Casting the Net

Holy Trinity is committed to the Diocesan Casting the Net initiative and its Casting the Net group (known as the Mission and Development Group – or the ‘MAD group’, for short) is working hard to develop a strategic plan for the next three to five years.

Casting the Net (based on the story of Jesus telling his disciples to cast the net on the other side of their boat (John 21:6)) is a resource which the diocese has developed in order to encourage and facilitate growth in local congregations. Casting the Net is not so much the name of a ‘programme’ for growth as an ‘emphasis’ or ‘culture’ of growth which, it is hoped, will take root and develop within congregations. Specifically, it is focused on fostering development in the areas covered by the ‘Nine Marks of Mission’ agreed by the diocese:

• Worship that renews and inspires;
• Transformed lives and communities through the good news of Jesus Christ;
• Lifelong Christian nurture: through lifelong learning and mutual support;
• Reaching out to children and young people;
• Rooted in prayer, word and sacrament;
• The welcome of newcomers and celebration of ‘life events’.
• Sharing faith by confident and sensitive evangelism;
• Serving the community in practical ways;
• Ready to seek growth and to cast the net.

The diocesan Casting the Net Action Group seeks to resource, enable and encourage congregations in this process of reorientation. It is hoped that congregations which have engaged with the process will produce, for themselves, a strategic plan with clear, time-focused, aims and objectives for the next three to five years. At Holy Trinity we are well on the way to achieving this.