"Vision" of the Diocese of CNY

Our Vision: "To be the passionate presence of Christ for one another and the world we are called to serve."

Our Mission: "To restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ" (BCP p. 855, from An Outline of the Faith).

We will do this by:

† Being committed not to mere survival, but by being a vibrant, vital Church for the people of the 21st century. We will be a Church grounded in the mystery of Christ; deeply prayerful; prophetic (as in daring to speak the truth even when difficult); offering radical hospitality; and, filled with infinite respect.

† Addressing the spiritual crisis in our midst. The main thing has too often ceased to be the main thing, as in keeping ourselves centered on God. We must be a clear vehicle of the Holy Spirit for the transformation of ourselves and all God's people. Our Diocesan Formation Program will be central in training leadership, lay and ordained, for this age. We will reclaim our baptismal promises as the basis for our ministry, reclaim our passion as the people of God and once again astonished by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

† The Diocesan Board owning its call "to articulate the mission of the Diocese, formulate strategies to carry out that mission?" We will be willing to encourage and enable all of us to make the at times hard decisions necessary to better live out the ministry of the Gospel in Central New York.

† Being clear about who we are as a Diocese. No longer are we working primarily a one priest/one parish model. In addition, out of 105 churches, 69 are part-time, 60 are in some sort of decline.

† Always becoming more mission oriented. We will develop mission teams in cooperation with district structures to better support ongoing ministries and strategize for newly forming ministries arising among us. To this end we will exercise flexible deployment policies. The Diocesan Formation Program will prepare people for ministry who are committed to this perspective. One of our mission priorities needs to be with youth, 21 years and younger.

† Seeking to live by the example of Jesus as we seek to touch and be touched by the lives of the alienated, the un-churched, the least, the so-called unclean, disenfranchised and marginalized.

† Having a Commission on Ministry that incarnates Title III of the Canons of the Episcopal Church to be more deeply faithful as we better prepare people for living out the ministry of all the baptized for this time.

† Supporting and developing a viable ministry of the diaconate that will be a cornerstone for ministry in Central New York. We will have deacons in every parish who will assist us in being the Church's conscience for interpreting the needs of the world to the Church and keeping us connected to the communities we are called to serve. They will enable the ministry of all the baptized.

† Continuing to develop a Diocesan Staff each of whom clearly understands her or his role as servant, being available to the parishes of the Diocese to assist the people of God in the work they are called to do. In so doing we will help instill confidence among us in the stewardship of our resources; the development of faith-filled and excellent leadership; communication to share the stories of God working among us and how we live together as the Body of Christ in Central New York; ministry to and with youth that continues gathering young people from around the diocese, yet is focused on locally based ministry; new mission opportunities for service and growth; and, deployment strategies which recognize the needs of individual parish communities along with the wider mission of the Diocese and the realities of Central New York.

† Beginning preparation for a capital campaign to develop the resources necessary to carrying out our vision.

† Having a clear and unwavering commitment to being a Safe Church for everyone who walks through our doors and all to whom and with we minister in Christ's name.
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