Connect09, the diocese-wide evangelistic campaign, has gone live on the web at www.connect09.com.
The website is not designed to be an evangelistic tool, but is aimed at preparing churches and congregations for the campaign.
"Prayer and planning is the phase we're in now" says Connect09 Executive Director Andrew Nixon, "and the new website reflects that with information to help us pray and ideas to get the ball rolling in your area."
The website features Connect09 news updates, and articles and insights from prominent thinkers in the Diocese including Archbishop Peter Jensen, and Bishop Al Stewart.
Visitors to the website can join the Connect09 prayer forum, and subscribe to an Connect09 E-bulletin, which includes news updates and prayer points.
Also available through the website is an ideas page where Sydney Anglicans can share Connect09 strategies and suggestions, as well as resources.
Available soon will be a facility for online donations to the Connect09 campaign.
"As the focus shifts to preparation later in the year there will be further details of the resources available and how others are planning to Connect in 09," he says.
Another website for non-Christians will be launched at the start of 2009.
Plans for Connect09 Prayer Day
Congregations across the diocese are being urged to designate Sunday, June 1 as a prayer day for Connect09.
From the start of June, parishes will be receiving a ‘Community Connections’ pack, which will allow churches to delve deeply into the profile of their community via a set of detailed statistics covering age, income, cultural background and employment.
The research, funded by Anglicare and undertaken by the NCLS, will help in the planning of outreach including door-to-door and reaching specific people groups.
Archbishop Peter Jensen has urged all congregations to pray and to look around at their area in preparation for the 2009 campaign and says the ‘Connect’ pack is a great aid to prayer and an essential tool in ministry strategy.
“Remember that the focus is on our neighbours; the focus is on our street, our suburb, our town. Wherever it is that we live, that's our focus.”
Although the Archbishop says prayer must be “sustained and continuous because really we are doing God's work….” the Connect09 prayer day will be the first focussed opportunity for all churches to be praying on the one day.
Prayers and publicity material will soon be distributed to parishes and will be also available on the Connect09 website - www.connect09.com
