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Mission Action Toolkit

The Mission Action Toolkit is a set of resources that can help any church, of whatever tradition, size, context or type, to join in with responding to the missional aims of the Diocesan Vision. If you would like to know more about the Diocesan Vision and its missional aims, you can do so here.

The Toolkit is based on Mission Action Planning for the Diocese of Derby, which we have been using since 2010 to help churches grow as healthy, worshipping communities that engage in God's mission in the world. However, it is a more focused, streamlined toolkit that is flexible and light-tough enough for any church to use. Churches can use the Toolkit in many different ways and adapt it to suit their own context and style.

The Toolkit isn't another thing to do or an extra initiative. It is a process to help with that which has always been central to the identity, calling and purpose of every single expression of church - to engage in God's mission in the world. It can help churches to acknowledge and celebrate what God is already doing in and through them in mission, and to hear God's call to grow and develop in their mission further.

The Toolkit consists of six core resources, which are all downloadable below. More resources will be added in the future, and all the resources of the existing full MAP process, found in these pages, are also available to use with the Mission Action Toolkit.

• Quick Start Guide - an accessible introduction to the Mission Action Toolkit, suitable for anyone in the church.
• Introduction for Church Leaders - a more detailed guide intended for use by any church leader, lay or ordained.
• Missional Aims Summary - a single-sheet overview of the different aspects of each missional aim.
• Resource Sheets - a rich set of theological reflections, discussion questions, prayers and ideas for actions for every aspect of our missional aims.
• Questionnaire - one way in which to gather information from the church as a part of the Mission Action Toolkit process.
• Action Sheet - a way of recording and tracking the actions a church decides to undertake.

The Mission Action Toolkit is designed to be adapted and used independently by any church. However, help and support is available to help churches as they use the Toolkit. To find help, please send an email to missioner@derby.anglican.org.

Missional aims videos

Please watch and enjoy these five-minute videos, each offering a light Biblical reflection by  Revd Jason Kennedy on one aspect of our missional aims, ‘Transformed Lives’, 'Growing Church' and 'Building Community'.

They form a part of the Mission Action Toolkit, which helps churches to engage with God’s mission in an approachable, practical and flexible way.

The videos can be used for individual reflection, as a light sermon or an introduction to a conversation in small groups or, for example, a Lent group.

Help and Information

For more help and information about MAP for the Diocese of Derby, please please send an email to missioner@derby.anglican.org.

Bishop Alastair writes....

November is a month for remembering the terrible challenge of war – or what we now call ‘military action’.

There are, understandably, many views about the rights and wrongs of war, the priorities for peace, and the best means of combatting evil and promoting goodness. These are important debates, and Christians have much to contribute.

But – beneath debate about options and actions, the reality of war contains a humbling stream of sacrifice for the sake of others. And in this November season of remembering with thanks all who have given or risked their lives for their neighbours, we are publishing a book in the Diocese – ‘Sacrifice Remembered’.

It brings together an amazing and moving collection of memories and reflections from the people of the county – including some of our current primary school children.

If your church has missed the deadline for any returns or would like to submit any updated data for a previous year, they may do so directly to the national team by going to Parish Returns Online (churchofengland.org).

Recording Online Attendance

Every Statistics for Mission return asks for a range of attendance data throughout the year; both an 'average' Sunday attendance throughout the year as well as a more detailed account of October attendance across a range of categories. But how do we do that when people are attending online church?

Measuring attendance of online church is difficult and problematic. Online platforms such as Youtube, Facebook and Zoom do allow content creators to view an analysis of who has viewed their output. However, these figures don't equate well to 'attendance'. Many of those who view will do so only for a few seconds and it still counts as a view; in addition, one single 'view' might represent the attendance of several people who are watching one device in a household.

The national Research and Statistics team of the Church of England have produced some forms and guidance on what and how you can keep track of attendance and they are asking for feedback from churches on how useful and easy to collect this information might be. You can download a simple Excel form that can be used to record information on your online church and attendance at services. It was originally designed for the periods of COVID lockdowns, but may still be useful for general online church.

In addition, the Church of England Digital Team have produced some good articles on how to use the analytics available on each of the major platforms you might be using:
Youtube
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/church-resources/digital-labs/labs-learning-blog/how-use-youtube-analytics
Facebook
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/church-resources/digital-labs/labs-learning-blog/understanding-facebook-insights
Zoom
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/204654719-Getting-Started-with-Dashboard-#h_6a8f039a-5ad2-47b8-b125-39c9c4de3995

General Introduction

Each year the national church asks parishes to collect a range of information about the number of people coming to church through the year and at special times, about baptisms, weddings and funerals, and about the worshipping community of the church.

A huge thank you to all those parishes who have collected and submitted their Statistics for Mission returns for 2020. It really is appreciated! Do start thinking about your 2021 return - you may like to download the collection tools below to help you keep track and make the job at the end of the year easier.

Why collect statistics?

Good quality statistics can present a facts-based window on the world, as well as help predict where things might be heading for the future. They can help with forming strategy, show whether current strategies are working well and highlight where more support might be needed.

Statistics can help us see more clearly what the church and the community we serve is like and inform the planning for the mission and ministry of the church.

Statistics can also help the wider church put her resources in the right place. They can help us to share good news widely, inside and outside the church.

Good statistics are a powerful weapon in the mission and ministry armoury of local parishes, dioceses and the national church. Not for nothing do we call them Statistics for Mission!

If you are new to Statistics for Mission, you can download a helpful introduction here.

How we collect the statistics

In Derby diocese, parishes use the Church of England online Parish Returns system to submit both their Statistics for Mission and Finance data. You can find out more about this system by downloading a short briefing here. The system can be accessed via any web browser - simply go to https://parishreturns.churchofengland.org/. You'll need a username and password to gain access. Each parish has an administrator for the system who can set up, amend and delete users for that parish. If you're not sure who the administrator is for your parish, your deanery administrator should be able to help.

A full and up to date user guide for the parish returns system can be downloaded from within the system.

When should the data be submitted?

Electoral Roll and Easter figures can be entered any time soon after annual general meetings are due to be complete. The rest of the data input opens at the end of September, but much of the information can't be completed until the end of the year. All data must be submitted by the end of January of the following year.

If you need further help and support concerning the collection and submission of the Statistics for Mission return, please contact your deanery administrator.

Statistics Collection Tools

Experience has shown that if parishes collect data week by week through the year, it makes completing the Statistics for Mission return at the end of the year much easier and produces much more accurate results. To help you to do that, we’ve provided some statistics collection tools that you can download from the links below.

These are not extra forms that you have to fill in. If you find them helpful, then please use them, and feel free to adapt them. We don’t need you to submit them – they’re for your convenience and use only.

Attendance Calculator (Excel) - assists in collection Usual Sunday Attendance and October counts, as well as recording figures for Advent, Christmas and Easter. Click the link below for the year you require:
- Attendance Calculator for 2022 data
- Attendance Calculator for 2023 data

Pastoral Care Register (Word) - a simple sample register that can be adapted to help keep track of attendance patterns across various services. Click the link below for the year you require:
- Pastoral Care Register for 2022 data
- Pastoral Care Register for 2023 data

Worshipping Community (PDF) - A document explaining the Worshipping Community statistics; their importance for the church (both locally and more widely), alongside some tips to help collect them.

Worshipping Community List (Excel) – Assists in collecting Electoral Roll, Worshipping Community, Joiners and Leavers figures.

Fresh Expressions Choice Tree (PDF) – A simple tool to help you decide whether you should include a group as a Fresh Expression in your Statistics return.

My father, Walter Mansey, was in the First World War. He was invalided out after being gassed in the battle at Ypres (Wipes as the soldiers called it) of course, we now realise the gassing probably saved his life. He was one of the temporarily blinded soldiers who walked to safety with one arm on the shoulder of the soldier in front.  I have been to Ypres and have seen the trenches and the awful conditions the men fought under – horrific! My going was in the tradition of my father, who, whilst he seldom spoke of his experiences, was keen for his children to understand the horrors of war. To this end he never hid from us the shocking events of World War Two. I would have been 8 or 9 at the time and we then lived on Harvey Road, Alvaston, Derby. My father took us all out one night and told us to look up the road; on the horizon was a great glow of light. He said ‘that is Coventry on fire’. From Coventry to Alvaston the horror of bombing, burning and death was laid upon us. Speaking for all his children, we never forgot.

Celia Walters

I joined the military in September 1939 at the age of twenty. I was in the desert at the end of 1940 in time for the Italian War. After a ‘forced march’ of 36 hours non-stop we captured over 50,000 Italian and German prisoners. Later, I was wounded, captured and taken to a German A.D.S. (Advanced Dressing Station) where I received excellent treatment by a German Surgeon. I was sent to Benghazi Hospital. Our chaps were pushing west again and I was taken from the hospital and joined other prisoners in a cargo boat, two holds down. The German and Italian troops on the boat ostensibly going on leave. Halfway across the Mediterranean we were hit by 2 torpedoes. I miraculously managed to escape from the hold, by climbing up a rope of a hatch tarpaulin, and dived into the sea which was full of fuel oil. The boat sank within minutes. Buoyant deck cargo floated off the boat and I was able to scramble on top, together with German and Italian Military clinging around the sides. I must have been there for about 48 hours, or even longer. Everyone died of their wounds or exhaustion except for me. I landed on the southern tip of Greece virtually unconscious and eventually received help from a Greek farmer. My skin was completely saturated by oil and it took almost a year to rid myself of it.

The story is quite simply a love story between two ordinary working class people set against the backdrop of World War II, unremarkable and similar to a thousand others that took place during that period. What is different is that Eric chose, years later, to commit his memories to paper. When he did this we do not know nor do we know why the manuscript remained hidden until it was found by his wife after his death, when, by his own words this "memorandum of memories" was meant to be read by Ann and himself. Perhaps he had just forgotten that he had written it and it remained out of sight for all of those years, as you can imagine it was very emotional for Ann to read it for the first time and it remained one of her most treasured possessions until her death in 2006.

Wars have come and gone, technology, fashion, music, ideals etc. have all changed since that era but was had remained is that soldiers have and will continue to fall in love and then, somewhere, sometime go off to war.

ROBERT HAMILTON RUSSELL McAUSLAND was born in June 1896 and lived in Derby with his parents.

Local newspaper report shows that he joined a "Comrades Corps" in 1914 which was merged with the 13th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire Regiment) and were quartered at Normanton Barracks, Derby. At some point he became part of the 5th Reserve Battalion, Sherwood Foresters as there is a newspaper report in 1916 showing that he was arrested for being absent without leave, brought before the court and handed over to military escorts.    

Robert (Bert) was killed in action near Ypres in July 1917 whilst serving with the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters. Twelve of his comrades from the 9th Battalion were also killed in the same month.    

The impact of war on the lives of children, usually the innocent victims of appalling adult actions and exploitation, touches all of us who hold any degree of humanity. This piece reflects on evacuation in World War Two and how it affected the lives of young people.

According to the diary of John Robert Sherratt, who lived in Hartington throughout his life, 1900-1977, children were being evacuated from Salford to the village on 1 September 1939, two days before Great Britain declared war on Germany. It is not easy for subsequent generations to imagine how a child must have felt moving from noisy, heavily industrialised cities like Salford to the quiet of a rural farming location like Hartington, let alone the trauma of suddenly being separated from home and family. It must have been as equally traumatic for parents, entrusting young sons and daughters to completely unknown guardians, and it was not uncommon for parents to ‘reclaim’ children after just a few weeks and take them back home. Parents nowadays find it hard to imagine the sudden enforced removal of their children.

When the Second World War broke out in 1939 I was living in Leigh-On-Sea alongside the River Thames in Essex. On June 2^nd 1940 (I was 10 years old) all of the children in that area were evacuated. When we waved goodbye to our parents outside our school we had no idea when we would see them again or where we were going.

We were only allowed to take a change of clothes, our gas masks and sandwiches – no drinks. We also had a label round our necks with our name on.

My brother and I were very fortunate with our foster parents. We lived next door to each other in cottages in Bradbourne, Derbyshire. I can remember the German bombers going over Leigh-On-Sea to bomb London.

Yvonne Grimbly (L’enfant)