Members of churches in the Avonside Mission Area have gathered to celebrate the signing of their covenant.
Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon and Acting Diocesan Bishop, spoke at the special service, which saw 112 people from across five churches gather at St Mary's Stoke Bishop to commit to the vision.
The Avonside Mission Area is a network of five local Anglican Churches serving the North West of Bristol.
The covenant commits the members of the Mission Area to:
- Uphold one another in prayer and building one another up in Christ;
- Work together to follow the Spirits leading;
- Serve one another and alongside one another;
- Give sacrificially of themselves in His service;
- Seek first the Kingdom of God in their lives, their churches and their communities;
- Strengthen the bonds of unity that exist between them.
Bishop Lee told them that, collectively, they could make a big difference to their communities.
He said: Youre doing this because theres something very special that God does when He brings people together.
We have a wonderful opportunity in this; in making ourselves accountable to one another to show what can happen when we work together.
Im praying that we can break down the cultural chasm between the Church and how we are perceived.
A Mission Area brings together parishes committed to developing a coordinated approach to mission across a wider geographical area; to focus, share and multiply mission resources and practice; and to provide a context in which new leaders and ministers can explore vocation and develop in a mission focused setting.
Read the Avonside Mission Area Covenant
2018 Celebration Evenings
There will be a chance to celebrate all that God is doing through the partnership and to pray into the vision.
- 17 January 2018 - St Andrews Church Hall, Avonmouth
- 2 May 2018 - St Marys Church, Shirehampton
- 9 October 2018 - St Edyths, Sea Mills
The celebrations will take place from 7.30pm to 9pm with refreshments at 7pm.