WINTON
METHODIST CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT AND STRATEGY 2011
Mission
Statement:
Winton
Methodist Church aims to be:
ˇ
A Community of welcome, sharing & hope
ˇ
Where worship enables an experience of God
ˇ
Where learning, nurture and exploration of faith is facilitated
for all ages
ˇ
Where service in the community is offered
ˇ
Where lives are transformed and the gospel is shared
The
Framework and Focus for the Mission Statement:
All of the following will be within the frame work of working
in partnership with others and ecumenically and will provide
a general focus for how this may be realised. In addition
it is intended that Winton continues to support and develop
existing initiatives with our sister Church Victoria Park
e.g. stay-a-while, work with youth and young adults. In addition
where possible we will engage with and implement policies
relating to the environment and disadvantaged groups as well
as complying with new disability laws.
A key initiative is to develop the building to facilitate
the above and provide support funding (this includes a refurbishment
programme and the development of the building by incorporating
the building of four flats. We are currently in negotiation
with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association 'B.C.H.A.' who
has expressed an interest in managing the lease and tenancy
of the above. (The income from the flats will contribute to
the funding of our mission in accordance with Circuit policy
and will enable us to engage with the needs of the community
especially in relation to social justice issues and providing
support for the vulnerable and dispossessed.)
The
Mission statement and strategy will be reviewed annually by
the Church Council. Each year the Church Council will identify
and implement specific criteria from the Strategic areas linked
with the Mission statement.
Strategy
Plan for Action of Mission Statement:
1.
A Community of welcome, sharing and hope
ˇ
To ensure that stewards meet, greet and receive members of
the congregation at the beginning and end of worship - A designated
steward to just talk to those who are new or on their own
could be one option. This could be done before the service;
e.g. showing people to seats etc. and during coffee.
ˇ
To provide refreshments as part of services and events to
facilitate conversation and interaction.
ˇ
To offer times of fun where people can get to know one another,
invite friends and have pressure free contact with Christians
both on and off the premises.
ˇ
To provide a strong pastoral support system through pastoral
visitors and a part time lay Pastoral worker, in addition
to the Ministry team (ordained and Lay)
ˇ
To ensure opportunities through fresh ways of Church to experience
spirituality and explore a sense of belonging. (interactive
services, such as café church, social events with discussion
slots, creative worship are all possibilities - time needs
to be allocated to thinking through creative options and practical
feasibility in relation to the refurbishment)
ˇ
To offer prayer groups and places for prayer to complement
worship
ˇ
To provide a monthly magazine and website which includes a
diary of all events
ˇ
To develop a Ministry team of ordained and lay people
2.
Where worship enables an experience of God
ˇ
To continue to build links with the Korean Church that worships
in our building on Sunday afternoons and throughout the week
ˇ
To provide a variety of styles and genres of worship
ˇ
To include traditional hymns, songs, music and silence
ˇ
To continue to develop the use of audio visual technology
ˇ
To explore possible themed worship and group participation
within it
ˇ
To develop existing Multiplex services where people can move
freely through a variety of experiences of worship (e.g. traditional
multi-sensory and interactive etc.)
ˇ
To offer reflective spiritual space for quiet contemplation
and to develop prayer, praise and spirituality for all; especially
new members.
ˇ
To continue to provide regular parade services and AAW linking
especially with Uniformed organisations (primarily through
the work of the Deacon, Youth Worker and Ministry team)
3. Where learning, nurture and exploration of faith is
facilitated
ˇ
To train and support pastoral visitors and lay pastoral workers
in specific areas such as bereavement, listening and sharing
skills. (Possibly using the Connexional material for pastoral
care)
ˇ
To provide badges for all Pastoral visitors and Lay Pastoral
visitors to give recognition of them representing the Church
when they visit
ˇ
To develop new groups and events for younger people through
the new Youth worker (to be employed in 2011)
ˇ
To continue to provide Sunday Explorers groups for younger
children and other groups (through leaders in the congregation
and the work of the Deacon and youth worker)
ˇ
To continue and expand house groups, bible study, and fellowship
meetings
ˇ
To provide regular membership classes, and nurture courses
e.g. Emmaus and other study material
ˇ
To provide creative and contemporary ways of learning and
exploration developing the existing 'life, the Universe and
everything' film and Culture discussion groups.
ˇ
To explore ways of encouraging students to engage with the
gospel (possibly with the Chaplaincy at local education establishments)
ˇ
To link the spiritual, mental and physical aspects of being
human and offer some form of holistic practice which could
include meditation and exercise such as Yoga but with a Christian
focus and/ or implementing some form of well being programme
ˇ
To give opportunity to submit questions and have a panel (possibly
ecumenically or even with other faiths) to discuss and debate
ˇ
To explore ways of enabling questions and uncertainties to
be expressed within a non-judging forum, for non, new and
existing members
4.
Where service to the community is offered
ˇ
To provide a well furbished and pleasant building to facilitate
our key partnership groups especially the uniformed organisations
and others (such as the Toddler groups, Rehab group, Sure
Start Korean Church etc. and seek to establish links between
them and the Church.
ˇ
To support people in their individual and collective voluntary
work (Charitable, school governors etc) Add: This would be
done in appropriate ways according to individual situations
and needs.
ˇ
To explore needs in the community and consider how the Church
may meet them
ˇ
To open our premises for coffee mornings and events for the
community
ˇ
To hold social events and meals to which others can be invited
ˇ
To provide a prayer box or similar facility where people can
place requests for prayer, these would be included in a specific
prayer group or possibly in worship, while taking into account
confidentiality and permission
ˇ
To extend the existing on-line prayer facility and explore
other web opportunities e.g. Face book and Twitter (safeguarding
procedures must be taken into account)
ˇ
To provide a white board or similar where people can make
comments or suggestions relating to our worship, service and
use of building.
ˇ
To develop links with other organisations and ecumenical partnerships
serving the community. (To actively engage with local authorities,
council etc in relation to community concerns (summarising
in brief policies and giving information relating to M.P.'s
etc - offering to support them ALL in prayer)
5.
Where lives are transformed and the gospel shared
ˇ
To provide support for those who seek to share the gospel
with others (through courses or testimony in a variety of
ways, sharing and raising awareness in worship, in small groups
and in prayer - possible prayer triplets or prayer partners
- profiles of work, challenges and prayer needs could also
be put into the magazine or on church notice boards)
ˇ
To build relationships with the community and provide a forum
for questions to be asked and faith to be explored
ˇ
To continue to develop Multiplex and juice and other such
initiatives along with our sister Church Victoria Park This
could be done by the new youth worker soon to be employed
to work with both Winton and Victoria Park Churches
ˇ
To take opportunity through helpers and Ministry team to talk
to those who use our premises where possible
ˇ
To invite user groups to attend Carol services or special
events that are user friendly
ˇ
To encourage people to use talents in worship and events (Musical,
dramatic, artistic etc)
ˇ
To develop outreach work among young people and students supported
by the Youth worker and other possibly lay resources.
Adopted
April 6th 2011 by the Church Council.
This strategy is open to having additions in accordance with
the developing mission of the Church.
|