St Helen’s and St Peter’s Vision and Mission Action Plan was refreshed for a third five-year period at the beginning of 2022, setting a new path as the pattern of parish life settles down again after the COVID pandemic.
Each PCC meeting begins with a period of work on our Vision, setting objectives that take us towards our Vision, planning the practical steps to reach the objectives and reviewing our progress in achieving them.
Our three strategic priorities for the period to the end of 2026 are
1. Make St Helen’s and St Peter’s a vibrant hub at the heart of the community with buildings fit for God’s mission in 21st century Wheathampstead
(a) Review of needs for the St Helen’s building
(b) Plan, raise funds and deliver a cost-effective project to meet our needs
(c) Reduce our environmental footprint
2. Be a church for all generations
(a) Developing our worship and prayer life across all age groups
(b) Working creatively to draw in families and build relationships across the generations
3. Provide opportunities for people to encounter God’s love
(a) Meeting the needs of the community in co-operation with key local organisations
(b) Offering courses and opportunities to grow in faith
(c) Providing leadership on the environment, with effective communication
The Parish’s Values, which underpin our planning, remain unchanged since our first Mission Action Plan in 2011:
As followers of Jesus, inspired by God’s amazing Love:
Summer 2022 update
In the first priority, dealing with our buildings and how we can best use them, a Statement of Needs has been agreed, an architect engaged to carry out an option appraisal for re-ordering the church to meet our needs and the building has been surveyed for the architect.
In the second area, aiming for St Helen’s and St Peter’s to be churches for all generations, there are plans to offer courses leading to confirmation groups in 2023; and to conduct a survey of our congregations on the worship styles they would like to see and the pattern of service times, helping us to find a new normal after the changes necessary to adapt to the COVID pandemic.
In the third area, helping people to encounter God’s love, practical plans are being laid to work together more effectively with families in the village, adapting our support for families with holiday hunger to a new approach based on a Community Larder in the church building; and to use the churchyard as a resource for nature-based activities aimed at young people and families.
July 2022
