Let us picture what life might be like a few years from now.   A world in which the diocesan strategy has borne fruit.   We have a successful renewal church in the centre of Redditch.   We have a flourishing network of New Worshipping Communities and a number of our churches work effectively with Children and Young People.

Here in Redditch this work is supported by the Redditch Mission Area.  What will this look like?

There will be a flourishing church in each area of our town.   These churches will each have a clear focus of mission and will be distinct in their worship and outworking of the Gospel.  Examples of worship include High Anglo-Catholic Mass in Crabbs Cross, contemporary Charismatic worship in some places, more traditional forms of worship in other place, and various creative  services varying from liturgical to more free form.

In additional to the local worship and witness of each church, there are areas of outreach and service to the wider community.  

If we step into any of these areas, we see people from different churches across Redditch working together, united in their passion and calling for the work being undertaken.   All opening up pathways to discipleship.

In some cases, the work is being enabled by a centrally funded community worker who helps train those involved and aids in establishing projects.

The Core Team of the Mission Area,  including the Oversight Minister, the community worker and the Ops person start each day by praying together.    On many occasions they are joined by others from the churches of the town both lay or ordained.

If we follow a typical day for the Ops person what might we find them doing?  No two days are the same, but their work may include such things as:

• Aiding a church treasurer in generating management accounts;
• Supporting a Churchwarden in undertaking a Health and Safety Audit;
• Helping link up a team to support a church in dealing with a building problem or
• Providing support for church website hosting, email and other IT Infrastructure.

The Mission Area Oversight Minister spends time supporting local church ministers, again both lay and ordained.   The Oversight Minister also has their own church but has significant time to provide cover and helps ensure  there is a good understanding of the skills available across the  Redditch area.  They can then help to put appropriate links in place and seek to ensure that the values and vision of the Mission area are communicated well in all the expressions of worship we have across Redditch.

Each Ordained minister in the area is the lead minister for one or more of the churches.  Each minister will also have an area of work where they contribute to mission across the wider area.  They will provide the spiritual lead for their local churches, supported by a clearly defined local lay leadership team and structure.

No matter how the legal church structures evolves, each church will have control of its own budget and direction while also linking to the Mission Area and contributing to the centrally funded work.

As we look at the areas of work across Redditch and beyond—mission, service, youth and children’s work, and the network of New Worshipping Communities—we see some work with a strong link to the local church, even if supported by people from many churches. Other work will span multiple areas or even the entire Mission Area.

 In all of this, there is an ever-present focus on reaching out to people with the Love of God and seeking to direct them into appropriate discipleship pathways.

As we look across the mission area as a whole we see Kingdom focussed people in Christ Centred groupings all working to fulfil the Mission of God in our area in word and works.

We see ordained ministers supporting each other in prayer and in practical ways.   Even where we differ we still seek to respect each other. There will be challenges but we do all seek to Love God and Love our neighbours as ourselves.
Facilitating

Providing practical centrally facilitated support to churches in areas such as:

• Building/Facilities Management
• Finance
• Governance
• Compliance

Enabling

Aiding churches is developing the local missional identity and providing practical support in developing this.  Also enabling the local by providing support from centrally resourced workers in specialist areas.

Sharing

Bringing people together from across Redditch to work in areas of Mission which cover the whole of our Area and are better done collectively.

A simple example could be providing a single point of contact for funeral directors.

Also, connecting churches with similar theologies to enable them to work together where appropriate, for example, running courses together.

in God’s Mission Across Greater Redditch

The underlying principle behind all of this is not simply to increase organisational efficiency, to centralise power and authority or allow us to run our churches with fewer clergy.

The heart of the Mission Area is to release local churches to be what God is calling us to be.   To be churches alive to what the Spirit of God is doing in our local areas and more widely across Redditch and the surrounding villages.  That we may:

Go and make disciples, baptising them in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.