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The information on this site is provided in good faith as guidance and stimulus to those involved in the Church’s strategy for new housing areas. No responsibility can be accepted for information which is inaccurate, and professional advice specific to particular places should be sought.
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| Future Church : Ashford | 13th Mar '07 |
| Simon Ellis has been a minister in the growing Kent town of Ashford where considerable housing growth has taken place and much more is planned. He has been working with the churches, local authority and developers, and here asks some pertinent questions about what the church in Ashford might look like in the future. Although writing about one place, this brief paper explores some of the ecclesial issues relevant to all. |
As already outlined, the shape of Future Church cannot be predicted for Ashford. There are though clear current trends which will have an impact, some of these trends are mutually contradictory making any strategic planning very difficult. These trends include; Believing not Belonging; Networks not Neighbourhoods; Religious Consumerism; Caring for All; The Remnants of Christendom; Partnership Working; Leadership; the Mission Imperative.
The net effect of these diverse pressures argues for resource light, flexible, short term projects set within a coherent long term strategy. The high risk element of such projects though highlights the need for significant external support and resource allocation. Evidence from the UK Church Planting experience over 20 years suggests that if a home grown project 'fails' the supporting church is then less likely to engage in further risk than a church which has not yet tried. The net effect of a high risk, short term strategy for the churches in Ashford could be long term paralysis. Developing a context which allows and supports high risk taking and the inevitable failures will demand a creative response from Kent's Regional Church Leaders both collectively and within their own denominational structures.
Believing not Belonging
Grace Davies' phrase that captures the persistence of religious belief in a population that refuses to participate in church. The subjective evidence from Ashford's growth supports this trend strengthening. (ref St Michaels Kingsnorth)
Belonging before Believing
Work developed from John Finney's 'Finding Faith Today' which stresses outreach based on bringing people into the community of faith without requiring a prior commitment. That style of Church community is soundly based on encouraging all to progress on their faith journeys together.
Networks not Neighbourhoods
Much of this suggested CTA strategy is based on an assumption that Neighbourhoods are still important for all people; hence the roles allocated to different areas of Ashford. This is in the face of the knowledge that Networks are increasingly important to all, and for many are now the primary sources of our relationships. CTA has the double whammy of trying to reach out to Networks in innovative ways; while also helping Ashford's Future to re-establish the importance of Living Neighbourhoods as a necessary basis of healthy lifestyles for all.
Religious Consumerism
A rarely acknowledged phenomenon in Christian circles (but see Brian Maclaren�s writing as a rare exception). What is widely accepted is that old denominational loyalties, even distinct denominational identities, are breaking down. This is in part due to the influence of ecumenical activity. Church members are increasingly willing and choosing to travel to the church of their choice: though that decision is rarely honestly acknowledged as a personal choice. Local evidence includes; the Ashford attendees of St Mary Bredin in Canterbury are sufficient to sustain their own local home groups; Tony Cross's work on Baptist membership in Ashford which shows a Town Wide random scattering of the members of the 3 Baptist churches largely uncorrelated with the location of those churches.
Caring for All
Although a specific historical charge on the Church of England, the cure of 72,500 new souls cannot be solely the responsibility of the Ashford Deanery. A central part of CTA activity has to be to seek 'the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of all its residents' (local Government Act 2000). Much of my work has been underpinned by the conviction that Kingdom values can be applied to the development of Ashford for the good of all. Any consumer led competitiveness among the Ashford churches will fatally damage that mission.
The Remnants of Christendom
Post Christendom is an increasingly used description for our current context (see Stuart Murray Williams). Although outside the scope of this report, I have not found this concept helpful in trying to understand Ashford. I prefer to use The Remnants of Christendom as my way of expressing that we still have a wide acknowledgement of structures and processes which are unquestionably Christian. For example there is still a Civic Service and a Chaplain for the Major, even if few of the participants recognise they are publicly acknowledging the primacy of God's rule in the town! While such elements are most naturally associated with the Church of England, all CTA members are linked to this public perception of our role in the town.
Partnership Working
This needs to be embraced by CTA as a desirable kingdom centred approach, not just the inevitable route if we are to participate in Ashford's Future. In part this growth in partnership working is the result of government (both main parties) doubts over the effectiveness of past and current Local Government programmes. New money therefore is almost always accessed through Partnerships. These increasingly have to be seen as having a real VCS component and sometimes even a separate Faith element. Examples are given in the Representation section of this report. It is important that increasing numbers of church leaders in Ashford gain experience of working like this. It is also vital that we strengthen the Work- Faith link for all our members. It is likely that many will already be involved these partnerships through their normal work commitments. A lay representative may often be a better choice than a fulltime church leader as our member of the partnership.
Leadership
This remains a difficult area, in the Public Arena, especially the political one; this is always linked to power. The challenge for the churches is;
Can we show leadership based on the Jesus' model?
Furthermore can we implement Paul's exhortations, and effectively, but not uncritically, support those charged with the political responsibility for Ashford's Future. Fairly obviously this role brings inherent conflicts with the prophetic role outlined already.
The Mission Imperative
Although we have established a significant level of agreement and common ground, it would be false to suggest this mission imperative is understood by all CTA members in the same way. The strategy outlined uses this diversity creatively, to establish roles for everyone which together can affect the town. It is not necessary to seek some common doctrinal basis for all our work together, but obviously some partnerships will be easier than others. If CTA continues to strengthen relationships based on our common missionary tasks then the diversity of which we should be proud will continue to flourish.
This imperative demands that our future life is shaped by the needs of those we are not currently reaching rather than our internal church agendas. Evidence so far suggests that Ashford needs a spectrum of churches, Rowan Williams' Mixed Economy. Renewed churches operating in a traditional model, of which we have a variety of options, would constitute one end of that spectrum. At the other end would be groups of Christians and others grouped together temporarily in something that most would not recognise as Church at all. In the middle would be our current 'new' churches, ACF, Gateway etc. |
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