Resourcing Mission Bulletin

July 2014

Contents

Paper 1: Building up Community without a Community Building By Elizabeth Harrison, Strategic Development Assistant, London Diocese, in conversation with Andrew and Martina Kwapong, Church Community Workers, Tottenham Hale

Paper 2: City Centre Church Plants By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Archie Coates, Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Brighton, and the Revd Ian Dyble, Vicar of St Thomas’s Church, Norwich

Paper 3: Church Growth in an Urban Priority Area By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Sue Wicks, Vicar of St Elisabeth’s Church, Harraby (Carlisle Diocese)

Paper 4: A Fresh Expression of Church on the High Street By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Frances Shoesmith, Team Vicar of St Luke’s in the High Street and Donna Gwilliams (Chelmsford diocese)

Paper 5: Assessing Proposals for Mission in New Housing Areas: A New Tool By the staff of the Resource Strategy and Development Unit, in discussion with the Revd Miles Baker, Peterborough Diocesan Mission Enabler

Further Reading: Guildford diocese’s presentation to diocesan synod on the ‘demographic timebomb’ facing the Church draws on the findings of the Church Growth research project published in From Anecdote to Evidence (http://www.churchgrowthresearch.org.uk/report ) and examines how churches can engage more effectively with those in the 11-25 age band and pass the Gospel on to the next generation. http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/news/story/1265/

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Introduction Tottenham Hale, in the Edmonton area of the diocese of London, is changing dramatically. Three summers ago, the shooting of Mark Duggan on the border of the Ferry Lane estate sparked riots which affected not just the whole of London, but other major cities across the UK as well. The area has high levels of deprivation dating back many years. It’s a place where English is a shared, but second, language for most, where many cultures rub shoulders.

Hale Village has grown up from an industrial brownfield site three years ago, to become a residential area with 8,000 new homes, with a further 8,000 to come. The group of residents has appeared from nowhere, with no common history, and the mixed-use accommodation features housing for students, for larger families, and accessible flats built for people with disabilities. Council housing, privately owned, and rental accommodation make the estate a place of mixed incomes and lifestyles.

Building up Community without a Community Building By Elizabeth Harrison, Strategic Development Assistant, London Diocese

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Bridging the border between two parishes, but a fair walk from either church, the estate seemed to warrant a different approach to ministry. Because of its scale, neither neighbouring parish had the resources to cover the new site. The vision shared by the diocese and by local clergy was that something new would happen in this new place. It was decided to take the significant risk that, in due course, our vision would be shared by others, and to invest in community engagement work in the new development. With that in mind, two community workers were appointed.

The work then formed three phases:

1. Engagement work, examined in this article. This was carried out without a building to work from.

2. Interim centre: In the light of the success of the engagement work, 18 months later we were offered the use of a ground floor flat as an interim community centre. At the same time, discussions began around the provision of a permanent space in the estate.

3. Permanent centre: In the long term, it has been decided that a multi-use centre will be built, housing a church, community centre, café and nursery, in the centre of the finished development. Fundraising for this centre is well underway, with building work expected to start in 2015. The church has a Bishop’s Mission Order1 and will be positioned outside the parochial structure, with a view to forming a new parish based on the estate boundaries in due course.

Aims of the first few years • to informally get to know local residents and create an environment to consult

concerning local provision including activities in the interim and community centre; • to help residents use their own open spaces; • to strengthen relationships with local organizations through partnership.

1 Under the Dioceses Mission and Pastoral Measure 2007, a Bishop’s Mission Order enables a bishop to recognise legally a mission initiative that will lead to a new Christian community – a fresh expression of Church.

Census data for Tottenham Hale, covering the well-established Ferry Lane estate, and the adjacent site that is now Hale Village, showed that in 2011 the area comprised over 5,000 households, including:

• 1,000 single parent households with dependent children • 400 elderly people living on their own • 700 households with dependent children but no adults in employment • 25% of households included someone with a disability or long-term health problem.

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Within a year, Andrew and Martina Kwapong, the church community workers, went from knowing almost nobody, to a position where at the opening of the interim centre, 200 people attended. These were people they knew by name, who felt like neighbours. So how did they do it?

Partnerships and negotiation

They formed partnerships with at least eight local organizations already working on the estate – developers, charities, the local school etc. When they’d worked out the aims and motivations of each, they set about getting themselves known, and building trust. At first they attended events others were running, to serve them and meet local people.

Through negotiation, they were able to make use of a Portakabin, housing centre, shop and grass open spaces owned by others, that had been empty, and collaborate with local charities to run activities for the community. Andrew said “The church isn’t as holistic as we think – we can’t do everything. But we can bring others together to make something new, to everybody’s benefit.”

In all these partnerships, persistence and being present on the estate helped to build credibility, so that organizations began to trust the community workers and what they were doing.

Meeting individuals and families

Andrew said “Don’t think of your formal meetings only as your ministry time – the time chatting to a neighbour on your way to a meeting may be far more valuable. Start your journeys early to make time for these chance encounters, so you can always be available to whoever you meet.”

Walking around the estate with Andrew and Martina, it’s clear that they get to know everyone they meet, from the concierge to the CEO. They certainly weren’t waiting for people to come to them and a non-existent community centre – Andrew recalls visiting an elderly lady one afternoon to dig her new garden, which both meant quality time getting to know her, and an opportunity to say hello to passers-by.

There’s significance in spending time with people in neutral space, or in their own space, before asking them for anything. Andrew speaks of Jesus calling Peter by first spending time with him by his nets, and around his family. Understanding where people are from makes it easy to invite people to join in community activities.

Family is very important – working with the Wildlife Trust, they organized a day of blackberry picking and jam-making. Andrew said “Some parents wanted to leave their children with us, but we encouraged them to stay. Those memories of quality time spent as a family will last for a long time.”

Going to where people are already

When the community work was first started, the houses in Hale Village had not yet been occupied. Reacting to the potential for future conflict between the Ferry Lane estate next door, and Hale Village, Andrew and Martina began their work in Ferry Lane, and since then all activities have been open to residents of both estates, wherever they are hosted.

The best tool for beginning to get to know people was a pop-up café.

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“What’s a pop-up café?”

Put simply, a pop-up café is a couple of gazebos in a space used or accessed by the community and at a time when people use that space. It can easily attract those normally gathered or passing through, and can be advertised with leaflets at the local school, parents’ group and door-to-door to make sure everyone is invited.

In Hale Village, one gazebo had a choice of wildlife activities, provided by London Wildlife Trust, and the other served free cakes, fruit and refreshments. Other activities included biscuit decorating, face painting, Frisbee, ball games and crafts. These simple activities provide a focus around which people can gather and form friendships.

Martina said: “Even if you have a building you can still benefit from doing a pop-up café. They’re reactive, easy to put up anywhere there’s public space, and adaptable to whatever demographic turns up. It’s somewhere that residents can easily bring food to share, and those who live very nearby can contribute by providing access to their tap for making cold drinks. There’s importance in showing vulnerability and asking for help, not getting everything right but working with people, asking them to bring what they can.”

Food

“It’s a crime not to use food to meet people, they love it.” said Martina. From offering free refreshments to using vegetables from the shared allotment to make community meals, food has played an important role.

Eating together opens up a conversation about people’s culture, likes and dislikes. It can give people space to talk about their health issues, if those affect their diet. Learning how people cook things and eating with them gives a much deeper insight into their lives than just a chat, it helps people to connect and share, and helps children learn and try new things to broaden their palette.

And when so many nationalities are represented on the estate, food can bridge the gap between different cultures, and be the starting point for discussing points of difference and stigma between groups. Cooking together helps parents to learn new skills and broaden their palettes, while being able to share their own foods and culture.

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An entrepreneurial spirit

Having a good attitude is key to affirming individuals within a strong community. As well as the importance of making time for people, and going to where they are, Andrew and Martina felt that the characteristics that had helped them to succeed included:

• A willingness to take risks – to ask for spaces that they’d seen and thought would serve them well, to try new ideas, and to trust people and take every opportunity offered. An ability to make mistakes with humility rather than be seen as an institution with a reputation to maintain is important.

• Enabling others – if someone else can do it, facilitate them doing it. While initially, Martina baked cakes herself for pop-up cafés, as soon as people started coming, she’d invite them to contribute food too. This helped them to belong and take responsibility for the café running well, and freed up Martina to chat to new people. The point of the café isn’t to give people food, but to cultivate belonging and build friendships, and empower residents to lead.

• Dreaming with people – part of building strong relationships is gaining trust and permission to ask people about their hopes for the place where they live.

• But above all, being themselves – in every interaction being clear that they were church community workers, sharing their lives with others, and being honest and open.

What’s not gone so well Our model of community engagement had to fit with the natural aptitudes of our community workers. At first, Andrew was attending all of the Residents’ Meetings, trying to take minutes and engage in their discussions. He wasn’t very good at it, and found these business meetings stifling. He learnt that it’s not necessary to do absolutely everything, and it was better to focus his energies elsewhere.

Andrew and Martina have become wary of getting what they want out of partnerships, as well as serving others. Helping out at after-school clubs is fine, if it means achieving the aims of making connections with local families, and encouraging the school to engage with community activities. When these connections weren’t being made at first, the nature of their relationship with the school was reassessed so they spent more time with families and teachers.

Another pitfall to avoid is the temptation to bring in people – to use church workers from other churches, or to bring in a short-term mission team. While it’s tempting to get a bigger scale activity running, it undermines our credibility to be bringing in strangers to the estate from elsewhere – people question their motivations. It works much better to do small, manageable, local activities, run whenever possible by local people. It’s important that friendships built up during community events can be carried on afterwards, and that residents can see that church members are committed to them.

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Funding the project In these early stages of the work, funding was needed for Andrew and Martina’s posts, and the costs of the community work itself. Salary costs have been shared between a Livery Company in the City of London, London City Mission, and the Diocese of London. Through their funding programme for developing Church growth in deprived areas, the Church Commissioners have contributed to some of the mission work costs, and to fitting out the Engine Room interim centre, in partnership with the Diocese of London.

What next? In Summer 2013, the Engine Room opened on the estate – an interim community centre based in a converted ground floor flat. The programme has been strongly influenced by activities that worked before they had a building, and the principles of going out to meet people where they are continue to be acted on. A permanent centre is planned for 2015.

Further information To find out more about this and other strategic projects, visit www.london.anglican.org or contact Elizabeth Harrison, Strategic Development Assistant, on elizabeth.harrison@london.anglican.org or 020 7932 1251.

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Summary The case studies that follow describe how two city centre church plants, from Holy Trinity Brompton in central London, are growing and developing in their respective contexts of Brighton and Norwich.

Introduction A strategy of church planting has been integral to HTB’s growth and mission strategy since the 1980s when the Revd John Collins and his then curate the Revd. Sandy Millar first heard the concept from the American church leader, John Wimber, and became convinced that planting held real potential for church growth.

From that time, planting has been in HTB’s DNA and, since 1985, HTB has planted teams of 10 to 200 people into a variety of churches in London and outside. The stories explored here are of two HTB church plants outside London: to St Peter’s church in Brighton and St Thomas’s church in Norwich.

The case studies highlight similarities and differences in these two journeys so far, as well as showing how planting has led to significant growth in both cases.

Factors which have led to growth The case studies highlight a number of key factors which have led to growth in both contexts:

• A clear overall vision and a vision to grow and plant again

• Clear priorities in their respective contexts

• An ability to stick to the vision, without being discouraged or distracted along the way

• Entrepreneurial leadership and an ability to motivate people and to build trust in people

• An outward focus – intentionally making church accessible

• Good communication including intentional and directed use of social media

• Willingness to have a go, take risks and not be afraid to fail

City Centre Church Plants

By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Archie Coates, Vicar of St Peter’s Church, Brighton, and the Revd Ian Dyble, Vicar of St Thomas’s Church, Norwich

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Conclusion The experiences of the Revd Archie Coates at St Peter’s Brighton and of the Revd Ian Dyble at St Thomas’s Norwich and their teams have been quite different and they continue to face varying challenges. What stands out, however, is that both churches have at their heart, a vision to use planting as a means to growth and a strategy which is allowing them to reach out to more people, extending Christ’s love and sharing the gospel story with those to whom God has called them to minister.

Read the case studies that follow to find out more.

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St Peter’s Brighton Background Brighton is a large and lively town on the south coast, it has a large artistic and creative community, and attracts many students and young families who make a home there. An hour from London on the train, many commute to London for work.

St Peter’s church stands in the centre of the city and is affectionately known as the “Cathedral of Brighton”. In 2003, however, a review of churches in the Brighton and Hove area had recommended its closure - the building was in a poor state and the church in long-term decline. This announcement provoked a local outcry, not only from the tiny congregation but also from many others, for whom the church was an iconic landmark.

Some time after this, an approach was made directly to the Church Commissioners by an individual with links to HTB requesting that other options might be explored before the closure was signed off. As a result, in 2008, the Revd Nicky Gumbel from HTB and the Bishop of Chichester met to look together at the possibility of an HTB plant in Brighton and a way forward for St Peter’s started to take shape.

The building was closed in June 2009 and re-opened three months later, by a scheme under the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure, to be led by the Revd Archie Coates who brought a team of 30 with him to begin the work of planting. This marked the first of HTB’s plants outside London.

Archie remembers his first Sunday as vicar:

“The congregation was made up of the planting team and 12 – 15 others, the remnant of the original members. They were very welcoming and delighted that the church had been re-opened. It was a big change for them but our arrival marked a totally fresh start which probably made it easier for us.”

The building was in such a bad state that only the chancel was useable and they quickly got to work on some basic improvements, holding working parties most Saturdays.

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Archie explains:

“Apart from painting, we invested some money in a good basic PA system which we felt was essential. This was made possible with our £50,000 “seed” money which each church plant receives from HTB. The money is to invest in growth and then passed on to bless another church when you plant again.”

Vision, shape and purpose Archie admits: “we didn’t really know how to start but knew we needed to put a few stakes in the ground. We focused on getting a few things in place and running, including three Sunday services, Alpha, and Safehaven - a place where we offered a meal and a safe place for the homeless in Brighton.”

Apart from providing a framework and meeting immediate local need, these priorities helped to bring a sense of shape and purpose early on. They also offered plenty of opportunities for those who were starting to attend the church to help out and get involved.

“Brighton has a young population and large numbers of students so the student ministry is very strong at St Peter’s. We have noticed that young people who come along want to do something, to join in and make a difference.”

Archie says that they enjoyed the support of the local press who were enthusiastic in reporting the good news that this well-known church was now re-opening. This publicity, added to their own communications and word of mouth, was helpful in attracting people to St Peter’s in the early days.

An outward focus Keeping an intentionally outward focus was important at the beginning and has continued to be so in the Brighton context as Archie explains:

“This is a fun, creative and informal place and we’ve asked ourselves how can we best reflect this in the way we are at church, and in our expectations – the bar is set fairly low as we don’t want any barriers to people feeling at home so, for example, dress code is extremely informal, and music very accessible to people – and there is food with almost everything. The test is, “would I bring my friend to this?””

Staffing and volunteers There is now a staff team of nine (three ordained clergy) and six interns, students who joined St Peter’s while studying at the local universities before being recruited to the team. But Archie is keen to keep up what he describes as “the life and energy round the edges” and warns against automatically employing people who are good at doing something. He says that focusing the mission energy on volunteers is a better way to encouraging people to use their gifts.

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Finance The seed money given by HTB to its plants is a gift to help with start-up costs and beyond that the plant is expected to be self- supporting. Archie says that the agreement with the Diocese of Chichester was that re-opening St Peter’s wouldn’t cost them anything.

The church relies on and encourages regular giving for its income and to fund its ministries. St Peter’s also applies for and has benefitted from specific grants, for example from English Heritage and from a number of small trusts who award funds to those helping the homeless, like Safehaven ministries.

Growing numbers In their first year, Sunday attendance grew from around 20 to 150, and more space in the church was opened up to accommodate the growing numbers.

They now regularly see 450 people on Sunday mornings and 150 children, with 250 adults attending in the evening.

In an attempt to find out more about the profile of the congregation, Archie conducts an informal survey of the adults attending on one Sunday each year. The results of the latest survey show that the average age in the morning services is 43 years, while the average age in the evening is 23 years.

In a question about faith, the results showed that roughly 10 per cent would not describe themselves as Christian.

Archie says it is difficult to measure exactly where all the growth has come from. Some people come through the Alpha course which they run three times a year, while others come via friends, by coming to an event or by contact with the church’s other ministries.

He acknowledges that some people have transferred from other churches.

“Some transfer growth is inevitable and it’s really important to realise the effect a plant has on churches in the same area. If a church plant comes and sucks the life out of the local churches, rearranging all the Christians, then that’s not good.

“We try to make sure that if people want to transfer they know they will be asked to serve – in this respect we set the bar high but in the end we welcome anyone.” People haven’t generally transferred from other Church of England churches around because they are so different in style. Some have, however, come from local non-conformist churches - Christians who have found St Peter’s closer to what they are seeking, or people who have not been attending church regularly but who have found a home there, including some new Christians.

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A few families each year transfer from smaller churches, because they are looking for children’s or youth work which a larger church can offer. Others have joined having moved to Brighton with their families or as students. St Peter’s is a church with a regular turnover of students, but also of young single people who move out of Brighton, having lived there for a while.

Relationships with other churches For a church planting into a new area, building good relationships in advance with local churches of all denominations has been essential and Archie invested time before he arrived, meeting with local church leaders and getting to know them. It was a chance to explain what the vision was, and to do everything possible to avoid misunderstandings or being seen as a threat.

“We get on very well with other churches and there is good understanding between us - where there may be differences in approach I think the relationships help; people would often say that they’re not sure they like the way we’re doing things but they quite like me and the team!”

Growing outwards and planting again St Peter’s has been open to other opportunities and there is now a weekly service attracting about 75 students at Sussex University where St Peter’s curate is also the Anglican chaplain.

In November 2013 a team of 25 were sent to launch Whitehawk, a worshipping community being built in the heart of the Whitehawk estate. This is a “partnership” rather than plant because the team has joined an existing congregation to build relationships and work alongside them.

Expanding the vision to grow and plant, plans are already underway to plant a church in nearby Hastings. “It’s a biblical principle to grow, sow and reap,” says Archie, “and not to look inwards and build your own thing. We have been invited by the Bishop of Chichester to plant Hastings and want to be a blessing there – it’s very exciting.”

Pioneers and Planters In general, Archie says that people who plant churches tend to be fairly entrepreneurial – “pioneers rather than settlers”, he says. With that entrepreneurial spirit he, like, others, is happy to try new things and to take risks even if they don’t work. He openly admits that “some of my bright ideas have totally failed”, but is happy to move on and continues to look for new ways to “build and bless” in the area.

Lessons learned or things which would be done differently if planting again Looking back over the last five years, Archie says that having such a strong focus on outreach may have led to less emphasis on the pastoral needs of those within the church community.

“Maybe we have missed something here, our approach has always been to be on the front foot, to get people to come, join a team, serve, help… all very action and outward-focused.

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“We have now realised that we need to get the balance right and to make sure that by caring for the needs of people who are outside our church community, we don’t overlook those who may be hurting inside the church We haven’t been so great at that but we have just set up hub groups, which we hope will start to help us support one another.”

Conclusion In the five years since it was planted, St Peter’s has been put back on the map as a thriving and growing church. With a clear vision to welcome and involve everyone, it is reaching out in mission to all its local communities, demonstrating Jesus’s love and sharing the gospel in Brighton.

For further information, please go to the church website at http://stpetersbrighton.org or contact the Revd Archie Coates at archie@stpetersbrighton.org

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St Thomas’s Church, Norwich Background St Thomas’s church was established in 1888 and holds a strategic position in a residential area on the main route into Norwich, about half way between the city centre and the university. There is a bus stop just outside.

In 2012, the church had been declining for five years and could not afford its parish share. There was a small congregation of 30, no children and not many under the age of 40. Talks began between the Bishop of Norwich and HTB to explore the possibility of a church partnership and in March 2013, the Revd Ian Dyble was appointed as vicar.

Ian, originally from Norfolk, had been working as a curate at HTB after ordination training. Previously a lawyer, and an elder with New Frontiers, he had planted a church before in a market town setting. “I was keen to plant again,” he says, ”and this time in a city, so when I heard about the vacancy at St Thomas’s, it seemed like an opportunity which made sense.”

Building a partnership team Although the HTB planting model usually involves a team of about 30 people, it was slightly different for Ian and his wife, Jo. Ian explains: “Asking people to move to Norwich from London is asking them to move their whole lives. You can’t really commute from Norwich and although there are some big employers here, jobs are more limited. We weren’t able to persuade people to come with us but we knew that God was guiding us to St Thomas so we went ahead.”

Unlike the welcome which Archie had received in Brighton, the reception for Ian was rather more mixed.

“When the Bishop had announced to the congregation that the new vicar was from HTB, someone burst into tears, and they were not tears of joy. I think people immediately thought I would be bringing white sofas, smoke machines and smoothies….with me. There was definitely a strong feeling throughout the congregation that they would lose the tradition that was so precious to them.

Some people left, even before I arrived; it was disappointing but I expected it. After I arrived, some changes were too hard for people, for example, some were upset that I didn’t wear robes. I explained that if we were to engage with the community, robing would not help bridge the gap. On the whole though, most people have been really supportive.

Although we didn’t have a team to bring, we met with about ten people we had a connection with and, amazingly, three couples had already felt a call to come to St Thomas’s. We have been very blessed by them. The team has been built this way, by God’s hand being on us.”

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Sundays and numerical growth Ian focused on Sundays first and on “making them really good”, while also being sensitive to the fact that some were nervous of change. With the “seed” money given by HTB to St Thomas’s, Ian invested in two priorities - sound and staff - in particular, a worship leader: “Worship is so important. For the first six months, anyone who could offer any worship skills or gifts did it – even I led worship once or twice. We appointed to the role in September; our worship leader came to us from Soul Survivor and since then it has been great, having a good worship leader makes such a difference.”

Initially, the service timings continued as before including the 8am BCP Holy Communion service, a service of morning worship at 10.30 and Evensong at 5.30pm.

After Easter in 2013, Ian introduced a contemporary service at 11am which meant moving the traditional morning service to 9.30am.

Some people found the change difficult, but Ian says that they had to make space to do something new. The new service grew quickly and now there are 150 (mostly young) people attending. The 9.30am service has also doubled with 48 people taking communion some Sundays and there is evidence of the ages mixing with one or two students singing in the traditional choir.

A new 7pm service was introduced, deliberately targeting the student population, and this is now regularly gathering 75 each week.

Ian thinks that significant use of social media helped to raise their profile at the beginning and has continued to help publicise and attract people to St Thomas’s. “We have used Facebook, Twitter and our website in a deliberate and directed way,” he says.

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Growing the Children’s work Children’s work was another priority and there were two willing volunteers ready to begin. Ian says: “We started from week one. People asked why we needed children’s work when we didn’t have any children, but I knew that it was essential to grow the church. If a young family arrives and we have no children’s work, they won’t stay.”

There are now about 30 under 11’s and 12 youth members all of whom come at 11am. Ian says: “We always speak to and engage with the children in the first part of the service helped by “Tommy the Tiger” who welcomes people at the door and engages in the family action songs we sing every week. We also have some great children’s workers.”

Vision to connect Ian says that he believes that keeping things simple is helpful so St Thomas’s vision is focussed on “Connecting” – so that all activities and groups connect: with God; with each other; and with the world.

“It’s good to run all sorts of groups, but we want to avoid holy huddles. I am all for low control and high accountability and if people want to start up something, that’s fine as long as it engages with God, each other and the world.

When people do Alpha we get them to move on and connect with others and God in groups which will take them on in their faith. Growth in people’s faith as well as in numbers is very important. A few weeks ago, we were privileged to baptise six believers, and some of those people had come to faith recently which was very exciting.”

Serving at St Thomas With growth happening faster than Ian had imagined, he says that they have been running to keep ahead and it has only been possible with lay and ordained people working together and people being willing to “get stuck in” even if something is not their particular area of gifting. As is often the case with church plants, it has been, he says, “all hands to the pump.”

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Currently St Thomas’s church has a curate, Dave Lloyd, who trained with Ian and felt called to work with him. The rest of the team are volunteers but three interns have just been appointed: two of them are students just finishing at the University of East Anglia who will work respectively with children and youth; the other is coming from Guatemala and - to Ian’s delight - likes administration.

Finance St Thomas’s church is now totally self-supporting and there is an expectation that the £50,000 “seed” money given to them by HTB money will be passed on to another church plant in due course.

Where has growth come from? Ian, like Archie, is realistic about some of their significant growth being transferred from other churches. Some have been drawn by a more charismatic style which sets St Thomas’s church apart from other local Anglican churches: “We know that some of our growth is transfer growth – I would guess that maybe 50% have come from other churches. The rest are de-churched/unchurched or people moving into the area. There is bound to be some transfer, although if I know that someone is moving from another church, I insist that it is done well, ideally that they get “sent” rather than leave. In the end, I want to see Christ glorified in the city, rather than numbers in the pews.”

Relationships with other churches Churches in the area have been positive. Ian meets regularly with other church leaders and they are very encouraging. At the moment 64 churches of all denominations are working together towards a mission in Norwich in the summer.

“I see us as becoming a resourcing church,” says Ian “which blesses others and encourages them. I’d like to be able to send teams to support smaller churches, for example in worship. It would be great if others can benefit in time from our size, growth and resources.”

Lessons learned and things to do differently Ian has found partnering a church harder than planting. He says:

“Going into a situation with an existing congregation, however small, you may have to consider the needs of a very small minority of people who need to be considered in everything.

“It has been hard work and those who have wanted to keep things the same have been very fearful. I’ve had to build trust with them by loving them, meeting with them and re-assuring them…..”

He says it would have been easy to give in sometimes but feels it’s important to persevere and work with people to resolve issues where possible; obviously this benefits the church but also means that the model can be replicated elsewhere. One year into the partnership, St Thomas’s is looking for opportunities to plant in another part of the city and Ian would ideally love to have more than one plant, and to be able to share staff and resources across the city.

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Asked what he would do differently, he says that organising administrative support earlier would be a higher priority, resources permitting:

“I haven’t had time for the “blue sky” stuff – I’ve been looking after the nuts and bolts most days. I’m looking forward to having someone who can not only answer the phone but take ideas, put them into practice and deliver on them.

It would have been good to have office space sooner too; up to eight people have sometimes used my study in the vicarage over the course of a week. We have just moved into some office space in the church which is great – it is wonderful to have a separate phone line at last!”

Further information For further information, please go to the church website at http://www.stthomasnorwich.org or contact the Revd Ian Dyble at ian@stthomasnorwich.org

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Summary This case study illustrates how clear vision, an innovative approach and an on-going desire to respond to local need in an Urban Priority Area has led to numerical growth and strengthened links with the community in the context of a parish church in Carlisle.

Background Built in 1954, as part of the then brand new Harraby estate, on the outskirts of Carlisle, St Elisabeth’s was originally a church/church hall, a multipurpose building used by the church and community. The parish of around 9,000 is set in a mainly deprived area of high unemployment. There are high rates of crime and education indicators are in the bottom 10% in England.

A separate church building was built in 1967 with the intention of reaching out further in mission to the community and, for the first 15 – 20 years, the church thrived with both buildings well used. After this, however, a trend of decline began.

When the Revd Sue Wicks arrived in the parish in 2003 numbers had fallen to around 35 and most members of the congregation were over the age of 75. Numbers continued to dwindle to a low of around 20. Sue says:

“There had been a succession of incumbents over a long period, most staying for between two and five years which was very unsettling for the church and community.”

She believes that one reason for the fast turnover may have been that the church was so active and involved in the community that there was too much for one vicar to sustain.

“In an urban area like Harraby, it can be hard work because there isn’t a pool of professional people who are able and willing to take on responsibility or join a team - a lot falls to the vicar. I can see how vicars might have struggled over that time, with two buildings to maintain, Sunday services, weekday activities and other clergy duties– you couldn’t sustain that for long.”

The buildings were part of the problem and Sue realised they were a drain on resources as well as clergy energy. The church lacked finances, giving was poor and the PCC was not contributing to the diocesan parish share. When she arrived, St. Elisabeth’s was £80,000 in debt to the diocese. Things needed to change and gradually giving increased so St. Elisabeth’s began to pay its way (although it still falls short of the suggested £52,000 required per annum). However, both the church and the church hall needed repair and it

Church Growth in an Urban Priority Area

By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Sue Wicks, Vicar of St Elisabeth’s Church, Harraby (Carlisle Diocese)

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soon became clear that it was not possible to maintain two buildings. The hall would cost well over £200,000 to update and make safe – money that simply was not available. The decision was to sell the hall and land and use the funds raised to make the church more accessible as both a worship centre and a community space.

A new church heating system was a matter of priority and was installed, whilst at the same time the pews were removed to leave a multipurpose space, with welcoming carpet and chairs.

With only one building remaining, it was much easier to maintain and to focus efforts more efficiently. For everyone concerned, it was a better situation, although very difficult, Sue says, without a kitchen.

A Vision for growth – from the youngest first Alongside these changes to the building, Sue was leading the church in developing a five year plan for growth, driven by a vision to continue to reach out in mission to the local community.

In particular, she saw a need to prioritise and minister to the needs of young families with babies and toddlers. Sue says:

“The PCC decided that if the church was going to grow again we needed to focus on the very youngest. The area was and still is full of young families and there was a desperate need for a toddler group so we fixed on this as our priority.”

At this point, Betty Bear arrived at St Elisabeth’s. Betty (short for Elisabeth) was an idea another local church had used, and St. Elisabeth’s took to it in a big way. Thus a teddy bear arrived who would capture the attention of little ones but also become the face of the children’s work at the church. Dressed in liturgical colours according to the season, Betty became easily recognisable by everyone, sitting in her own chair at the front of church for services, and sleeping under the altar in a Moses basket when not in demand.

The Betty Bear weekly baby and toddler group began in November 2003 and has flourished over the years with up to 35 people attending at one point.

The group offers a place to play for babies to infant school age children and provides a varied range of activities including play, crafts, a book corner, song time

and a 15 minute Bible story slot. Refreshments are served for young parents, carers and grandparents, offering a chance to build relationships with members of the church and with one another.

The group continues to be an important and valued part of the work at St Elisabeth’s, still going strong, although numbers have dropped off to between 15 and 20 each week. This

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may be due to the greater availability of groups and activities now including free nursery places from the age of 2.

Growing the children’s ministry upwards When the original group of children from the Betty Bear baby and toddler group reached school age, another group - “Little Teds” - was formed and was very successful. Once this group reached 7 years of age, a girls’ group pinX (power in Christ) met for 7-11 year olds as there was still a Boys Brigade to cater for boys. However, the latter folded and Sue felt it was time for a new strategy.

After prayer and careful thought she decided to take the opportunity to introduce uniformed organisations for boys and girls in the form of a Baden Powell, church-sponsored Scout group, which includes sections for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, catering for children aged 5-15, with the option of a senior section for 15-18s in the future.

Sue explains: “We recognised a need in the parish for children to have aspirations, to be able to succeed in small ways, to look out beyond their home area and to build self-esteem, in the hope that these young people would eventually break through the barriers of their social setting and step out with confidence into the wider world. It seemed that a type of uniformed organisation

might fit the bill, and after research we decided to join the Baden-Powell Scout movement, which believes in traditional scouting with traditional uniforms and values.

“If they come to our groups, boys and girls have a uniform, and there is a sense of enjoyment and achievement in working together towards awards and badges – and of course, a chance to socialise with other children and have fun. We are unusual in that we are a church-sponsored group, with

provision for not just a Christian ethos, but Christian teaching as well.”

St Elisabeth’s now has 75 children attending its children’s groups – ranging from babies at Betty Bear to the 13-year-olds in the uniformed groups, some of whom started at the original Betty Bear group and stayed throughout attending all the groups. Sue says it is rewarding to witness the growth of one individual who began to attend St. Elisabeth’s at the age of 11 and got involved with worship and activities, joining a residential annual week at the Keswick Convention. She is now 20, training as a nurse and still attending church, not just as a member of the PCC, but as a warranted leader in the Scout movement who helps with four of the children’s groups.

And the parents come too.

Regular attendance at the Sunday service at 10am, has grown over 11 years from 20 to 60-70. Around 16 of those attending at the moment are because of a direct link with the groups, while others come through friends and relatives of those closely involved. The ages range, Sue says, from babies to teenagers, right through to people in their 90s.

“It’s a relaxed atmosphere, and warm and cosy. The older people love the younger ones and the children are happy to be part of the service which includes a short 10 – 15 minute sermon.”

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On the first Sunday of each month there is a “Prayer and Praise” all age non-Eucharistic worship service. Popular with adults who have links to the groups, this service has seen dramatic growth, regularly drawing up to 180. Sue explains:

“Most parents of all the groups attend Prayer and Praise services each month with their children. As the groups have grown, so have our Prayer and Praise numbers. Over the years, adults and young people have been confirmed through their connections with the groups and are now attending our weekly Sunday service.”

Involvement and care for the rest of the church community Pastoral care of the elderly has been another priority for Sue, recognising that it is important that the older people in the church family don’t feel that they are being overlooked, and to keep them involved with where the church is going.

Volunteer teams Much of the work is done by Sue and her lay reader, Gael, who are also involved in the work of the three schools on the estate. They now run five children’s groups each week (Betty Bear, Beavers, two Cub packs and Scouts) with a team of helpers from the church.

“We welcome helpers but say that if they want to join the team, they must come to church. We want the children to receive Christian teaching and be influenced by Christian role models. We don’t Bible-bash – that’s not the way we do things here – we teach by example.”

As part of this example, Sue, as Vicar, doesn’t expect church members to do anything which she wouldn’t do. This means that as well as leading groups, she is on both the cleaning rota and the coffee team.

She admits that working in Harraby’s context may be tougher than in some other areas: “the hardest thing is not having many people who can take on responsibilities and lead, but it is amazing to see people change and grow more confident. “One lady who cleaned the church when I arrived, is now the church warden and manages the charity ’Op’ shop, a diocesan initiative providing low cost second-hand clothing and furniture. Many of the volunteers are church members - it’s great to see people taking on new and bigger responsibilities and see their gifts developing over time.”

A growing community – numerically and spiritually Alongside the significant numerical growth, people are developing in their faith, their commitment and service and in relationships with one another.

“I have been here for 11 years – which is the longest a vicar has stayed - and it’s amazing to see how people change when trust and relationships are built over the years. It’s about getting to the point when people trust that you’re not going to walk out on them, as well as about being visible in the area and walking alongside them.”

A new challenge for St Elisabeth’s is space. On “Prayer and Praise” Sundays, they can’t serve coffee due to lack of space and the children’s groups are over-subscribed with a waiting list of 17 for Beavers.

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There are plans to build a much-needed community café and sports hall/function room onto the side of the church to accommodate the existing groups, and also the youth ministry which the church needs to develop for young people who will outgrow what is currently offered.

Sue says that many young families and older people are generous to the church in every respect but there is not much money around and some of the members are not yet ready to be committed givers.

With a small fund left over from the sale of the original church building the church is currently involved in making grant applications and fund raising.

Living life together – building strong relationships The emphasis on doing things together at St Elisabeth’s helps build community and keeps relationships strong. There are regular trips to the theatre, parish meals and holidays, walks, monthly coffee mornings and Tea Cosy, the group of mainly older people who meet and chat over a cup of tea each week.

What has led to growth? Sue identifies a number of factors which stand out as being particularly relevant in leading to numerical as well as spiritual growth.

Context

Much of Sue’s first year was spent finding out about Harraby’s context. “It’s a question of sussing out the area, looking at where you are, what the needs are and deciding where you’re going to put your efforts,” she says.

The decision in 2012 to opt for uniformed organisations was particularly appropriate in Harraby’s context. Children and parents welcomed the chance to get involved and the team are able to run the groups with a Christian ethos providing fun, friendship and Bible teaching while modelling this by example.

Vision

Concentrating the vision largely on babies and young families has been a key factor. By investing in this group, parents have come to church and some have become regular and involved members.

The vision for the buildings has been in line with the overall vision which is now developing in response to growth, youth ministry, and the on-going social needs of local people.

Innovation

Betty Bear helped everyone to engage with the church and as a symbol, and has continued to be a way of linking in children and families. This innovative approach has been very successful with Betty provoking interest and an opportunity for church-focussed Christian teaching even for the very young.

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Being focused and not trying to do everything

Sue admits that it can be hard not to try to do everything, especially in an area where there is a lot of need.

“You have to decide what your vision is and stick to it,” she says, “no matter what else comes along you have to be firm in what you’ve decided to do, without guilt - you can’t do everything. I committed myself (with full support from the PCC) to the children and young people and to caring for the older people. Those ministries, and Sundays at 10.00am are what we focus on.”

Lay teams working with ordained clergy

Sue works closely with Gael to lead teams of helpers and volunteers from the church. “It’s amazing,” she says, “as a small team, we can only do so much but we have been blessed by a number of retired clergy who have moved to the area and chosen to worship here. When people come with experience of leading and offer to run Bible studies and help with whatever needs doing, we accept gratefully; it means we can do more – seeing how this has happened is just unbelievable.”

Welcome

Referring to the church as “the ugliest church building on the outside” Sue highlights the welcoming culture which they have fostered at St Elisabeth’s. “It doesn’t matter what the church looks like outside, because people feel at home here. We try to be informal, welcoming and friendly to everyone from the youngest to the oldest and people enjoy that feeling of community and they want to keep coming.”

Conclusion In conclusion, these factors, alongside the hard work and commitment of a small team at St Elisabeth’s in the context of on-going prayer are leading to significant growth demonstrated numerically, spiritually and in social transformation in the heart of this community.

Further information For further information, please visit the parish website at www.stelisabethsharraby.co.uk

or contact the Revd Sue Wicks, telephone no: 01228 596427 suewicks941@btinternet.com

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Summary This case study shows how a long term vision to reach out to local people, a willingness to be open to opportunities, embrace change and to adapt to context within a team parish setting has resulted in a fresh expression of Church based in a Farmers’ Market in Walthamstow.

Introduction and Background St Luke’s church was historically one of the largest churches in Walthamstow which became part of the Walthamstow churches team in 2000 following a period of change and decline.

Situated on the Victoria underground line, Walthamstow is economically and ethnically mixed. The High Street is a vibrant focal point for the different communities, including those who gather daily in the Town Square, many of whom are homeless or unemployed, some suffering from mental health problems or struggling with addiction.

With a large building set away from the hub of the town centre, St Luke’s leadership team was challenged to consider how the church could serve not only the surrounding residential area but also the High Street right in the middle of the parish.

Donna Gwilliams is church warden at St Luke’s. Born in Walthamstow and baptised at St Luke’s, she remembers the beginning of a prayerful discernment process around 2000 when the District Church Council (DCC) started to discuss where God might be leading.

“We knew we had to make some serious decisions.” she says, “We had a strong vision to reach the High Street – but we realised we were apart from the centre, that the mission heart wasn’t in the right place.”

Their building was another problem and urgently needed investment. While it was a good space for youth activities, as a place of worship, it was cold and unwelcoming.

Donna says: “When I took over as church warden, I inherited a big, cold and draughty building, a leaking roof and lots of buckets - needed to collect the drips. As regulars, we were thinking: ‘we don’t really want to be here; why should anyone else want to come?’”

Considering the options and waiting on God As they considered the options in the light of their vision, the DCC was challenged by questions spanning both the spiritual and practical:

A Fresh Expression of Church on the High Street

By Catherine Ellerby, freelance writer, in conversation with the Revd Frances Shoesmith, Team Vicar of St Luke’s in the High Street, Walthamstow and Donna Gwilliams (Chelmsford diocese)

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• What is discipleship?

• What does church look like here in Walthamstow?

• Should we invest in a building which doesn’t fit our vision for mission to the High Street?

• Or consider a new build and also provide, for example, social housing, childcare and healthcare facilities for the community?

Values In 2005, under the leadership of the Team Vicar, the Revd. Nigel Anstey, the church drew up some core values that would underpin the church’s ministry and mission moving forward.

St Luke’s would be:

• Embracing (which was modified in 2011 to “Welcoming”);

• Generous;

• Responsive;

• Transforming.

Praying in the High Street Sunday mornings then took on a new format including prayer walks through the town. Some would stay in church for worship and prayer while others prayed on the streets and re-grouped later at a local café. Being willing to change and being intentional were key elements as the journey continued. “We thought that God was saying to us ‘get out there!’ says Donna, “so we did, believing that He went before us.”

During August 2006, Sunday morning meetings were held on the High Street - a note on the church door invited everyone to meet at a café where a small group would read the newspapers, pray for the world, and especially for the parish including the High Street. Midweek, the core church members would meet together in someone’s home for Bible study.

The problems of the building were brought into sharp focus at a confirmation service in the winter of 2006 when, Donna remembers, strong winds raged through draughty windows and rain came in through the roof. Everyone present could see that the situation couldn’t continue.

After the building was closed in the summer of 2007, the ministry focus moved to the High Street. At a commissioning service held at the church, 27 adults and children committed themselves to be part of the church’s continuing journey.

In 2010, the church building was rented out to a cross-London denomination who were looking for a base in North East London.

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Finding a home on the High Street The Revd Tony Cant became Team Vicar to St Luke’s in 2008, also taking on, informally, the role of “chaplain” to the High Street. In the course of his work and with a strong interest in farming, he discovered that the London Farmers’ Market (which operates farmers’ markets in the London area) wanted to start a new market in Walthamstow. Subsequently, Tony began to work alongside the LFM to start up the market and became its first on-site manager. Arising from this came an opportunity for St Luke’s to run a community stall - one which the team felt was too good to miss:

“We knew it was right,” says Donna, “and we started with the basics - just a table and two kettles – it’s rather more sophisticated now! By just being there we were soon building up relationships with people and could start to involve them in what we were.”

A fresh expression of Church had begun in the Farmers’ Market.

Developing Mission and numerical growth When the Revd Frances Shoesmith succeeded Tony Cant in 2011, the stall was being run by a small team, led by Donna.

A trained pioneer minister, Frances came to the job with a specific remit for growth: “I finished my curacy at around the time when “Mission Shaped Church” was published and the term fresh expression of Church was coined. My next job was in Liverpool, where I helped plant a fresh expression aimed mostly at women - I always wanted to be mission-focused.”

“In Walthamstow, it was my job to take forward the great work which had been started, to grow the church by encouraging more people to come to join us and find faith, and to take people on in their faith too.”

Frances became Market Manager for two Sundays in the month when she liaises with producers and collects fees which are sent to the London Farmers Market. On the other Sundays she focuses on St Luke’s.

A team of volunteers sets up and takes down the stall which is a resting place for busy shoppers and the team members serve drinks and homemade cake, also offering a listening ear to anyone who wants to talk, sometimes on a deeper level. People are often surprised to find that they are in church while shopping, “Someone will notice our board and ask ‘Where is your church?’ says Frances, “to which we answer ‘you’re sitting in it!’”

During Lent 2011, the church, motivated by its value of being generous, stopped charging for drinks and as a consequence the stall drew more people, many of whom are in need. Amazingly, Frances says, since that time takings have gone up.

“God does stuff,” she says, “we decided to step out in faith, stop charging for drinks and we ended up with more!” All the takings are donated to a local youth charity, “Worth Unlimited”, which works to build hope and realise worth in young people.

Developing the outreach further – Bible and Chat When a regular to the stall arrived hungry one day and accepted the offer of a free breakfast in a café, the team saw this as another mission door opening.

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“Bible and Chat” offers guests a simple Bible study in the café setting over breakfast.

Frances explains: “We make it clear that this is a Bible study first and that we offer more than just breakfast. Guests sit at ordinary café tables in small groups led by Christians who help them and answer any questions they may have.”

The café group has grown from five or six to 30 people, one Sunday morning, although there are now about 25 regulars.

There is a kitty for those who can’t afford to pay for breakfast and this has never run short thanks to those who give generously to the ministry. One former guest who now has a job, donates £10 per week so that others who are hungry can be similarly blessed.

It has been in the very nature of this fresh expression of Church for the unexpected to happen and for the team to be taken by surprise.

On one occasion, after some tension at the café, the team met outside the library in the square half an hour before the usual meeting time to pray for the situation. They had asked guests to meet there in time for breakfast so that everyone could arrive at the café together.

Some guests arrived early and joined in the prayer time, asking for prayer themselves. “That wasn’t us” says Frances, “only God could do that. Time and time again, we ask God to guide us and he does it – we watch to see where he is leading, knowing that he is already in it, and then we join in.”

Nurturing and discipleship Frances and Donna are encouraged that some of the café regulars have begun to go to other activities, to enquire more, and be challenged and nurtured in their faith.

The St Luke’s programme includes a number of monthly events mostly in people’s houses, mostly for all the family and mostly involving food: Second Breakfast, on the second Saturday of the month; “Last Supper” on the last Wednesday of the month, St Luke’s on Wednesdays, a regular Bible study in addition to St Luke’s in the Café and St Luke’s in the Market on Sundays. There is also a group for over 55s called the Good Life club.

They have also just started something new, “More” which Frances describes as “us trying to worship together informally”. This includes “flipchart Bible study” and sharing bread and wine together. Gathering in a rented room, they plan to meet every two months.

Time Team St Luke’s is an example of how lay and ordained leadership have successfully worked together in a mission situation over a number of years to start and develop a fresh expression of Church. Research carried out by Church Army as part of the Church Growth Research Programme found that over 52% of fresh expressions of Church are run by lay people.

In order to encourage continuing lay leadership, “Time Team” was set up last year and this focuses on running St Luke’s activities, while the DCC continues to be responsible for decisions and finances.

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One person has moved to St Luke’s from another of the churches in the Team Ministry to be part of Time Team.

Future Vision Frances’s vision is to develop the weekday outreach ministry of St Luke’s and build on relationships with local people.

Donna, who is Director of Youth Ministry for the team, says they would love to find a way of connecting more with the young people who congregate in the Town Square.

There is also a vision for growth in ministry among the marginalised, many people who are homeless, going through difficult times, have mental illness or are lonely and needing support. Frances believes that it is part of St Luke’s mission to befriend them, support them in their journey towards faith in Christ and nurture them as they continue in that journey.

She recognises though that St Luke’s, like other fresh expressions of Church, is reaching those whose Christian journey may not follow a traditional pattern:

“There are people out there who will never be confirmed, be on a PCC or make a financial contribution to the church, but someone needs to minister to them. We try to respond by giving free drinks and inviting hungry people to eat and join in with us and by praying for them. We don’t know what is next for us, maybe it is a community shop or space in the town to serve the people of Walthamstow and allow us to make deeper and new connections – but we’ll see what God has for us.”

What are the main reasons for growth? Those who have been part of St Luke’s journey so far say that a number of factors have been important in its establishment and subsequent growth:

Having a clear vision for mission and being intentional about growth

St Luke’s has held on to a long term vision to reach the High Street, and also to its values of being Welcoming, Generous, Responsive, Transforming which shape its mission and ministry.

Listening to their context, being responsive to God and taking opportunities when they arise

Moving out of the building; opening a community stall; offering hungry people food; praying with people in the Town Square… “All these have come out of God-given opportunities,” says Frances.

The benefits of the mixed economy within a Team Ministry

Frances believes that Walthamstow team ministry is an example of the mixed economy at work, a fresh expression of Church alongside inherited mode churches. Being part of a team ministry has been vital, she says, especially when numbers of people and finances were very low.

Many St Luke's people also benefit from the joint parish Sunday evening service, a space to receive and be refreshed after giving out on Sunday morning.

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Advice to anyone considering setting up a fresh expression of Church in their own context: Both Donna and Frances stress the importance of starting something suitable to the context rather than copying others. Frances advises: “You need to pray and wait on God to show you what is right. There’s also a balance of listening to God and getting on with it!”

Take a step – sometimes a risk - and see what happens

St Luke’s journey to the High Street has been underpinned by prayer and God’s leading. While warning against rushing, Donna says that sometimes action is the only way forward - to take a step, sometimes a risk, and act in faith then see what happens.

Don’t be afraid to stop if things don’t work

Also important is to be realistic, keep reflecting and stop or change things if they are not working – without a feeling of failure.

Plan Ahead

St Luke’s is now considering key priorities for the next stage in its ministry.

Frances says: “St Luke’s has emerged, rather than us “making it happen” – that is important. We don’t yet know what the next stage will be, but we believe it will continue to emerge and that God is in control. “

Further information For further information, please contact the Revd Frances Shoesmith, Pioneer Team Vicar:

Tel: 07505 126167; Email: frances@walthamstowchurch.org.uk

Parish Website: www.walthamstowchurch.org.uk

London Farmers’ Market: www.lfm.org.uk

Worth Unlimited: www.worthunlimited.co.uk

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Introduction Peterborough diocese was one of 15 dioceses allocated a share of the £7.25m funding which the Archbishops’ Council and Church Commissioners made available in the 2008-10 triennium to support mission in new housing and other development areas.

An external evaluation, commissioned by the Council and Commissioners, of the use of the funding to date1 led Peterborough diocese to reflect on how it assesses proposals to appoint ministers to work in new housing areas.

Mission Area Checklist Peterborough diocese has subsequently developed the checklist at Annex A for use in assessing proposals. It believes that a score of at least 12 is needed for a project to be viable, although even higher scores are no guarantee of this. Peterborough asks potential new projects in new housing areas to focus on those areas where they are scoring poorly, thus hopefully improving their chances of establishing a church.

Further information We are grateful to Peterborough diocese for sharing this tool and we hope that others will find it useful.

For further information, please contact Miles Baker, Diocesan Mission Enabler at Miles.Baker@Peterborough-diocese.org.uk

1 The evaluation findings will be published in the Bulletin in the Autumn.

Assessing Proposals for Mission in New Housing Areas: A New Tool By the staff of the Resource Strategy and Development Unit, in discussion with the Revd Miles Baker, Peterborough Diocesan Mission Enabler

Annex A

Peterborough Diocese Mission Area Checklist

Strong 4 Moderate 3 Potential 2 Weakly present 1 Absent 0 A planting group of 5-20 people with a strong Christian faith and calling to this work

Singleton Missioner Lay people who have split from previous churches

A full time minister more likely to be ordained than lay

Lay minister with a lack of mission experience

A strong and lively supporting church

Needy inward-looking existing church

Local denominations working together

Competing local churches

A suitable house in a good location

Living out of area

Access to a community building (for worship)

No suitable place for worship

Focus on establishing a worshipping community

Lack of vision for creation of a worshipping community

A go-getting locally based entrepreneurial approach

Entirely dependent on financial support from centre