By Ruth Lawlor
On the evening of 13 December, Dr Chris Cotter and I sat back after the final Preparation and Consultation Meeting for the Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Council and relaxed. For almost six months, we had both been visiting as many groups of people in Sandhurst as we could manage. We wanted to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to be involved in the process. It was an exhausting endeavour, but one that we both considered incredibly important for the future of the Diocese. From our first parish and school visits in Wodonga, to the final meetings held online, we have met passionate and committed people who care deeply and shared their stories, hopes and fears with openness and courage.
One of the questions from a school group has stuck with me. The group asked a simple question, “Why did you come here?” This could be interpreted in different ways, and if I hadn’t been in the room and heard the question in person, it may have come across as a negative statement. But the wonderful thing about these responses is that we have met the people who wrote them, and therefore had more context to understand what was really being asked.
These students asked if what they said mattered to the process. They wanted to know if it would have any impact; and there was an element of surprise that we had travelled to hear their thoughts in particular. This is one of the most important reminders for all of those involved in the future of the Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Council. People across the Diocese want to be involved but, so that we can make their involvement really count, we need to meet people where they are and not expect them to make the journey to us.
Many people spoke positively of their memories of past Diocesan Pastoral Councils. In sharing this, there was always a hint of fear and cynicism about what this new Mission and Pastoral Council will be able to achieve and what its long-term impact will be.
The reality is that none of us knows what is coming in the future. We have learned that over the last few years with bushfires, COVID-19 and, more recently, floods. To focus on what negative things might happen is natural and is something I regularly faced during the consultations. But on the other side, the simple fact that people still showed up to be consulted fills me with great hope.
Even in fear, anxiety and distrust, people still care enough to be involved in the process for the future. It is true we do not know what is to come, but the response from the people in the Diocese clearly reminds us that it doesn’t mean we don’t try. We keep moving forward. We keep reaching out to those with whom we haven’t been able to consult. We work together to move forward in hope.
At times it was challenging to be faced with cynicism, disagreement and the voices of people who are unhappy with the way the process has been run. It is very clear that the Church in Sandhurst is not perfect and there is still a lot of work to be done as we journey towards synodality. It is my hope that this report may open the doors to what can come next through the Diocesan Assembly and the future Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Council.
Opening those doors and keeping them open will be one of the challenges the future Council will need to address. The responses gathered from across the Diocese very clearly demonstrate the great desire to reach outwards, beyond the regular attendees. We may not have been able to consult with as wide a group of people as we desired, but that does not mean their contribution was not made.
In every consultation I was able to attend, it became very clear that there is a great longing for the church to do more to reach out and to understand the lives of those who are not present in the pews. After listening to and reading through the many responses we received, if I was to take away one thing, it is that people desire those that were not present in the meetings to have a voice in the future of the Church. The process may not have allowed for this at this time, but I have great faith that the Diocese is full of people who are looking beyond the Church door and are willing to listen and learn from those not present. The responses suggest this will be a part of the future Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Council’s agenda.
Travelling around the Diocese has been, for me, a wonderful privilege. This short reflection does not do justice to how much it has impacted me, both professionally and on a personal level; to be able to meet with people and learn from them. From the beginning it was clear that the journey was an important step in “going forth” for the Diocese of Sandhurst. It is definitely not the last step.
The new SMPC will need to be committed to continuing the Listening and Dialogue cycle which has already begun. Council members will need to actively work together with the people of Sandhurst to continue walking together in synodality.
