The LLF journey is now moving from a ‘listening’ phase to a ‘discernment’ phase, as the bishops reflect on what they have heard from the people of the Church of England as well as through their own engagement with the LLF resources, with Scripture and the tradition of the Church. During the autumn of 2022, the College of Bishops will gather for three residential meetings to meet, talk, reflect and pray together. They will seek to discern and articulate what the Spirit is saying to the Church as they consider these important questions and what it means to live in love and faith together.
Following these three College of Bishops gatherings, the bishops will share the outcomes of their discernment with General Synod in February 2023.
The overview
The Living in Love and Faith resources are to enable the whole Church to embark on a journey together. The journey has four stages:
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Learning together about the subject matter, about each other, about God and about our calling as a Church. |
→ 30 April 2022 |
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Listening to what is emerging from our learning together about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage and about our life together as church communities and as a national Church. |
→ September 2022 |
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Discerning what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today. |
→ December 2022 |
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Deciding how discernment is translated into a way forward for the Church. |
→ February 2023 |
The roadmap
Here is a more detailed road map of the journey, including how members of General Synod will be invited to engage:
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Sep 21 |
College of Bishops |
Bishops committed themselves to a series of conversations in regional groups, ‘Centred on Christ: Conversations on the Way’, to prepare for discernment and decision-making regarding Vision and Strategy, Organisational Change, and LLF. |
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Nov 21 |
General Synod |
Provide a guide to LLF for new members; an update; ‘Passing the Baton’ reflections from Synod members of the previous quinquennium; the LLF Road Map. |
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Dec 21 |
House of Bishops |
Reflect on the extent of church-wide engagement and consider how to prepare for the discernment process. |
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Feb 22 |
General Synod |
Reflect on and engage with the Pastoral Principles. |
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Spring 22 |
Diocesan Synods |
An opportunity to reflect on engagement in dioceses so far and the role of Diocesan Synods in shaping the Church’s discernment process. Resources and a process will be offered. |
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30 Apr 22 |
‘Listening to the |
Feedback closed |
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May 22 |
House of Bishops |
Reflect on Diocesan Synods’ engagement and its implications for the process of discernment. |
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Jul 22 |
General Synod |
Engage with LLF in small groups with creative and reflective elements. |
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Sep 22 |
‘Listening to the |
The findings of ‘Listening to the Whole Church’ and the resource, ‘The Gift of the Church’, are published in a variety of media. |
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Sep 22 |
College of Bishops |
Begin the discernment process in the light of the LLF Book, the findings of ‘Listening to the Whole Church’ and ‘The Gift of the Church’. |
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Oct 22 |
College of Bishops |
Work on proposals for a way forward, indicating the implications for formal decision-making. |
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Dec 22
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College & House of Bishops |
Finalise proposals and reflect on what is needed to support the decision-making processes in General Synod. |
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Feb 23 |
General Synod |
Consider proposals from the College and House of Bishops and agree a clear direction of travel. |
The vision for the LLF process: What is our hope?
Recently, the Next Steps Group considered what it would look like for our deepest hopes for the LLF journey to have been met. They are:
- Participation
There has been the widest possible participation across the whole Church. We have engaged in deep learning together about God and about being human.
- Relationships
We have learned to be kinder, understanding one another’s perspectives better. We have become more at ease with ourselves as a Church.
- Outcome
Everyone can see that they have been listened to, heard, loved, and taken seriously. The Spirit’s work among us has resulted in a revelation of something new, unexpected.
- The Future
Our deeper understanding and love will enable us to face new questions in a better way. We are hopeful as we move into the future together in love and faith.
The Next Step Group
A Living in Love and Faith Next Steps Group has been formed, led by the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally. The task of this group is to:
- Encourage participation in using the LLF learning resources as widely as possible
- Listen attentively to what is emerging from the learning across the diocese
- Explore possibilities for our life together as a Church
- Plan into the future as discernment leads to decision-making in 2022.
The Next Steps Group will support dioceses:
- with facilitation resources and training to help churches create safe spaces for learning
- in promoting the creative sharing of feedback and reflections from churches’ learning together
- by coordinating initiatives and sharing good practice
- by helping bishops and their senior staff to capture and listen to the emerging learning across their diocese.
The Next Steps Group will encourage each diocese to appoint one or more ‘LLF Advocates’ who will be supported by the Next Steps Group and whose responsibility will be to encourage as much participation as possible in their diocese.
Finally, the Next Steps Group will rely on a Reference group of diverse people across dioceses to assist them with their work.
Who are the members of the Next Steps Group?
- The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally (Chair)
- The Bishop of Fulham, the Rt Rev Jonathan Baker
- The Bishop of Grantham, the Rt Rev Nicholas Chamberlain
- The Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Rev Karen Gorham
- The Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley
- The Bishop of Warrington, the Rt Rev Bev Mason
- The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev Philip Mounstephen
- The Bishop of Bradwell, the Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath
- The Bishop of Maidstone, the Rt Rev Rod Thomas
The terms of reference for this group are available online.
The Next Steps Group will rely on a Reference group of diverse people across dioceses to assist them with their work.