Growing in God

Flourishing Congregations Making a Difference

The Gospel invites us to celebrate the good news of God’s saving love. That’s what lies behind our shared diocesan vision for Growing in God adopted in 2016.  God wants us to grow as his beloved children, he wants us to grow as loving communities, he wants us to grow in sharing his love beyond ourselves in both our words and actions.

“We cannot determine the fruit of growing in number or growing younger. We cannot compel people to have a faith – though we can do many simple things to make that growth possible – planting and watering – clearing the weeds and brambles – sowing seeds – not being fatalistic and believing in God’s providence. But we can determine what we do in seeking to grow in depth, attending to deepening our own faith and Christian practice, and engaging in actions that helps us to grow in influence”  Bishop Martin

Our priorities

Growing in Depth – responding to the call of Christ in every part of our lives

Growing in Number – drawing contacts we have into the life of God’s kingdom

Growing in Influence – reaching beyond ourselves in our impact on the wider world

Growing Younger – building churches whose age range reflects our communities.

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" 1 Corinthians 3:6

Our building blocks

Faith & Discipleship
Through enhancing the quality of our worship, building up our fellowship and extending our witness, we will develop flourishing and outward-looking congregations making a difference for our communities.

Vocation & Ministry
We will build up the numbers of those in lay and ordained ministries including pioneers, evangelists and children’s and youth ministries. Our training will be accessible, flexible and integrated. It will place as much emphasis on continuing development as it does on initial training.

Relationships & Structures
We will develop partnerships and networks for mutual learning and support and sharing good practice; working with ecumenical partners, schools and people of good will. We will align all our structures to serve the flourishing of our congregations.

Resources & Buildings
We will manage our resources and buildings as gifts for mission. We will develop resources and operations to support congregations for growth. We will be innovative and work together to identify the best use of our buildings for mission.

For further information

As part of championing the Growing in God vision we aspire to be people who know that ‘God is with us, gathering us as Christ-centred communities, calling us to make Christian disciples, sending us in loving service, empowering us by the Holy Spirit’.

Our Mission and Ministry team provides resource materials and support.  They also encourage parishes to use a simple Mission Action Planning tool to help them focus on the Growing in God priorities and how they might be worked out in each different context - we are trusting God that this vision, underpinned by a commitment to Christian stewardship, will bear fruit as we look to the future.

How to grow your parish church | weblink

Growing in influence | weblink

Growing Younger | weblink

Making your parish sustainable | weblink

Deanery planning | weblink

As part of this vision, we have received Strategic Development Funding for two major projects:

Inspiring Ipswich | weblink

Growing in God in the Countryside:

Lightwave | weblink

Loverural | weblink