Church of Sharnbrook, St Peter
« Mission Action Plan »

The three previous editions of our MAP since 2013 have all featured these three main priorities:-
a) Greater Church awareness and involvement in the life of the village / community.
b) Greater village / community awareness and involvement in the life of the Church.
c) Enhanced participation and spirituality, by appropriate adaptation of Church offerings / services.

Goals with a successful outcome:-
To establish closer links with the Parish Council, Borough Council, and the local primary school.
To increase the priority and support for Sharnbrook Churches Together.
To improve the provision for children and young people in the life and worship of our Church.
– particularly true for Messy Church, prior to March 2020 (lockdown)
Goals only partially achieved:-
To improve and enhance the level of planned giving through better information about regular giving, bequests, and text message, online and appropriate methods aimed at under 40s.
– we now have online donation methods in place, and have frequently promoted regular tax-efficient giving, and bequests.

Goals yet to be achieved:-
To develop work with young people of Secondary School Age group
To take part in a Welcome course and work towards our mature members befriending under 20s to share the life of faith in the village.
To work towards the training of 2 more Lay Leaders of Worship, 2 Rise and Shine leaders and a Messy Church coordinator.

Paths to Peace – The Pastoral Vision

to be a loving Christian community
that seeks to enable the love and peace of God in everyone

‘Paths to Peace’ is a comprehensive new programme of pastoral care and outreach initiatives, inspired in part from our contribution to the Sharing in Sharnbrook COVID-19 support project, where we are finding new and proactive ways to help our more vulnerable housebound neighbours. But even when lockdown is behind us, the road to recovery will be hugely challenging, as we all struggle to regain financial and emotional stability. ‘Paths to Peace’ represents a long-term commitment.

Our Pastoral Vision is characterised by these three parallel and inter-related objectives, whose ultimate goal is the achievement of spiritual growth and numerical expansion:-

a) To establish a creative digital identity and a hub/space within St. Peter’s church and the adjoining St. Peter’s Room, to facilitate our on-going mission to provide Care and Pastoral Support to our community, and to foster the excellent response to our digital online services during lockdown, This objective has one current Priority – a1.
b) To minister to all manner of pastoral needs within the local community, focussing not only on WHAT care and support is offered, but also HOW it is delivered. This objective has three Priorities – b1, b2, b3.
c) To transform our Worship, Prayer, Christian Meditation, Bible Study, and Teaching, to grow the spiritual life of the Parish, and attract newcomers into the Church. This objective has one Priority – c1.

OUR FAITH
Placing God at the centre of every ambition, mission, project, task, conversation, and contact.

OUR HOPE
Working for peace, speaking out against injustice, being prepared to challenge the status quo, evaluating new opportunities, and courageously embracing change.

OUR LOVE / CHARITY
Excluding no-one, inviting and welcoming all, defending and supporting the vulnerable, showing that we care, by our thoughts, and words, as well as our deeds, sharing the gospel, and demonstrating what it means to follow Christ.

Priority a1
a) To establish a creative digital identity and a hub/space within St. Peter’s church and the adjoining St. Peter’s Room, to facilitate our on-going mission to provide Care and Pastoral Support to our community, and to foster the excellent response to our digital online services during lockdown. This objective has one current Priority

1. Bring Broadband into St. Peter’s Church.

2. Procure equipment and implement live-streaming from St. Peter’s Church.

3. Extend access to St. Peter’s Room.
4. Procure equipment and implement internet working from St. Peter’s

Priority b1
To establish a new Pastoral Care initiative

– establish a robust framework for the process of delivering Paths to Peace,
– recruit a team of volunteers to get the process started.

1. Map out the Process.

2. Recruit Local Look-outs.

Eight stages on a pilgrim’s Path to Peace
Every situation will be different, but we might imagine that every pilgrim’s journey would involve these eight key stages:

1. Noticing a potential issue.
2. Notifying the potential issue.
3. Connecting with the pilgrim / traveller.
4. Listening to explore and understand the circumstances.
5. Planning a way forward.
6. Offering continuing support.
7. Making a referral.
8. Reviewing the outcome.

The Local Look-out is the key person for stages 1 and 2, and plays an essential part in stage 3, but is not called upon to play any further part until the final stage.

Priority b2

Enlist the support and commitment of specialist external advisors, agencies, charities
and provide procedures and facilities to enable effective collaboration.

1. List the different categories of pastoral need.

2. Prioritise categories based on relevance to the local community.

3. Contact and liaise with relevant local agencies.

Priority b3

Establishing appropriate on-going Support Groups within the Community, in order to help sustain the Paths to Peace care and support initiatives.

Examples include:-
1. Bereavement Support Group (The Good Grief Inn)
2. Carer Support Group.
3. Hall of Friends (online).
4. Companionship Support Group for those living alone.

Priority c1
To transform our Worship, Prayer, Christian Meditation, Bible Study, and Teaching, to grow the spiritual life of the Parish, and attract newcomers into the Church.

1. Establish new type of gatherings both in-Church and on line.

2. Sustain and develop existing patterns and styles of Worship.
3. Establish new patterns and styles of Worship.

4. Introduce Bible Study via online, via House Groups, and in Church.
5. Establish opportunities for lay and ordained leadership development.