Vicar Reflects......


May 2010

ST. MARK’S VISION STATEMENT
‘ Where there is no vision the people perish.’
Proverbs 29, 18.

As a result of the ‘Vision Morning’, held in September, when members of the congregation met to focus on the future ministry of St. Mark’s, it was decided that we would focus on families and young people. A small group, was formed who wrote a draft Vision Statement, which was presented to the Ministry Leadership Team. This Vision statement was presented to the Parish Church Council in March, and was duly agreed and passed as a document we would work with for the development of St. Mark’s ministry for the future. The Vision Statement asks three questions:

What will St. Mark’s be?
How will it feel?
What will it offer?

What will St Mark’s be?
In the future we want to develop St. Mark’s as a dynamic centre of praise, a spiritual home where people can be nurtured in the Christian faith. Already St. Mark’s offers a variety of services including traditional forms of worship, as well as those with a more contemporary style. St. Mark’s is called the ‘Moving Church’, and indeed we continue to be innovative with the services we offer. As part of our strategy for developing this vision we have a once a month cafe style service, ‘Explore’, which begins with breakfast, followed by a contemporary service, aimed at people of all ages, but particularly with a focus for families.

How will it feel?
The Vision Statement stresses that we should be a welcoming church, and also an influential place in the heart of the community. There is already a lot that goes on in this building throughout the week, building bridges within our community.( The Parents and Toddler Group, and also Biggin Hill Community Care.) Members of our congregation are also involved in different ministries within the community, whether they are involved in the Scout Movement, the Women’s Institute, and other voluntary organizations, because of this St. Mark’s is indeed ‘the Church in the community.’

What will it offer?
Opportunities to enable us to discover and develop God’s plan. A place where we all can find welcome and acceptance, and encounter healing in Christ. But also this church will offer Christian nurture, whether we are searchers for the Christian faith, new Christians, or have been Christians for a long time but continue to have a desire to be nurtured in faith, and discipleship.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
The Ministry Leadership team have now drawn up a strategic plan to begin to put into place some innovations that will address some of the issues in the Vision Statement.

  • ‘Explore’ services will continue to be developed.
  • Holiday Club will continue, but we will explore new ways of building bridges with families that attend. ( eg. Invite Parents and children to barbecue on the last day.)
  • A ‘Start Course’ will run in the Autumn Term for those new members of the congregation. ( This will also be promoted in the Parents and Toddlers Goup.)
  • With the aim of continuing to explore contemporary worship and new ways of ‘Being Church’, a number of individuals from the Church will be attending a ‘Fresh Expressions’ course through June and July.
  • The Diocesan Stewardship Advisor ( Alan Strachan) will be invited to speak to the MLT/PCC. Alan Strachan’s Stewardship theme is centred on Mission of the local church. One challenge for us as a congregation is to think about our discipleship and the commitment in time and talents we offer for the work of God in this community. To support this we intend to run a stewardship campaign within the next year

For our vision to become a reality, all members of the congregation need to support this ministry and outreach to families and young people. We want each member of our church, whatever age, to use the gifts God has given them in building up his body. We are a community of individuals at different stages of the Christian journey, yet God can use each one of us in his mission.

Our mission is to glorify god with the worship of our lives, this vision statement, gives a picture of what we will be working towards, that St. Mark’s will indeed become a centre of prayer, praise, active evangelism and outreach.

ST. MARK’S PEOPLES PRAYER
Dear God in Heaven who loves us so much,
Thank you for everything You do and provide for us.
We pray for your church and community here in Biggin Hill,
that we may know Your plans for us in this special town.
Especially, we pray for help in bringing all Your children to You,
So they may come to know You fully, through our actions enabled by Your Spirit,
And through the life, teaching and example of Your Son, our Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Amen.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF ST MARK'S CHURCH

What will St Mark’s be?
A centre of prayer and praise; the spiritual home of a nurtured, caring and growing family that can develop as individuals, small groups and as a larger community equipping themselves for service for God.
A place which will have a refreshing Christ centred environment where children, young people and adults will be excited about Christ.

How will it feel?
A welcoming, dynamic, moving and influential place in the heart of the Biggin Hill community that is relevant to the needs of the local people and provides for them in their daily lives.

What will it offer?

  • Opportunities to enable us to discover and develop God’s plan.
  • Opportunities to support each other in living the Christian life, sharing God’s Word in an appropriate way to all in our local community so that they too might come to know Him and love Him.
  • A place where everyone, including the hurt, the wounded and the unloved, is welcome and will find love, healing acceptance and hope in Christ.

Jeanette