Bishop Harold speaks at General Synod Mission Breakfast
Bishop Harold Miller spoke about Down and Dromore’s Year of Mission at the General Synod Mission Breakfast in Armagh this morning. This is an annual event hosted by the Church of Ireland Council for Mission.
After sharing the gospel reading for the day, the bishop set the scene saying that, “Mission is exercised in the ordinary things. It’s everything God is sending us to do in our particular context.” He continued: “The church will ultimately be built by ordinary people carrying the presence of Jesus Christ into their everyday lives and if we are are willing to do that, he will bring us into all sorts of interesting situations.”
In 2012 the Down and Dromore Diocesan Synod unanimously passed a motion to designate 2015 a ‘Year of Mission’ and Bishop Harold shared three images that encapsulated his vision for the year.
Firstly, he said that he wanted the diocese to be “turned inside–out,” meaning that, together, we should face outwards, rather than being consumed by our own parochial needs and preoccupations. Secondly, he urged parishes to begin to see everything through a “missional filter” – questioning all our activities, our use of money, our worship and welcome.Thirdly, the bishop had issued a challenge to the diocese to move from plateau to growth and, indeed, to believe that growth was possible.
Bishop Harold emphasised that, even though this was a diocesan initiative, mission had to happen at local, parish level. “Our job,” he said, “is to pass on the faith to the next generation.”
Click here to see some photos.