Horizons 2015: The Journey to the Future

At the 225th Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of Maryland in 2009, the Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton said in his convention address, “I call for us to dream big dreams, and then discern which of those dreams we will choose to direct the bulk of our energies and resources. …we will take special care to return to and draw upon our diocesan history and traditions… Our ancestors are going to point the way for our future.”

Sunrise. Bishop Sutton called on every congregation and organization to name a Horizons lay representative to be a part of a year-long Horizons Gathering discernment process. In many cases these were people new to a leadership role in the diocese. A grassroots effort, it was essential that Horizons be a laity-driven process. Clergy members were invited into the process as were diocesan ministry and mission representatives. The Mission Strategy Group oversaw the process, hosting two large group meetings at the Bishop Claggett Center and several area meetings around the diocese. The group numbered around 160 members.

The Rev. Can. C.K. Robertson (Chuck), canon to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, was the 2009 keynote speaker and facilitator of the year-long Horizons discernment process

The Horizons Process

Over the course of the year, Robertson facilitated two Horizons Gathering meetings, October 2, 2009 and February 27, 2010. It was out of these meetings, plus several late-fall area meetings held around the diocese for the general public’s input, that the priorities of the diocese were created.

In addition, people across the diocese discovered commonality with others whom they might never have connected with but for the Horizons process. They began to network with one another and developed ideas and potential priorities. This was a surprising result of the process and one that can only benefit mission and ministry.

The eight priorities discerned by Horizons were presented by the Mission Strategy Group, as its last official act, to Diocesan Council on March 6, 2010. After some deliberation by Council, five final priorities and a list of “norms” that encompass three of the original eight presented, were voted on. Diocesan Council unanimously adopted the five Horizons priorities and list of norms.

Click here to view the final list of priorities

Horizons 2015

Recognizing that each of these priorities are not new ideas in the diocese or in the Episcopal Church, one of the first steps will be to find out who is doing the work outlined in the priorities and how that can be upheld and multiplied. Also, bringing new voices and ideas to the table is crucial to the success of Horizons 2015.

Two of the priorities, Christian Formation and Education, have task forces already in place: the Christian Formation Council and the Bishop’s Task Force on Public Education, respectively. The other three, Proclamation, Evangelism and Action, will need leadership and action groups formed.

According to Bishop Sutton the plan is for Town Hall Meetings to be held in the fall across the diocese. It is out of these meetings that names will be gathered for task forces and teams. These groups will then set the goals to fulfill the priorities set forth by the Horizons 2015 process. All are welcome to join the discussion and become a part of the diocese’s future.

Join a Horizons Task Force! Download, complete and return this Application Form (Adobe PDF file)

Horizons Town Hall Meetings

Sunrise. Resources

Follow the links below to view the resources used during the Horizons process

About the Horizons Area Gatherings
Minutes and presentations fromt he Horizons Area Gatherings

Reflection materials
2009 and 2010 Convention addresses by Bishops Sutton and Rabb, 2009 Convention keynote address and presentation by Canon Charles Robertson, and more.

The Horizons 2015 Priorities