Mission Action Plan
All parishes in the Diocese of Bath & Wells are encouraged to have a Mission Action Plan. Our plan, or MAP as it is called, seeks to set out our current priorities for mission and ministry as a parish, founded on an understanding of who we are as a church, and the role that God calls us into as we serve our local area in his name. The MAP is normally reviewed and amended each year.
St Andrew’s Mission Action Plan 2025
At the Parish Conference held on 14 September 2024, the meeting sought, under God’s guidance, to set the priorities for St Andrew’s in the coming year. Based on core values as simplified in 2023, we reflected that our calling is to engage with God (we called this Spirituality), to engage with each other as fellow disciples of Jesus Christ (Hospitality) and to engage with the area we serve (Community). This plan focusses activity in these three areas and underpinned by our values, as set out below…
At St Andrew’s Church we are committed to being…
A. WELCOMING … being inclusive, accessible and welcoming
B. CARING … treating each other and our visitors in a loving way
C. GROWING … trusting in God
D. RESPONDING … responding to our community’s* needs
E. NURTURING … nurturing discipleship
*Defined as church community or wider community as appropriate.
During the conference, a small group considered each of the three areas of work (Spirituality, Hospitality & Community). At the end of the morning a small working party comprising one person from each group was appointed by the meeting to work with the Vicar to take the suggestions from each group and mould them, SMART-targeted, into this Draft Mission Action Plan for 2025 to be presented to the PCC on 19 November.
A review of the previous Mission Action Plan was included in our conversations. Most items had been embedded in our life together. Some of the remaining items will continue to receive attention by way of “finishing off,” but are not recorded here.
As ever, the New St Andrew’s Project continues to inform the development of our buildings so that they help us to fulfil our core values.
Approved by PCC, 19 November 2024. To be RAG-rated and reviewed at each meeting of the PCC as a specific agenda item. The next Parish Conference will be held by 31 October 2025 to prepare the Mission Action Plan for 2026.
Version 1.0
19.11.24
|
Focus |
What? |
How? |
By when? |
How will we know? |
Who? |
Values |
|
SPRITUALITY |
Maintain focus on worship that inspires us and offers our best to God |
Work towards live music at all our services
|
October
2025 |
Recorded music is used only in an emergency.
The Choir is well supported and able to learn new music.
There are new opportunities
for worship in our calendar at least quarterly. |
Vicar
PCC
LWA |
B
C
E |
Renew attempts to recruit a Director of Music
|
|
Restore occasional evening services |
|
Offer an afternoon Eucharist with tea designed for older people |
|
Maintain focus on nurturing faith |
Continue to promote and offer our Advent, Lent & Summer SALT courses |
October
2025 |
St Andrew’s offers a comprehensive programme that is diverse in style and content. |
Ministry
Team
Lectio D
leaders |
A
C
E |
|
Continue to promote the Lectio Divina Group |
|
Continue to include our children in the eucharistic experience |
Involving children more in our worship, including on occasions gathering them around the altar, with particular attention to experiencing the seasons of the liturgical year. |
October
2025 |
The children look forward to sharing in worship alongside the adults as well as meeting in their own spaces. They know their contribution has equal value to that of worship leaders and congregation alike. |
Vicar
Ch@10 leaders |
A
B
C
E |
|
HOSPITALITY |
Encourage and welcome church members of overseas heritage into the life of the church |
Set up a welcome board and display the Lord’s Prayer in all the languages represented within the church family |
Easter
2025 |
Members of overseas heritage feel a warm hearted welcome by seeing their own language displayed. They feel equally loved and valued as longer standing members of the church. |
Ministry
Team
Lizzie
Budd
Whole congregation |
A
B
D |
|
Complement the existing fund raising lunches with Bring & Share meals |
Easter
2025 |
A
B
D |
|
Ensure the continuation of existing community-facing activities |
Identify and recruit additional leaders for Church Mice and Tea & Talk |
Summer
2025 |
Existing leaders feel supported and not over-committed. Service users feel ownership of their activities. |
Vicar
C.Mice & T&T Leaders |
A
B
C
D |
Expand the number of uses for the
South Aisle |
Consider the purchase of portable display boards to show artwork by Children@10, Church Mice, local schools and local art groups |
Easter
2025 |
Children’s and local artists are supported. We are better able to show use of the newly flexible space with NSA Stage 3 in mind. |
NSA Group
Children’s leaders |
A
B
D |
|
COMMUNITY |
Learn more about the needs of our community |
Identify social features of the parish using the Heart Edge resources offered by St Martin-in-the Fields, London. |
Easter
2025 |
Improved knowledge helps us to allow the community to tell us what they need so that we don’t assume we know. New ideas for service to our community can be identified for possible inclusion in MAP 2026. |
Ministry
Team |
A
B
D |
|
As the “Railway Parish” investigate ways of building links with our railway station |
Contact the Station Manager to gauge what links might fit in with their business model and day to day operations |
October
2025 |
Rail users are aware that the parish church in which (half!) the station lies is a resource for spiritual support. Links are made with Rail Responders with visits to church and station. |
Vicar |
A
B
D |
Develop links with Rail Responders
|
|
NEW ST ANDREWS |
Continue with the New St Andrew’s Project |
Complete furnishing the South Aisle for church and community use |
January 2025
|
Phase 2 of the New St Andrew’s is complete and the Garden of Remembrance has been improved. Plans are emerging, at least partially costed, for Phase 3, ready for MAP 2026. |
NSA
Group
Perry
family |
A
B
C
D
E |
|
Commission additional Narthex doors to support smaller groups |
|
Support plans for the development of the Garden of Remembrance |
Easter
2025 |
|
Begin to plan the next phase of the NSA Project |
October
2025 |