Parish Boundaries?

Before cars, parish boundaries were of some relevance. Peoples' worlds were smaller and they travelled less, particularly on Sundays. With easy transport and cheap communication, people are able to maintain a social network that bears little connection with geography. For Christians, it means you can drive 40 minutes to be at at church with your friends.

The reality from the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) is that about 50% of people travel 10 minutes or less to get to their church. This means that for most churches, most of their congregation does not come from their parish area. The boundaries are completely irrelevant in the secular world and for church life.

I suppose the parish system is helpful to ensure that people aren't 'missed out'. There is always a church that is taking responsibility for a particular area.

The dark side of the parish boundaries is when they are used as an exclusion zone. This way of thinking has resulted in mission for an area being left up to the local parish, even when it is clear that the local parish is in no way doing the task of mission or does not have the capacity to reach those around them. Put a few of these parishes together and you end up with a 'burnt out' patch. Our church ordinance for Recognised Churches should make it clear that our diocese is on about doing ministry and even planting churches in someone else's 'patch'.

The whole parish boundary system seems ridiculous as an 'exclusion zone' when you think of there being other churches and religious groups in the area anyway. The Catholics, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the Unitings, the Mormons and the Buddhists know nothing of my parish boundaries and sure don't consider them an exclusion zone!

In summary the parish boundaries are a region of particular responsibility, but are not the sum total of our mission field and certainly should not be used as an exclusion zone. What are your thoughts?

The picture below shows the travel times to our church. Inside the red is less that 5 minutes, inside the blue is less than 10 minutes and inside the green is less than 20 minutes. It is likely that only half our congregation members will come from inside the blue area. Click on the map for a larger version.

Some links:

Bishop Ray Smith's article about many issues that face our church, including the parish boundaries under the heading "Developing New Structures vs Maintaining Existing Structures". It is six years old, but still relevant.

The issue is a big one in the UK with parish boundaries regarded as no-go zones. See what is said in this 'covenant' under the heading "Action' for a little on the issue.

Article about St Paul's Carlingford planting outside their traditional parish boundaries.

Christ Church St George, an Anglican church with no parish boundaries!