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The Parochial Church Council has approved the
following Strategy for our Mission to Myland:
1. Mission
Statement
Following Jesus’ Great
Commission,
we will continue the ministry of
Jesus
and live the message of Jesus
in the manner of Jesus
2. Theology
of Mission
The Great Commission
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus authorised and
commanded His followers to make disciples in all nations,
baptising and teaching, with the assurance of His presence. We
recognise His authority to commission us for this work, and
accept His command. As part of the Church of England, we focus
our work on the Parish allotted to us.
The Ministry of Jesus
We are the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27),
in whom He has poured His Holy Spirit, that we may continue his
work. We have His motive for ministry – the sacrificial love of
all people, drawing all into fellowship in the Kingdom of
heaven.
The Message of Jesus
Our aim is to live as Jesus lived on earth, that
we might be part of the fulfilment of the Law of Love, with an
inclusive Gospel, distinctively moral but without condemnation.
Corporately and individually, we will do so by our action,
example and word.
The Manner of Jesus
We recognise these major elements of Jesus’
ministry:
· He
was in authority and under authority, accepting God’s Law and
the law of the land
· He
ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit
· He
sustained His relationship with the Father through prayer
· He
appointed others, teaching and authorising them to work for the
Gospel
· He
spoke in the gatherings of the faithful, but also went to the
people to preach
· He
met with all strata of society
· He
healed, forgave and welcomed, with a focus on the Kingdom of
God.
Our strategy for mission is designed to follow
this pattern as we minister in the Church and the community.
3. The
Parish
 Myland is comprised of a number of separate
geographical areas— “islands” which have little reason to relate
to one another. We intend that the Church is present in each of
these “islands” in Jesus’ name, calling the people to Him and to
each other in fellowship, promoting cohesion and collaboration.
These areas are:
Mile End -
the historic village, centred around Mile End
Road/Nayland Road, Mill Road and Turner Road. In this area are
all the community facilities, including the Churches, Myland
Parish Halls, Myland Community Primary School, shops, the
Railway Station and the General Hospital.
Braiswick -
the village to the west, historically
separate from Mile End, where there are no community facilities
but includes Colchester Golf Club.
Romans -
the estate on the south side of Mill Road, on
which there are no community facilities, nor space to build—and
this situation also applies to most of the following “islands”:
The Myle -
the estate on the north side of Mill Road
Cuckoo Point -
three blocks of flats, at the
north-east border of the Parish beyond The Myle.
Turner Rise -
a residential development to the east of
Turner Road
Northfields -
a new residential development (2011:
currently being built) including Queen Boudica Community Primary
School.
Northern Approaches
- Also known as the Hakewill Estate or
St. James’ Park, this residential estate is to the east of the
Church, with access through the Churchyard by a path which the
Church now owns.
New Braiswick Park -
a self-contained, growing estate to
the south of Braiswick.
Severalls -
land to the north of Mill Road, where the
building of 248 (of a planned 1500) homes is about to start. A community
centre is planned for this area.
Chesterwell -
Greenfield land to the west of Mile End Road,
where more than 2,200 homes are due to be built, including
promised schools and community facilities.
4. Worship
Corporate worship at St. Michael’s is designed to
glorify God, and to develop our faith and our relationship with
Him. We will do this through services of Word and Sacrament,
accessible to people and acceptable to God, in a wide variety of
styles and media, reflecting the variety of our community.
Services at Festivals are, and will continue to
be, particularly accessible to those who only attend Church
infrequently.
Sunday worship will be augmented by midweek
services, seasonal programmes of study and fellowship and the
development of Home Groups in the various “islands” of the
Parish, together with a programme of social events in which we
can enjoy the presence of God and fellowship with one another.
5. Fellowship
and Outreach
Our strategy is to be present in all parts of the
Parish, meeting all strata of society whether identified by
their age, need or interests. Our aim is to attract people into
fellowship with one another in the name of Jesus, and into
fellowship and relationship with Him. Our outreach is therefore
an extension of our worship and our concern for the people of
Myland.
By Area
We are keen to develop areas of faith and
fellowship in each part of the Parish, including residents who
can become Christian pastors to their neighbourhood. We will
seek to be involved in Residents Associations, local activities
and issues, and where buildings exist we would wish to utilise
them and are prepared to become involved in their management.
We will continue to communicate to the Parish
though our Noticeboards at Church, the websites of the Church
and the Halls, regular leaflet drops to every home in the
Parish, and have promotional material for the Church’s work
available in the Church, the Hall and other relevant locations.
We will seek to develop Sector ministries,
including Chaplaincies to local enterprises; these currently
include ASDA and Tall Trees Care Home. Our Clergy are known at
the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
By Age
We endeavour to meet the specific needs of each
age-group, including the following:
Babies and Toddlers:
We have an open and welcoming
Baptismal policy, through which families resident in the Parish
can consider the Church their spiritual home throughout their
lives. We hold “Church Mice”, a time of togetherness with
Christian input meeting regularly in Church; we encourage the
growth of Myland Pre-School and Myland Baby & Toddler Group
which meet in Myland Parish Halls, offering concessionary hiring
rates, and welcoming them into the Church. We host groups and
agencies that promote infant health and well-being, at the Halls
and in Tufnell Way, and continue to seek further opportunities.
 Children
are welcomed at all our services, and we wish to
ensure that they are well catered for during worship. Teaching
and fellowship are provided at stmixkids, which meets monthly
in the Halls (and has its own section of our website). We are actively
involved in the many Uniformed Organisations which meet in the
Halls, including Christian leadership and Parade Services.
We are welcomed in Myland Primary School and
Queen Boudica Primary School, and welcome them for curriculum
visits and other services and events organised by the Church.
Youth:
We are seeking further to develop our ministry to
young people. Following a number of years of successful work
amongst teenagers, those teenagers are now young adults, who
largely remain associated with the Church. A Youth Group meets
in Myland Parish Halls, led by Colchester YMCA but in close
collaboration with Church leadership, and we are keen to see
this develop.
Young adults:
There is prayer and peer support for the number
of young adults now at university, and we seek to involve young
adults in tasks and rotas for our services, as well as including
them in social events.
Families:
We will continue to offer strong support for
young families, through family services, our Baptism policy,
Babies and Toddlers and the Pre-School, to ensure parents have
good opportunities to network in a welcoming Christian
environment. We will promote family life and affirm those
following a single life, and encourage the growth and
effectiveness of our Mothers’ Union Branch.
We recognise that growth in the number of
residents, many of whom are young, will shortly bring a need for
additional professional leadership.
Adults:
We believe that stimulating and varied worship,
and a wide programme of social interaction, is an attractive
mixture which all ages may find welcoming and satisfying. We
will continue to monitor our achievements, and how they are
viewed by all who attend services and events.
 Within the Church, we will hold events for men
and women, actively develop the number of House Groups for Bible
Study and fellowship, and promote suitable social events. We
have a strong Band of musicians and singers, and a high number
of people on service rotas; we are keen to develop active lay
involvement, and will look for emerging leadership skills.
We have a strong Weddings ministry, which we will
actively promote; and an effective Funerals ministry which may
be improved through the appointment of a Bereavement Team.
Third Age:
We value the presence of the older members of
the congregation and community, recognising the importance of
their maturity and experience in the congregation and wider
community. Whilst we therefore wish to see them included in
mainstream activity, we will organise specific groups and
events; our “Senior Moments” group is strong and much
appreciated in the community.
We are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of
our ministry to the people of Myland; these have been debated at
PCC and have informed our action plans.
6. Collaborative
ministry
Christian collaboration
We recognise that we are part of the worldwide
Body of Christ, and work with Christian colleagues in Myland,
including Mile End Methodist Church (with whom we have a
covenant relationship), St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in
Mill Road, the Hospital Chaplaincy and Christian residents who
worship elsewhere.
 As part of the Church of England, we will work
with other Parishes in the Deanery and Diocese, take part in
Synod and Chapter, and seek to develop our ministries through
training opportunities. We will support local and world-wide
agencies and charities.
Community collaboration
 We will work with local bodies to strengthen
community, including Myland Community Council and Borough
Council, Residents’ Associations and all other local
stakeholders, seeking to influence decision-making in accordance
with God’s law and for the benefit of the people of Myland.
7. Our
Resources
People
We thank God for each of the people He has given
us, and recognise that the Holy Spirit will have provided all
the Gifts required for the furtherance of the Gospel in Myland.
We will seek to identify and develop these Gifts and vocations,
directing and encouraging their use to build up the Church and
the community.
Leadership
We are blessed with an excellent team of
Churchwardens, PCC and other lay leaders including a part-time
Administrator, who support the fellowship and the licensed
ministers. We plan to continue their development, and build
teams to manage the many varied activities we undertake.
The nature of licensed ministry in the Church of
England is undergoing change. In accordance with the Colchester
Deanery Vision Plan, we intend that continuing growth in the
work of our Parish will be resourced by a range of roles under
the leadership of a Rector, including Pioneer and
self-supporting clergy and Readers, augmented by other emerging
ministries such as Pastoral Assistants, Evangelists and Local
Preachers.
Buildings
 The Church:
We are blessed with a Church building in a
prominent location and in good order, surrounded by the
Churchyard which, although closed for burials, remains a central
feature of the Parish. We will continue to make
structural and small changes to ensure that it is attractive and
welcoming and continues to meet the requirements of our
ministry.
 Myland Parish Halls,
also centrally-located near the Church, are a prime focus for
community activity. Having been recently modernised, they are a
well-used community asset, virtually at capacity. Hiring income
covers the operating costs, despite our policy of keeping rates
low, to promote community use.
 Myland Church House
is the Rectory, at 352 Mill Road. It
is strategically located at the centre of the newer part of
Myland; it is at the south-east corner of Severalls, and close
to Romans, the Myle, Cuckoo Point and Mile End, and a short step
from the Hakewill Estate and Turner Rise.
 11 Tufnell Way
is a rented home on New Braiswick
Park, as a home for our Community Pastor and with a small
community space, as a base for our ministry on the estate, and
close to Braiswick.
There are currently no other buildings in
residential areas of the Parish available for worship or social
use. However, we will look to take suitable opportunities for
ministry as they arise.
It is the intention that Community Centres will
be built in the new developments of Severalls and Chesterwell;
we will continue to work with Councils, agencies and developers
to ensure that these provide suitable facilities for community
use, including worship.
We welcome comments or enquiries concerning this
Strategy for Mission: we invite you to contact us through one of
the links on our
Contacts page.
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