Health and Vitality Toolkit

The Health and Vitality toolkit provides Congregations and Faith Communities with an opportunity to reflect on the seven markers of health and vitality, and to discuss ministry and mission within your context.

In April 2025, the Presbytery Standing Committee formed the Strategic Priorities Working Group (hereafter, SPWG1) to engage with and achieve Strategic Priority 1 – Strengthening Congregations. This is the first of four Key Strategic Priorities agreed on by the Synod and Presbytery Standing Committees, in September 2024.

The SPWG1 comprises the Chairs of three Presbytery Committees (the Pastoral Relations Committee, Thrive Mission Committee and Presbytery Property Committee), as well as the following Presbytery staff members: Presbytery Minister (Strategic Priorities), Presbytery Minister (Pastoral) and Presbytery Minister (Mission).

The first action in Strategic Priority 1 – Strengthening Congregations involves identifying Congregations and Faith Communities that are engaging in or have the potential to engage in effective ministry and mission. To progress this action, it is vital that Congregations and Faith Communities are provided with the opportunity to reflect and share information with the SPWG1 about their ministry and mission.

Drawing on wide research, the SPWG1 has identified the following seven markers of health and vitality. Each of these markers represents one of the “essential building blocks” that a Congregation or Faith Community needs (has already or has the potential to develop) to engage in effective ministry and mission.

As a result, the SPWG1 has updated and expanded the Health and Vitality toolkit, which was originally released in February 2025. The toolkit includes most of the original questions and several new questions. For example, new questions about first-time visitors, new Christians, training in faith sharing and disciple making, vision statement, volunteers, visibility, change and conflict, and emerging leaders. All questions are arranged under the relevant marker.

The SPWG1 request that Church Councils in Congregations and leadership teams in Faith Communities discuss and complete the Health and Vitality toolkit together during a meeting. There is also space in the toolkit for your Church Council or leadership team to reflect on the seven markers and identify those markers that are stronger and weaker through a self-assessment. The SPWG1 hopes that the markers and the questions will lead to meaningful and important conversations about ministry and mission within your Congregation or Faith Community.

The SPWG1 are thankful to those Congregations and Faith Communities who completed and returned the original Health and Vitality toolkit during 2025. If your Church Council or leadership team completed the original toolkit, you are welcome to complete and return this updated and expanded toolkit, but you are not required to. However, the SPWG1 may be in contact to ask for further information related to the seven markers or new questions.

If your Church Council or leadership team has not completed a toolkit, please take the opportunity to reflect and share with the SPWG1 information about ministry and mission within your Congregation or Faith Community.

By completing and submitting the Health and Vitality toolkit, you will be assisting the SPWG1 to progress the first action in Strategic Priority 1 – Strengthening Congregations and move to the second and third actions, which involve the Presbytery approaching and consulting with Congregations and Faith Communities, and offering appropriately targeted support and resources where possible.

For any queries about the Health and Vitality toolkit, please contact the Presbytery Minister (Strategic Priorities), Rev Claire Pickering – [email protected], or any member of the SPWG1.

Thank you for taking this time to engage with and assist the Presbytery. The SPWG1 look forward to hearing from your Congregation or Faith Community.

Click the button below to access the Health and Vitality toolkit: