The following is an excerpt from Bishop Jane Alexander's Charge to the 61st Synod, in which she introduced "The Barnabas Initiative":

"In order for the diocese to be a collegial resource filled community, I believe that as a Diocese we need to think about how we plan and build for the future and aid the ministries we have. We have looked at aided ministry in the past, but I would like to attach a different label to the ministry and to change focus so that we pull ourselves out of Maintenance and into Mission. Therefore, I would like to see the development of what I am calling the Barnabas Initiative. This initiative is one of encouragement and support.  I think we need a resource team – not to provide centralized ministry, far from it,  but to exist so that across the diocese we can provide extra input in developing and equipping ministry. Some of this may take the form of something new and sometimes it is to bring about renewal and growth in an existing parish or ministry.

 

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So, my sleep schedule is still out of whack, which means that I have spells of narcolepsy, head banging off the keyboard of my laptop, mixed with insomnia, tossing and turning and praying for the blessing of sleep.  At 6am yesterday, I was wide awake with nothing to do for four and a half hours, and I thought I might go out with my camera and explore Sheffield as it awakes...