Mendip Vale Local Ministry Group
The Mendip Vale Local Ministry Group has been formed as part of Locking Deanery’s response to Bishop Peter’s initiative ‘Changing Lives: Changing Churches for Changing Communities’ which not only addresses the reduction in stipendiary clergy numbers but also encourages us to look at new ways of being church.
The group consists of the villages of Congresbury with Puxton and Hewish; Wrington, with Butcombe and Redhill; Banwell, Winscombe, Sandford, Churchill, Langford and Burrington. These are at present ministered to by five Anglican clergy, two Methodist ministers, one Roman Catholic priest and one United Reform/Baptist minister together with a strong team of Readers, Deacons, Elders and committed Christians. However, by 2012 the number of Anglican clergy has to drop by one leaving four to cover a very wide geographical area.
Over the past eighteen months, God has been moving amongst us powerfully. Churches and chapels are coming together in a way not experienced before. Common ground is emerging, denominational boundaries are receding. New possibilities of spreading the love of God amongst our communities are emerging.
About one hundred local people from all Christian churches and denominations have attended each of the open meetings held at Churchill Methodist Church in November 2004 and June this year to try to discern ways in which resources can be shared in promoting the God of love to all in our communities.
People are catching the vision – by sharing our resources new initiatives are already emerging.
