Church Mission Strategy

Our vision

Our church is to be a spiritually strong, loving, bible based, family church where:

  • As individuals we take a personal daily walk with God
  • We meet to learn together and encourage each other in the Christian life
  • We work together to reach out and communicate the good news of Jesus Christ, both locally and beyond in a bold, enthusiastic and effective manner.

Spirituality and Prayer

In our worship, both corporate and private, we seek to glorify God.
In meeting together to worship:

  • The conduct of the services will lead us to truly worship the Lord.
  • Teaching will be delivered to inspire Christian living.
  • Worship will encourage and help to develop our Christian walk.
  • There will be increasing participation by all those present.

All will be encouraged to participate in a Bible Study House group, and to participate in prayer meetings and prayer triplets.

Nurture and response to human need

Our church leaders will organise care and nurture to meet the requirements of the wider church fellowship, whether sick or well, young or old, through special meetings, activities or visitation.

Growth

We will seek to grow:-

  • In spirituality, with an increased reliance on prayer, individual and corporate.
  • In fellowship, caring for the extended families of church members.
  • Embracing new forms of church life, to make worship accessible to those outside of current church life.

Evangelism / interaction with the community

Our church will reach out to interact with those living in Ottery St Mary, developing suitable activities using the talents and interests of members. The church will serve those in need and material hardship.

So we will:-

  • Work with other churches in the town
  • Run an Ottery Food Bank in partnership with the Churches Together in Ottery.
  • Pray for our neighbours and contacts, especially using prayer triplets.
  • Organise the Community Market for Ottery St Mary, to allow the market to be held once a month for sales of local produce and craftwork. Thus, serving the community and providing a venue where the church can meet a wider cross-section of the community from the town and local villages.
  • Make our premises available for suitable community activities and events.

Christian partnerships within Ottery

We will maintain and develop links with Churches Together and Christians Together in Ottery St Mary, and members will be encouraged to take part in initiatives which are being planned.

In particular, we will work with the other churches to support the O6 Project (Ottery Christian Community Youth Project) and provide active help to the Youth Pastor.

We will also support the Ottery ABIDE Project to provide a home for Syrian refugees.

Interaction with other church groups in the UK

In addition to the URC, we will maintain membership of the Evangelical Alliance and Partnership UK, using their facilities for developing the Christian life of our church.

Global Partnerships

Our church will be an active partner in God’s global mission, and in particular will pray for and financially support:-

  • TEAR FUND – Ethiopia (CCMD) Self-help Project
  • Open Doors/RELEASE
  • Thai Pocket Testament League
  • Kunhar Christian Hospital, Pakistan
  • El Shaddai Christian Home, Chennai
  • And other activities reflecting the concerns of our church members.

Equality and diversity

The church will welcome all who wish to attend irrespective of race, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Churches within the URC have to make clear whether they will perform single sex marriages or allow their premises to be used for such marriages. The Ottery church meeting has decided that it will not celebrate or bless single-sex partnerships or perform single-sex marriages or allow the conducting of single-sex marriages in the church buildings.

Justice and Peace

Our church is a Fair Trade church.
We will:

  • Where possible and appropriate make a stand against everything that undermines or destroys fullness of life.
  • Seek economic justice from the local to the global marketplace through action in the local community and by our global partnerships.