Looking for all the places to meet God: Something significant needs to happen
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article39892
- Author
- Jenkins, Kristin
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2010 December
- Author
- Jenkins, Kristin
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2010 December
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 10
- Page
- 6
- Notes
- A conversation between editor Kristin Jenkins and Bishop Michael Bird. "Bishop Michael Bird, of the diocese of Niagara is a glass half full kind of guy. He has only been in the job for two and a half years, so one could argue that he's just not tired enough yet. But spend some time with the man, and you come away certain this is not lip service. 'Everything can be seen as a negative or as an opportunity', he says". "Instead, he supports the notion that the way forward lies in the process of taking risks and then sharing the stories. Making mistakes is inevitable, he adds, and if you don't share the stories, you could miss something important. 'We don't always know what success looks like', he explains. 'Sometimes, the things that look like mistakes or failures may actually be the first step in some great breakthrough'." "A vision for the diocese began to emerge. It had five distinct areas of focus, like petals on a flower. They include outstanding leadership for ministry; continuous culture of innovation; life-changing worship; a generous culture of stewardship; and prophetic social justice making". "It's no longer enough to expect people to come to us, he points out. 'We've got to encounter people and we've got to do it with humility. We need to listen to people and meet them on common ground, such as care for the environment'." "In the end, he says, it's really about the conversation. 'I really believe that we meet God in the dialogue, in the journey, and I think that in fact that's part of being Christian. 'It's not so much about feeding people the right answers', he adds. It's about walking with them on the journey. That's where we meet God'."
- Subjects
- Bird, Michael A. (Michael Allan), 1957-
- Anglican Communion - Bishops - Office
- Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of Niagara
- Mission of the church - Anglican Church of Canada
- Change - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Conversation - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Leadership - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Location
- General Synod Archives