Over the past 2 years, the D&R group met regularly to
create momentum and focus for an overall strategy for Christ Church PCC ,
created an overall vision for the next hundred years at Christ Church Swindon .
This focus enabled us to kick start the development process.
Grant applications to the Borough and to other agencies, alongside a review of
our own assets and priorities, as well as a programme of fund and awareness
raising, have now put us in a position to move forward with a phased approach
to the overall development and renewal strategy.
Having got this far, it is now essential that everything
that is done over the next 2-5 years is driven and informed by the overall parish
plan. To ensure that we engage our own experts and interest groups in the
future decision making and to ensure that the plans are properly co-ordinated,
we have devolved the on-going activities of the former D&R group, into our
current committee structure but with a couple of small changes.
- Site Development & Buildings – project managing the delivery
of the community centre & managing our properties day to day – led by Stephen
Grosvenor & Mike Palmer
- Mission & Evangelism – ensuring that the church delivers
effective, outward looking Christian learning programmes and promoting and
supporting Christian projects worldwide- led by Norma
McKemey & Martin Lee.
- Children & Young People -
Working to support,
nurture, and affirm the contribution of children and young people in
church life, and to reach out and engage with those in our wider community
- led by Janice Titcombe & Trudie Wigley
- Community Networks – ensuring that we develop and maintain
strong links with our local community, groups, businesses and individuals
– led by Daphne
Hardwick & David Morrison
- Church Family -Strengthening church family relationships and
providing pastoral care- led by Anne
Macmillan & Pam Bridgeman
- Financial Stewardship & Resources – ensuring that we
manage and grow our resources led by Chris Raven & Gareth Hutchinson.
Lynda
Fisher one of our churchwardens has
agreed to oversee the committees and she will be assisted by Claire Beaton,
Ailsa Palmer and Simon Stevenette. Each committee has 2 leaders and these
leaders will meet periodically to share ideas and progress. All trustees of the PCC
are members of one of the six groups.
To summarise, the work of the renewal and development group
has now become part of our “business as usual” process. Each of the groups has
a clear remit and has formulated their own targets which together, deliver the
overall church plan for renewal and development. You can read about this plan
as well as seethe work of the individual committees here. The Development & Renewal
fund will remain as a place to donate gifts specifically to fund Christ Church
