"We need to have a sense of seeing the hope in the big picture, along with feeling the pain in the now," he said.
"We have a genuine sense that God hasn't finished with us yet, but we need to change while we have the energy and resources to do so."
In an analogy with business, the change would be like realising capital from existing operations to invest in future operations.
Fewer people were attending Anglican services, he said, and they were an ageing group. Finances were challenging and there was a lot of duplication, with similar services held in different churches at the same time.
On top of that, Christ Church and St Oswald's probably needed work to make them earthquake-proof.
Whanganui Anglicans are not the only ones facing these problems, Mr Goodin said, but they are the first that he knows of to approach the issues in this way. He said others would need to do something similar in future.
The team making the proposals is made up of clergy and parishioners, with Palmerston North's Nigel Dixon representing the Bishop of the Wellington Anglican Diocese, Justin Duckworth.
The outcome is still open-ended and feedback is being received by email, in writing or in discussion with group members.
The future may not be like what the church is doing now. There are hints of what it might entail in the 10-page proposal document, with one suggestion for a "modern monastic-style community" based at the St Luke's vicarage - now rented out.
Another is the notion of differences between "traditional-style" services and "contemporary/family-style services" and "upbeat informal (non eucharistic) services".
The proposal document hints at past conflict over the name of Christ Church, which "may be a symbolic impediment to coming together". It recommends changing the name and is seeking ideas. It is also looking for a new name for the combined parish.
