“By the end of 2025, Grace Church Stoke on Trent will be thriving as a place of welcome, safety and growth.”
As we emerged from the pandemic and the world opened back up again, we couldn't shake the sense that things weren't to go back to the way they were. Culture in the church was being reshaped. The emphasis on being the body of Christ together was inescapable after months of isolation. We sensed God call us toward the following Vision for Grace Church over 2022-2025. It set our priorities and determined how we were going to invest our time and resources.
To achieve the vision, we were guided by the following objectives:
(WELCOME)
1. Establish a culture of hospitality in which every church member plays their part.
2. Develop an integration structure that helps people belong and get involved in our mission.
3. Incorporate and celebrate our God-given differences in all aspects of church life.
(SAFETY)
4. Create a safe place for those with doubts and questions to explore what the Bible has to say without fear.
5. Coordinate our pastoral care to support people when life is tough.
6. Create clear paths to recruit, train and build teams in ways that achieve longevity and avoid burnout
(GROWTH)
7. Provide opportunities to develop key skills to flourish in life – utilising local expertise.
8. Grow in confidence, competence, and conviction in sharing the gospel.
9. Double the number of community groups from 5 to 10, with many newly trained leaders supported by the eldership team.
To help with the above, we also aimed to have:
a) A staff team of at least 4 people, increasing our eldership capacity and ability to serve our children and young people.
b) A fit for purpose venue that we have either moved in to or have a clear plan in place to be moving into imminently
