Vision & Strategy
This strategy aims to capture a sense of who we are and where we feel God is leading us as a church.
The ideas contained within it will shape the future of PSJ as they describe our vision, the key areas of our ministry and the people that we want to serve.
This paper has been written so that every member of our church family may understand how they can be part of God’s people here in PSJ. This is a rolling 4 – 5 year strategic plan which we hope to see implemented by 2020, with regular reviews by the Church Council along the way.
We long to grow...
As a church family we’re from many different backgrounds, but we share a common aim to deepen our love of God and to develop a community that sees His Kingdom thrive here in PSJ and beyond.
We are a church where everyone matters, from the youngest to the oldest. We believe that everyone has something to bring that will add colour and creativity to the church family. For PSJ maintaining the ‘status quo’ is not an option, we hunger to respond to God’s love, to be transformed, to grow.
We want to inspire everyone in the church to have a passion for Jesus and His Kingdom, beginning in our own community and wherever God sends us. As a church family we long to become a community of people who not only love and serve Jesus Christ in obedience to His teachings, but are also committed to love and care for each other and to being a blessing to the area in which they live.
We try to be just that. We don't always get it right but we are committed to trying through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that we will do this through...
- Worship, prayer, discipleship & teaching
Providing Biblical teaching, a Church grounded in prayer, nurturing spiritual growth and encouraging participative, expressive worship. - Reaching the community
Working with and in the local community, serving others to make a radical difference in PSJ and beyond. Encouraging, equipping and supporting each other to exercise our faith where we live, work and relax. - Children & Young People
Building on our work with children & young people, helping them to grow in faith to become confident and responsible adults and wherever appropriate integrating children & young people into the whole church life.
We believe that we will achieve this through a number of key areas:
- The Bible
We will seek to obey God’s Word, through, Biblical preaching and teaching and the application of the word through small groups. - Prayer
It is our desire to encourage every member of PSJ to pray more, especially to listen for God to speak and lead us. We will nurture and encourage spiritual gifts including that of prophecy and discernment and those with ministries of intercession.
We will do this through encouraging times of prayer together and in small groups seeking to ensure that daily prayer under pins the life of individuals and the church as a whole. We will encourage people to pray at home, at work, on the streets and together in our building, aiming to show that prayer can be exciting, dynamic and essential for the growth of the church. We want to develop people willing to pray with others – both from inside and outside the church, being sensitive to the Spirit and channels for healing and wholeness. - Ministry and Pastoral Care
We want to develop the ministry of every believer, discovering their gifting from God and developing a passion for service and mission. We want to encourage young people into leadership and nurture and develop their gifts, so that they can be a blessing to this and other churches as some of them move away to a life elsewhere.
We seek to love and care for one another and those within our communities through good times and bad, offering practical and spiritual support and friendship. Everyone will be assigned to a Pastoral Visitor to ensure regular contact is maintained and support offered where appropriate. - Worship
We will offer varied styles of worship which are both inclusive and accessible, seeking opportunities to reach the community and those who would not usually come to ‘church’. - Leadership and Membership
The leadership team is responsible for ensuring that the church works effectively in the community, organising worship services and maintaining the different aspects of the church’s life.
Leaders will be good role models, effective communicators, open to God, discerning the way forward and able to inspire others to follow in that way.
We recognise the need to have strong communications both within the church and beyond to the village, the press and the internet, making effective use of social media.
As well as developing people’s gifts and giving them confidence to use them, we will encourage people to feel that they are committed to working together in their ministries and actively participating in the life of the church.
We will encourage people to recognise their commitment to PSJ through formal membership. - Small groups
Everyone at PSJ will have the opportunity to be part of a small group. Small groups will seek to build closer relationships with each other, and offer care and support.
Small groups will seek to reach out to friends and neighbours in friendship and love, supporting each other prayerfully in their witness together. - Youth, Children & Families’ Work
It is a joy to see young people mature into young adults and make a choice about coming to Christ. We want to see this continue to grow and expand through the ministry of a strong youth, children and families team.
We will continue to offer the best for children and families building on links with SEEDS and reaching out to new families through Messy Church and other regular family events.
We will build on our work with young people through all youth activities.
We will encourage involvement in services and national events such as Soul Survivor both as an individual church and as part of the Circuit and/or ecumenical partnerships. - Safeguarding
Safeguarding is of utmost importance and the church is committed to ensuring that all workers voluntary and paid are kept up to date with current regulation and training. - Environment
We are committed to following an ethical buying policy. We are a Fairtrade church and committed to the Methodist Church Environmental Policy and as a church adopt sound recycling and environmental practices. - Growth
We aim to grow by leading others to faith in Christ as well as seeking to grow in our own faith and trust in Jesus.
Growth involves learning to draw closer to God ourselves as well as growing together with all who lift up the name of Jesus.
Growth in these ways requires a commitment of every participant in the life of the church to seek and take every opportunity God gives to share the gospel in word and action and to be open to fresh understanding, experience and service together. - Mission and Outreach
We will make mission and outreach a priority as the Lord leads us. This will include opportunities for people to explore the Christian faith e.g. Alpha and Youth Alphas.
We will seek opportunities to support the wider community e.g. senior citizen’s lunches, parenting courses, foodbank and other opportunities for building bridges with the community. We will seek to serve all of the community through appropriate events e.g. Breakfasts, craft days, film evenings etc.
We will aim to help people in times of crisis or difficulty whether through offering a listening ear or the practical support of food and/or meals, lifts and fellowship. As a church and as individuals we will foster links with charities e.g. Julian House, Bibles for Children, Action for Children amongst many. - Ecumenical Links
We will take every opportunity to work together wherever possible with the other churches in the village and the wider community.
Achieving our vision...
- People
The whole church needs to own and be committed to such a vision for it to be effective. We will need people who are not as yet involved in the life of the church to take up ministry in some of the areas we have outlined. - Finance
We will need regular, generous and sacrificial giving to fulfil this vision. We believe that God provides and that any vision needs to be totally surrounded by prayer. - Buildings
We have buildings and facilities that will help us to fulfil this vision. We will ensure that they maintained to the highest standard not only for present use but also adapted to meet future needs and vision.