St Theodore’s Anglican Church, Toorak Gardens
Mission Action Plan 2020–
Mission Action Plan
This Mission Action Plan (MAP) was inspired by Vision 2022 of the Diocese of Adelaide and developed through a series of sessions in 2019 coordinated by a MAP Working Group of the Parish Council of St Theodore’s Anglican Church, Toorak Gardens. It was endorsed by the St Theodore’s Parish Council on 21st November, 2019, and approved by the Annual Vestry Meeting on 16th February 2020 and was updated in December 2023.
Hospitality
In thanksgiving for the Hospitality of God, we seek to extend our hospitality through people and place, prayer and reflection, to enhance and extend our community
- To further develop our capacity to welcome and include newcomers, focusing on opportunities for conversation and engagement
- To create opportunities for people to gather where hospitality is the focus, with time to share and explore our journeys of faith and life, shared meals and times of reflection and prayer
- To enhance the capacity of the parish community, church buildings and gardens to be more welcoming, accessible, sensitive to the needs of families with children, and known in the wider community through occasions where the church is open and attended, and through social events where an invitation is offered
Spiritual Garden
“Quiet Garden Movement”
Pastoral Care
In thanksgiving for the Compassion of God, we seek to progressively nurture our capacity to offer effective pastoral care for members of the parish and the wider community
- To enhance the authenticity of pastoral care as something which everyone in the community of faith can both receive and offer
- To develop and implement more effective systems of pastoral care as a shared responsibility
- To recognise and develop the leadership skills of pastoral carers in the parish community, both lay and ordained, and to recognise and nurture the gifts of people in the parish
- To develop and offer pastoral care in the wider community as the opportunity arises
- To develop opportunities for social engagement where small groups of people gather to build community
- To explore fundraising as a community builder in the parish
Development of phone/direct contact
with parishioners
Private Home Meals – Fundraising for Mission: The proposal is to develop and implement an idea for members of the Parish of St Theodore’s to engage in ‘Fundraising for Mission’ through meals in their private homes. It also seeks to align funds raised with our Mission giving target in the budget, hence both the Fundraising and Mission Giving targets are now set at $1500.
The intention of the private home meals is that each gathering would vary in that it was based on the decision of the host/s as to who and how many are invited. This may include a combination of members of the Parish as well as the hosts family, neighbours and friends.
Communications
In thanksgiving for the living and active Word of God, we seek to develop our capacity to be a visible and accessible community of faith and action
- To optimise our use of Information Technology to further enhance our liturgical worship and our community engagement
- To further develop the parish website and find other ways to enhance our use of social media
- To improve the signage around the church buildings and facilities to enhance our presence and visibility to those who pass by
- To find ways to authentically communicate that we strive to be a diverse and inclusive community of faith with open doors, hearts and minds
Partnership
In thanksgiving for the God’s love for us, we endeavour to grow as a parish in a spirit of love and develop our partnership with the wider church and community
- To build on existing Anglican Community partnerships – including with the Diocese of Adelaide, The Magdalene Centre/AnglicareSA, the Bush Church Aid Society, the Anglican Board of Mission, the Church Missionary Society and the Mothers’ Union
- To seek opportunities for local ecumenical engagement with churches in the area and the Burnside Inter-Church Council
- To connect intentionally with community organisations which make use of parish facilities
- To explore the potential for partnerships with other faith communities in the area, including other Anglican parishes
- To explore the potential for partnerships with local government
- To nurture opportunities to provide a space for wider community activities
- To seek to develop the church buildings and gardens as a hub for community engagement
Stewardship
Stewardship - In thanksgiving to God for the gifts we share, we seek to be good stewards of our resources to promote our life as a parish, our buildings and gardens, our finances and administration, and the gifts and skills of our people
The Magdalene Centre
In the lead-up to Christmas, members of St Theodore’s parish make donations to the Magdalene Centre food hampers,and a group of parishioners assist with the sorting for the annual Christmas Hamper distribution at the Centre.
