228 815402, by 26 October. A second copy should be returned to your Rural Dean. Please also keep a copy for your records so that in future years you can review what you have done. If you have any questions about this process please contact your rural dean or archdeacon.
We very much look forward to seeing your responses to the questionnaire.
Since we launched Survival to Revival we have celebrated our plans in different ways each year. In 2007 we hope parishes will again be represented at Deanery events in the autumn and winter. We hope to join you at all those events. In 2008 we plan to have a major review of the Plan, culminating with a service in the Cathedral in the Autumn.
One of the plan headings is giving. As you will know, 2009 will be the first year in which we use radically different way of raising the money needed for ministry – the new Parish Offering System. That new approach will only work if we respond generously, remembering the widow who gave all that she had (St Mark 12.42-44; St Luke 21.1-4).
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Graham Dow
James Newcome
