To address the identified needs, this diocese has responded with the following initiatives.

Venture in Mission

In 1997-98 the diocese was involved in an exciting program of mission education and financial development called Venture in Mission (VIM). The financial campaign was a great success with over $1.35 million being collected and shared among the parishes, the national church and the diocese. Since the completion of the campaign, funding has been provided for a number of programs and initiatives in ministry enhancement and evangelism, youth ministry training, financial development, and communications. VIM funds have also been used to support healing and reconciliation through ministry on Gordon Reserve, to finance a three-year half-time Ministry Development Coordinator position, and most recently to hire a Financial Stewardship Officer. In 2005, most of the VIM funds have been committed or expended.

Strategic Planning

In 2000 a diocesan strategic planning process was formally put in place. Consultations occurred throughout the diocese and a Strategic Planning Committee focused on the areas of:

• Spiritual Direction – building on our existing strengths of worship, prayer and scripture study, recognizing the need to inform our actions firmly rooted in God and prayer;
• Communication – ensuring strategic plan developments were shared with parishes, as well as sharing other information and developments in a timely fashion;
• Restructuring – embracing new models of ministry, sharing resources more effectively with our diocesan family and ecumenical partners, as well as working more on a regional basis. This included the work of defining ministry and particularly ordained ministry, including development of papers on Procedures for Local Ordination to the Priesthood and Procedures for Local Ordination of the Diaconate. This work further strengthened the diocese’s commitment to ordaining locally raised clergy to meet the ministry needs of small congregations. Eight of these clergy are currently making a remarkable contribution to their communities and to the diocese and three parishes are entirely dependent on locally raised clergy for sacramental ministry.

Development of The Plan

In late 2002 the strategic planning process led to approval and implementation of The Plan for 2003 … Moving Forward Together in Faith. The Plan had three key objectives:

• A renewed structure for regional consultation including lay people as well as clergy;
• Consultations between regions, and between regions and the Bishop; and
• Provision for each region to make specific plans for ongoing/future ministry and mission.
• Training, supervision, communication, resource sharing, sacramental ministry, and planning for the future were key components of The Plan.

Future Planning Task Force

A Future Planning task force was established in 2005 to consider the future direction of the diocese and to make recommendations to Diocesan Council. The initial steps have been to seek input from parishes and make recommendations with respect to programs offered by the diocese.

Communication

A key focus of the diocese has been ensuring that effective communication mechanisms exist among parishes and throughout the diocese. To support this effort, communications coordinators have been appointed in each parish.

Education and Training

Diocesan-sponsored educational events for lay people and clergy have served to enrich our common ministry. These programs, conferences, and workshops – some of which are listed below – remain a priority as we continue to build upon the gifts of every member.

• The Education for Ministry (EFM) program has been in place in the diocese for many years. There are now 40 graduates and two ongoing EFM groups. A goal is to have groups in each region of the diocese.
• Four training events and a summer school are held each year for people involved in lay leadership in their parishes and specifically for those following the route to local ordination to the priesthood and the diaconate. However, the workshops are open to anyone who wishes to attend, particularly those wishing to become more involved in parish leadership.
• Clergy days and an annual clergy conference are held for those in ordained ministry. Clergy days respond to emerging issues while the clergy conference is designed both for education and building a sense of collegiality.

Living the Covenant

Living the Covenant was introduced in 2004. It recognizes that parishes throughout the diocese are facing many challenges and in the struggle to pay the bills and keep the doors of our churches open people can feel isolated and alone, frustrated and tired. It reinforces the idea that we are not alone – we are a community and are all in this together – and that our baptism is something that is common to all of us, something that points to life and hope. Living the Covenant helps to change our focus from the fear of being a church that is dying to being a church that is alive and growing and continually called into “being” by God.
A number of initiatives were introduced as part of Living the Covenant. These included parish and inter-parish interaction both regionally and at the diocesan level. Parishes have been asked to develop short and long term plans for mission and ministry for their parish based on what they have discovered about their baptismal calling and the resources available to them.

Firm Foundations

In fall 2004 a Financial Stewardship Officer was hired to offer guidance and support to interested parishes on how to implement the Firm Foundations program. This program had been developed and carried out successfully in Swift Current. Funding for the Financial Stewardship
Officer was secure until December 31, 2005.

Diocesan Screening Policy

In our ministry in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle many people, clergy and lay, professional and volunteer, work in positions of trust including access to money or to vulnerable people. The diocese must ensure the safety and security of those who are being ministered to, as well as that of its volunteers and employees. To this end a screening policy has been developed and is being implemented at all levels within the diocese.

- extracted from Diocesan profile 2005