Parish Redistricting

Parish 31? What happened to Parishes 1 through 6? And what precipitated these changes?

These references to parish redistricting may have you confused… here’s the back story.

Parishes at Tenth were designed to provide spiritual care for members and help us bear one another’s burdens, both physical and spiritual. Each parish is led by a Parish Elder, who oversees the spiritual well-being of the church members who live in his parish. He is assisted by a Parish Council, comprised of all elders/deacons/deaconesses who reside in the parish. Small groups that meet within the parishes provide another important element of spiritual care.

The Kingdom Discipleship Commission (KDC) works behind the scenes to support parish ministry and stimulate member involvement. Since the 2016 congregational survey, which identified some concerns regarding member care, we have been evaluating parish structure and encouraging parish leaders to shepherd well. KDC even compared the geographic spread of Tenth members/officers and contrasted the lifestyles/involvement of urban/suburban members. From these conversations with parish leaders, we are replacing six numbered parishes with five parishes based on geographic boundary lines.

Metro Parish (short for Metropolitan) includes Center City, South Philly, and West Philly. This combines many of the Tenth College Fellowship students and Tenth City Network young adults with those who live in an urban environment. Western Suburbs Parish includes eastern Delaware County with the Main Line communities, using Route 320 as a western line of demarcation. Brandywine Parish is further west, including Delaware, Chadds Ford, and West Chester before reaching the Schuylkill River on the northern side. Above Girard Avenue, Northern Tier Parish stretches from the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers, up toward the Canadian border. Although some believe that New Jersey is “the Promised Land,” calling it Jersey Parish seems more clear and less contentious.

The parishes may have new names, but their mission remains unchanged—to provide spiritual care for Tenth members and help bear one another’s burdens, both physical and spiritual.

Check out the Small Group map to find a small group in your new parish.

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