Being Church offers ideas and strategies, based on real experience and detailed reflection, on processes that offer support and challenge to church leaders and especially clergy, whether parish clergy, or diocesan advisers, or bishops. Through the guiding metaphor of Presiding the book shows how to empower the laos, the whole people of God, clergy and laity together. It gives guidance on drawing out confident leadership, centred discipleship, mutual affirmation, a sense of being on a journey towards and with God, discerning local churches direction, sense of identity, and the courage to

Cover; Praise for this Book; Title page; Imprint; Dedication; Table of contents; About the author; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Finding how to be Church again: key virtues of a God-centred Christian community; 2. God's people on the move: genuine innovation requires a new way of seeing everything; 3. A listening Church: learning from the wisdom of mystics and organizational theorists; 4. Learning together: choosing cooperation rather than competition; 5. Formed in the walking of Jesus: community formed in encountering and being healed by Jesus. 6. From strategies to virtues: choosing and living practices to build the Church's character and purpose7. Grown-up Church: maturing through personal and corporate awareness; 8. The unresolved dilemma: baptismal promises and ordination vows; 9. Virtues and habits of churches and priests: taking responsibility together for being Church; 10. Spirit-led community: growing in hospitality and love through sharing in the Eucharist; 11. Open and pastoral: Church as the giving and receiving of love; 12. Communicating: letting down barriers and being real