Without buildings

I’ve just had an article published about operating as a church without owning our buildings on the Church Growth R&D website. You can read the article here: http://www.churchgrowthrd.org.uk/blog/churchgrowth/without_a_building

Missional Community Groups

One of the most exciting areas that I saw whilst I was on sabbatical was the role that Missional Community Groups play in some of the churches I visited.

Hope in Southwark – Fresh Expressions Conference

Fresh Expressions in Southwark is coming of age! Yesterday we held the first Fresh Expressions vision day in the diocese of Southwark solidly backed by the diocese.

Great article on women’s bishops

I’m off to hear Rowan Williams at the Fresh Expressions conference. I do hope to write more about the women bishops and the theology of it.

In the meantime Ian Paul has written an excellent article:

What does the decision on women bishops mean

Murder in the Cathedral…. women bishops

It was a bad day yesterday for the Church of England. There hasn’t quite been a Thomas a Beckett style murder in the Cathedral but it has been a disastrous own goal for the Church of England. Indeed it was an unforced error. No-one from outside made the Church do this. 

Church and its future…

Very interesting interview by Michael Moynagh on the Fresh Expressions website.

We have a new Church Office…..

We have been without a Church Centre since April when we left Ross Parade. Ross Parade was a great Church Centre for us albeit with some significant limitations. These included the fact that it was too small for most ministries and many meetings (e.g. PCC and Cell Leaders meetings).

Staff Away Days

Well we’re back! Did you miss us??!! Seriously though, we had a really productive time away, looking at some of the areas that we believe that God is calling to grow as a church.

building for the next stage

Well after all the excitement of Sue and Donna’s ordination at the weekend it is back to work with lots to do. I and the staff team are away for three days working on the next stage of Springfield.

Archbishop Rowan and Fresh Expressions

One of the fascinating things that Rowan talked about both in his resignation interview in March and with us on our anniversary Sunday was about Fresh Expressions, new ways of being church.