Introduction:
Over the last few years, the two church councils and the wider church have worked hard to discern what sort of church we want to be, our core values and some of the key objectives we want to take forward as a church in both communities. Please see the sections below to find out more and thank you for your interest.
Download our full Vision Document or short Vision leaflet below.
Our Vision: What does the name New Creation mean?
We concluded that the title “New Creation: Building Better Community” is still the best way to describe how we feel called to be ‘Church’.
- Thereby wanting to follow God’s call to play our part in creating a NEW world and society where everyone knows they are loved by God (based on 2 Corinthians 5:16-19).
- a NEW world that is kinder, that values people for who they are, and a world that cares about the relationship it has with the wider Creation.
- This involves us then being one Church that meets and lives not just for itself, but for God, for the community, for Creation and to join with others in promoting and sharing God’s kingdom values.
- This is highlighted by our supporting statement ‘Building Better Community’.
Our Mission: is based on our Values as a Church
We want to be a Church that:
- follows Jesus
- is authentic, genuine, and generous wherever we can, based on the life and witness of Jesus, whether in prayer, in worship, or in how we conduct our relationships with one another.
- prioritises our relationship with God, valuing prayer and personal discipleship, trusting that we meet with God in the person of Jesus and the present moment of the Holy Spirit.
- “sees each other by name,” not by labels. As someone commented during lockdown, “it is the labels [and the judgements that go with them] that so easily define our world and so divide both Church and society.
- seeks to be “one” as a Christian community. We each come from many different backgrounds and communities – whether that be Banwell, Hewish, Puxton, or Congresbury, whether we be part of a physical Church community or one who joins in mainly via the Internet and online.
- tries to build bridges rather than put up barriers following the example of the early Church (as shown so powerfully in Acts ch10-15).
- aims to deepen our relationship with Creation including following the call to be part of an ‘Eco-Church’ movement.
Our Strategy: is to achieve these Key Objectives over the next five years:
- Developing Worship
- Encouraging Personal Discipleship and Prayer
- Promoting Fellowship and Kindness
- Caring for the Planet as part of Eco-Church
- Creating Children and Young People Space
- Major Building Projects and Repairs
- Reaching out to the New Housing Projects in Both Communities (including Banwell Village)
- Holding Regular and Special Events
- Improving Communication and Building on our Online Work as a Church
Future Objectives:
- To look into forming one PCC across both villages.
- To form a ‘Friends’ of St. Andrew’s, Banwell.
- Have a Common External Giving Policy across both churches.
- Provide a number of ways to promote giving to the church – in time and skills as well as financially.
Last Updated 13/04/2024