Sydney Synod Commits to Ministry in Socially Disadvantaged Areas

One of the motions we passed yesterday was something I’ve been working on for quite a while, “Ministry in socially disadvantaged areas”

Ministry in socially disadvantaged areas

Synod –

(i) noting the “Dropping off the Edge 2015” report by Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia which observes “consistent place-based disadvantage” in Australia and that in NSW “a significant number of postcodes have remained depressed for long periods demonstrating the persistent, entrenched nature of the disadvantage experienced by these communities”,

(ii) noting the Anglicare August 2015 Parish Disadvantage Report which –

(A) highlights the fact that successful ministry in such areas of disadvantage require particularly focused targeting of resources from outside those areas, and

(B) recommends that the Diocese, both corporately and from individual parishes, should consider how best to provide those resources,

(a) thanks God for the work of Anglicare, Anglican Aid and other diocesan organisations and units which currently deliver, support and partner with such ministries,

(b) requests the Standing Committee to produce a report on how the Diocese may best support ministry in places of disadvantage in the most deliberate, effective and co-ordinated manner, including the best way to recruit, train and support leadership in these areas.

(c) requests the Standing Committee to report back to Synod at its next session on what is required to implement such a program of support.

(Bishop Peter Hayward/The Rev David Ould)

We have, essentially, committed ourselves to putting resources in a deliberate way into ministry in these harder areas. At Break the Cycle, Glenquarie, we’re doing our best in our specific area and, of course, others are also doing great work but I’m looking forward to being involved in setting up a far more coordinated approach.

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Ron Johnson

    Well, what resources and support are being poured into Berkeley? There is a desperate situation that needs help before it goes belly up.

  2. MichaelA

    Hi David, this is interesting and happy to see anything more that you post on this topic.

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