Thank you to everyone who attended the 'Dreaming Dreams' review of Children and families ministry on Saturday 12 September. It was a fantastic day with a great opportunity to theologically reflect together and to seek God's vision for the way forward. Our collaborative theological reflection has enabled a vision to develop and has provided us with a plan for how we will begin to work towards achieving it.

I have produced a report Dreaming Dreams: 'Creating a Vision for the future - the way ahead' which represents the voices of all who were present and reflects our prayers, discussions and thoughts.

Our Vision for Children and Families:

Welcoming All, Growing Faith and Building Community Together

Inspired by Jesus' compassion in Matthew 14:13-21, we will bring what we have to God and trust him to use it generously. We will Create welcoming spaces where children young people and adults are known, valued, fed in body and spirit, and invited to discover faith.

What are the next steps?
We need all of you to pray over this vision; it needs everyone to play a part. I am seeking to build a team which will be known as the Pioneer Mission Team, together we will explore the recommendations of the report and prayerfully bring them into reality:

• There will be an opportunity to attend a Pioneer Parishes online training course to learn more.
• The initial findings indicate that we will explore Bubble Church as an initiative to support children and families from Little Lights, First steps and baptisms.
• To improve on our ongoing ministry with local schools we will consider a School Chaplaincy Model.
• We will support our local schools to engage with the Archbishops Young Leaders Award, and we will explore the possibility of a Youth Choir.

I am sure that as we begin to move forward the holy spirit will continue to inspire and things will take God's shape for his mission here.

For a full copy of this report please contact Michelle on [email protected]

Revd Tracey