Mission
We respond to God’s love and live out our discipleship in worship and mission.
We do this through:
- Worship
- Learning and caring
- Service
- Evangelism
People within our District have a wide range of skills and gifts, and use these in the work that happens across our area. From the heart of our city centres to our rural communities, from social justice to work in schools, we are committed to a wide variety of work and projects.
We are passionate about working ecumenically, and this is expressed through a number of partnerships, projects and pieces of work throughout our District.
Ecumenical working in Cumbria has a long and committed history, encouraged through the umbrella organisation of Churches Together in Cumbria. Supported by many denominations and guided by its President and a small Executive of trustees, Churches Together in Cumbria (CTiC):
- supports local Churches Together Groups
- convenes a Church Leaders Group for denominational leaders in the County
- provides a Spirituality Group that offers and trains in spiritual direction
- promotes Social Responsibility for member churches through a Social Responsibility Forum, an employed Social Responsibility Officer, and various initiatives
- supports emergency work in response to floods, shootings and the Covid 19 Pandemic
- promotes Dementia Friendly Churches, Anna Chaplaincy, and Agricultural Chaplaincy; and
- encourages awareness, response and challenge to issues such as human trafficking and modern slavery, the need for warm spaces, and linking to the Local Authority Faith Forums
In 2011, from within and alongside CTiC, the Church of England, and the Methodist and United Reformed Churches in the County agreed a covenantal partnership to establish the country’s very first ‘Ecumenical County’. Formally, this became a ‘Covenanted Partnership in Extended Area’ (or ‘CPEA’).
In 2015, this commitment developed into the ‘God for All‘ initiative (GfA), a commitment to reach out in mission to all those who lived in the county. (‘God for All’ was a term adopted in Cumbria prior to its use, with permission, by the Methodist Connexion).
ln 2016, the three ‘Covenant Partners’ renewed their commitment, being now joined also by the Salvation Army, and supported by four ‘Companion’ denominations: the North West Baptist Association, the Church of Scotland, the Religious Society of Friends, and the Roman Catholic Church.
In 2020, following a wide consultation, the God for All Vision Refresh established four overarching themes or priorities.
We seek to:
- follow Jesus Christ daily;
- care deeply, including by listening to our neighbours and communities;
- speak boldly through words and actions of the love that God has for all;
- tread gently on God’s earth through concern, action and justice for the climate and environment
The four adverbs and themes are interconnected and mutually informing.
From 2021 onwards, the GfA vision and strategies have been further developed through a commitment to:
- promoting a mixed ecology of expressions of church;
- continuing to develop Ecumenical Mission Communities;
- resourcing Mission Communities through renewing or developing appropriate strategies and initiatives and
- encouraging adoption of the principles reflected in two metaphors: the ‘Parable of the Garden’, and (from Jazz) of ‘Faithful Improvisation’
What we do
Our Projects
District Projects
Social Justice
Eco Church
Rural Ministry
City Centre Ministry
Methodist Schools