Cottered, St John the Baptist version: 2

Things seen about our local community

• A strong sense of community based on the parish church - probably half the village attend church at least once a year.
• The Parish News goes into every house in the villages.
• Cottered is on the busy A507. The church is open every day and receives many visitors (Throcking by arrangement only).

Vision (for five years' time)

A church that seeks to engage with the community, responds positively to its needs and best aspirations, and to share the Gospel by word and example.

Current Situation

From our Parish Statistics for Mission, we see that we are / have...

Fighting a losing battle. Ageing congregation declining and not being replaced. Newcomers to the village do not wish to engage with the church

Priorities (for the next five years)

• To encourage the good will of the village communities to grow towards thoughtful reflection and deeper spirituality.
• To maintain and enhance the churches' involvement with all aspects of village and community life.
• To move ahead with fresh ideas for communicating the Gospel responsively and responsibly.

Goals (for the next year)

• Consider and where necessary reshape our worship (especially the monthly Family Worship), with the aim of inviting the community
• Make plans for creating better visual presentation of the church, its history and present life, both for community and visitors.
• Look at possibilities for training more church leaders, and for those who already contribute to the church's lay ministry.
• Consider potential growth of the Quest Bible Study Group and/or creation of a course on Christian basics.
• Develop an annual plan of joint activities with the wider benefice of five parishes.