Woolwich Area Lay Meeting
Thy Kingdom Come Church Growth and Mission
These are my rough notes from the Last weekend’s meeting for Thy Kingdom Come focussed on Lay Ministry in the Woolwich area deanery.
Our Keynote speakers were Kemi Bamgose, (lead officer for Thy Kingdom Come) and Natalie Walters head of JPIC at Southwark.
The Meeting Agenda: focused on
- Stories of God’s work in the community
- Children and Young People
- Prayer and Intergenerational Working
- Mission in Deprived Areas
God’s work in the community
The meeting began with several stories highlighting God’s work in the community. Kemi shared experiences and gave examples of how God had moved through prayer and service to transform individuals’ lives.
One story involved a young man with cancer who passed away but was believed to have given his life to Christ before he died, thus envangelising his community to find Christ.
Another story involved a small church in northern England that experienced significant growth after a group of older ladies dedicated themselves to prayer for their church. The church attracted a diverse congregation, reflecting the changing demographics of the area.
Children and young people
The discussion then focused on the importance of reaching children and young people. Participants expressed concern that many young people were growing up without hope or understanding of God. Many did not even know the Lord’s Prayer.
They emphasized the need for churches to be a welcoming and engaging presence in their communities and to create spaces where young people could learn about faith.
Intergenerational working
The importance of prayer and intergenerational working was also discussed. Participants highlighted the power of prayer and the need for older generations to mentor and support younger generations. They emphasized the value of a strong community that provides a sense of belonging and support.
Mission in Deprived areas
The need for mission in deprived areas was emphasized. Participants recognized that churches have a unique opportunity to be a force for change in communities experiencing poverty and hardship. They encouraged churches to be active in reaching out to those in need and to build relationships with families in these areas. The emphasis was to “dream big” and pray for the growth of the Church.
Thy Kingdom Come and Pentecost
We were invited to pray for five people in our parish and prepare activities for Pentecost Sunday by journeying from key locations to meet and worship at Southwark Cathedral
Parish Conversations
Bishop Alistair announced a programme of upcoming conversations designed to gather feedback across the parishes with the theme “what has the diocese ever done for us?”
After giving us a moment to straighten our faces (!) he told us of the two year programme by the Bishops and reps from Trinity House to visit every parish in the deaneries with three questions
- What are your stories?
2. What are your dreams and hopes?
3. What are your challenges and hurdles?
Link group with the Diocese of Jerusalem
Bishop Martin of Kingston has been actively involved with our link to the Diocese of Jerusalem. They are looking for a lay person to be part of that link – preferably someone involved with young people ministry and from the Lewisham and Greenwich archdeaconry. Please contact Bishop Alistair if this is something you can help with.
Bishop Alistair invited us to pray in different languages.
We ended the first part of the meeting with a Song for the Goodness of God before going to scheduled workshops.
A more complete report will arrive soon
ASA
Share this content: