Strategic Priorities and Marks of Mission

The Diocese of New Westminster has aligned 10 strageic priorities (in italics) with the five marks of mission (bolded) of the Anglican Communion.

International. “The mission of the Church is the Mission of Christ” (Vision Statement – Five Marks of Mission, ACC 8, 1990)

National. “A people seeking to know, love, and follow Jesus in serving God’s mission.” (Vision Statement – Anglican Church of Canada, Vision 2019)

Local. “Growing communities of faith in Jesus Christ to serve God’s mission in the world.” (Vision Statement – Diocese of New Westminster, Plan 2018)

Priority 1. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom.

  • Renewing our worship. Relevant Anglican worship for people of all ages, at all life stages and from diverse communities; new approaches to worship while maintaining tradition.
  • Nurturing the parish community. Inviting and welcoming new people and all members of the parish to ensure vitality and sustainability.
  • Building a community of parishes. Stronger relationship between parishes, the Synod office, the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Anglican Communion.

Priority 2. To teach, baptize and nurture new believers.

  • Nurturing spiritual journeys. Personal spiritual development; being open to spiritual seekers; connecting with nature; spirituality in other faiths; our West Coast context.
  • Supporting Christian education. Understanding Christian faith; Christian education that brings people together to learn and to grow in community.
  • Deepening Anglican understanding. Anglican and Canadian Anglican tradition, theology, worship, practises; personal faith journey as Anglicans.

Priority 3. To respond to human need by loving service.

  • Participating in local communities. Initiatives and partnerships in the local community that bring life to the social mission of the church.

Priority 4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society.

  • Addressing issues of poverty. Poverty, homelessness, and addictions/mental health; partnerships; compassionate service offerings; increasing awareness and understanding of the issues.
  • Cultivating interfaith understanding. Interfaith relationships and dialogue leading to greater harmony, respect and understanding among faith groups.

Priority 5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

  • Caring for God’s creation. Action on environmental issues.