St. Johns Update 28th August 2016

Post date: Oct 30, 2016 5:46:24 PM

Thank you to all those who attended the FTiH ‘To Whom Can WE Be A Neighbour To’ meeting on Sunday 28^th August – it is appreciated. We will continue to have discussions for those who want them after Mass during the coffee morning. On Sunday 25th September after 9:30 Mass we will again have a more formal meeting within the church – all are welcome and your voice is important. A summary of information of all meetings and what people have said is below.

Please Note: Any errors in this communication I apologise in advance and please let me, Jerry Laidler (07801452372), know and I will correct.

Q1) Which parishes in your area do you feel should work together in a new partnership arrangement?

St. Paul’s (Cramlington), St. Bede’s (Bedlington), Our Lady & St. Joseph, (New Hartley), Sacred Heart (North Gosforth). Also, with St. Paul’s Church of England (Dudley) and possibly care homes.

Some have suggested to ‘look towards the deanery and beyond’ – What do you think of this?

Initial contact has been made with the above parishes based on the following invitation:

‘… We wanted to reach out to you and ask would you consider trying to develop a partnership between our parishes.

We know it is early days in the next phase of the Forward Together in Hope (FTiH) process and we understand you, like ourselves, will still be canvassing feedback from parishioners.

But we are more than happy to start the process if convenient and acceptable to yourselves.

Even if we do not start the process formally, maybe we can start to share any good practices that you are performing in your parish – and vice-versa …”

We will continue to reach out to these parishes and any other community that you think would be a candidate for a partnership.

Q2) What areas of parish life could lay people take on responsibility for in the future?

In summary, the general consensus is ‘Everything except the sacraments’.

In addition, some ideas/comments put forward are: