A Little Bit of Chaos

It's a bit chaotic down at the office at the moment. At Peter Mann house on our groundfloor are the administrative staff, and upstairs we have a library and offices for our ministry educators.While those who administer are performing a vital ministry without which none of the rest of us could function properly, I think the present arrangement gives the wrong signal. When most of our people utter the phrase "Diocese of Dunedin", I think they think of administration and desks and bits of paper. I have long hoped for something else. So we are moving the downstairs folk upstairs and the upstairs folk down.

It looks a bit of a mess at the moment, but in a few weeks, what people will see when they enter the Diocesan Office is a library, comfy chairs and small tables around which people may sit and gather and meet. There will be a retractable screen and an unobtrusive data projector and access to the vast collection of excellent resources built up over many years by Alec Clark. We will have a daily program of worship, open to those who work in the building and whoever else wants to join us. I hope that between Alec, Benjamin Brock Smith, John Franklin, Bronwyn Miller and myself we can produce a program of ministry enhancing events that people will wish to take advantage of. I intend that Peter Mann House will be a place where people will feel welcome to sit for a while if they are visiting Dunedin (or, for that matter, if they live here) and have a cup of coffee and chat. I hope it will be a relaxed and friendly and invigorating environment for our truly superb administrative staff to spend their days in.

There will be a little period of chaos while we sort it all out, and I hope that no-one will be much inconvenienced; Mostly I hope that the chaos will resolve into enhanced ministry in the Office and throughout the Diocese. Why not drop by and have a look next time you are passing?

Comments

Anonymous said…

That's a good, positive development - floreat. If the church is not first of all about helping people find faith, grow in faith, and praying for others 'outside the circle', then it's got its priorities wrong, and projecting a sincere welcome in Jesus is essential.
The Catholics had a good library many years ago in the Moran building in the Octagon, but I don't think it exists any more, or it has moved elsewhere.

6 July 2011 at 18:50

Peter Carrell said…

How come you get to choose when you have chaos? Why not have an earthquake to help things along? :)

6 July 2011 at 21:54

Anonymous said…

"How come you get to choose when you have chaos? Why not have an earthquake to help things along? :)"

Teenage kids work just as well.

7 July 2011 at 02:23

Elaine Dent said…

What a great rearranging project. Also like the cross window with the city street outside....

7 July 2011 at 22:02

spirit2go team said…

sounds great. love the welcome evoked, threaded with the rythym of prayer. i love reading this blog and sensing change, not from pragmatism, but deeply spiritual places

a breathe of fresh air

steve
www.emergentkiwi.org.nz

7 July 2011 at 22:24

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