Parish of Potten End, Holy Trinity
« Mission Action Plan »

– We welcomed the arrival of our new vicar who started in September 2019.
– Our 150th anniversary year was a big success with various events and celebrations.
– Since the launch of the Parish Giving Scheme we have seen a good take up from both existing donors and also new members of the church.
– Through both an interregnum and the COVID pandemic we have sustained, and in some areas grown, our varied worship pattern.
– The new incumbent has continued to develop links with our local school and also their new head teacher.
– During the pandemic we have introduced many initiatives, have grown our online presence, strengthened our music offering and widened our ‘reach’ in the community.

The pandemic has inevitably had an effect on our mission and outreach.
Just as we were in the process of relaunching and re-energising Messy Church and our work with families and young people, lockdown occurred and made that incredibly difficult (but not impossible we must stress).
As a goal from our previous MAP we have been unable to make our church building more welcoming with signage. However we’ve thankfully found creative ways to address that and make more use of the outside of our building and churchyard for prayer and contemplation.
Our finances have taken a significant hit with the closure of the Church Room, the newsletter loosing advertisers, no fete and being unable to fundraise in the ways that we would usually do. This has perhaps led to a more cautious and apprehensive approach to our mission and outreach.

To be the church at the heart of the community – a welcoming, inclusive and growing church for all, where everyone is encouraged, inspired and nurtured on their journey of faith and Christian living. To offer loving care and support for each other, the wider community and the world, by sharing in the Good News of God’s love.

1. Love: to work to build up our relationships within the church family and with the wider community, responding to God’s transforming love for all.
2. Grow: to flourish in our in faith, growing spiritually and numerically.
3. Serve: to meet people ‘where they are’ and to serve in a way that is relevant, prayerful and ongoing.

To develop our communication and engagement with the needs, aspirations, and concerns of our church family and (importantly) of the wider community, ensuring that Holy Trinity remains at the heart of life beyond our building, and is a place to which people can easily turn.

To ensure we continue to improve our systems of communication through not only ‘traditional’ methods of publicity (newsletter, posters, etc.) but also to maximise the use of digital opportunities to the full (website, Facebook, etc.) so that our wider community is increasingly aware of, and engaged with all that we undertake. (ongoing)

Through feedback, reflection and visible evidence from a community consultation as to what are the needs/opportunities of the church, implement an action plan to engage with the responses we receive. (Spring 2022)

To create an informal welcome pack to hand out to those who are new to the community and to investigate the possibility of having congregation members ‘adopt’ a street so as to build up a visible presence through conversation and relationships. (Summer 2023)

To provide and promote various ways for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with God and Holy Trinity, and in doing so enabling a deepening of their own faith and encouraging active discipleship.

To implement and embed our varied and diverse worship pattern, allowing access to all including live streaming and to continue our musical breadth. (Winter 2021)

To run another discipleship course and enquirers course such as Alpha, alongside a wider encouragement of growing peoples confidence, talents and gifts of faith and service. (Spring 2022)

To create a network where those on the electoral roll/regularly attending church are connected in with someone in the church, to encourage and build up one another in life and faith. (Autumn 2022)

To ensure sustainability in our endeavours and church fabric, promoting responsible stewardship (in its various facets), generous hearts and spirit-led service.

Continue to roll out the Parish Giving Scheme, use of the card reader and promote ways in which people can financially support the work of the church. (Winter 2021)

To become at least a bronze accredited eco-church. (Winter 2022)

To investigate and put into place strategies to encourage, equip and enable more people to take on helping and leading in various facets of church life. (Summer 2022)

To widen our engagement and ‘reach’ in the community, especially amongst the marginalised and those in need. (This priority connects together priority 1 and 2 where we can’t add more SMART goals on the form)

Develop our Pastoral Care Team and ‘widen’ its publicity in the offering of care, support and prayer to all those in the community. (Spring 2022)

To launch various missional endeavours such as Tuesday Gathering, Messy Church, Rooted and Mad Squirrelers and to reflect on the ‘forgotten corners’ of the community to see if further engagement is needed. (Summer 2022)

Within the ‘mission and evangelism sub-committee’ to consider how we can ‘enhance’ our outreach, offering practical as well as financial support.