Church of Furneux Pelham, St Mary the Virgin
« Mission Action Plan »

We have successfully completed a stewardship programme which brought in approximately £5000 from the wider community, significantly improving our financial position. We have continued to try to reach out to families through Cafe Church and we have had some success involving them in the delivery of the service. We produced a welcome booklet giving information about who we are, our services and related activities to give out to new residents and visitors. We have seen four of our adults complete an Alpha course; one has now been confirmed, is part of the church family and is on the PCC. Another is involved with COGs (a Church group that arranges social and fundraising events). We have also been touched by the amount of support we have received from the community in relation to our roof theft.

Cafe church numbers vary a great deal (some months we have 4-5 families and some months only 1-2 families). Holidays/weekends away seem to play a part in this. It is also challenging maintaining healthy numbers for other Sunday morning worship services.

Our vision is to build a flourishing church of all ages, where all are valued and welcome, where God is worshiped and glorified, and where the church family is equipped and works together to take the love of Christ beyond our church to our local community.
However, the reality is that our prime focus presently has to be raising the funds, obtaining the necessary permissions and replacing our stolen lead roof.
Because of the roof situation, the church building has been put on the Historic Churches “at risk” list since the lead theft last summer.

Worshiping God.
Offering welcoming, hospitable, inclusive church services.
Ensuring the church building is well looked after, secure and watertight.
Becoming a church family, who work together to build God’s Kingdom and share the love of Christ with others.

Addressing the pressing need to replace the roof by undertaking all the necessary work; fundraising, gaining the necessary permissions, applying for grants etc.

PCC to agree on the roof replacement material they are opting for and apply for the necessary permissions.

Apply for grants to fund the new roof.

Arrange fundraising events and inviting/encouraging as many people as possible to support those events to raise much needed funds.

Becoming a church family, who work together to build God’s Kingdom and share the love of Christ with others.

Having occasions when the church family spend time together socially, ie share lunch together, BBQs etc giving us the opportunity to get to know each other better.

Identify a small group of people who will take responsibility to arrange these occasional events.

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