Many communities across our Diocese have been subject to decades of underinvestment from national and local government, leading to significant socio-economic disadvantage and marginalisation. Across the Bristol and Swindon area, approximately 30 of our parishes sit within the 20% most deprived in the country when ranked using the national Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
Local churches and clergy serving in these areas often face a range of particular challenges, not least, limited resources. We long to turn the tide and see clergy and churches in these areas flourishing and cultivating sustainable good growth, through intentional investment and support.
The Priority Communities Network (PCN) programme can be viewed in three wings of investment and activity:
People and Resources
- Grass roots discernment and deployment of mission-focused lay workers (1FTE per context)
- One of the core principles of the PCN programme is that deployment of resources is shaped by the local churches involved, in a contextually relevant way. Funding for one full-time equivalent lay worker post, plus funding towards admin support and expenses are available for each of the above contexts. The PCN staff team will support clergy and their church PCCs to create a proposal and to implement their plan once it is approved. For some parishes, this might mean employing a community evangelist/outreach worker, or launching a schools/youth outreach programme, or a shared community grocery, workshop, parenting programme, etc.
- Operations Managers recruited to serve clusters of PCN churches (0.25 FTE per context)
- Support parishes with data packs, recruitment, IT equipment, induction, payroll provision and budget management
Networking, Support and Accountability
- Gatherings and socials for the PCN clergy, offering a space to share learning and pray together. Alongside this, 1:1 support is offered by the Dean of Priority Communities
- Gatherings for the groups of Operations Managers and Lay Workers to support each other in their similar roles
- Enabling wider networking and support through conferences and partnerships with parachurch organisations
Training and Development
- The ’PREPARED’ lay training and mentoring programme developed to equip local lay leaders from priority communities to fulfil their callings within their churches and communities. The 9-month programme is a contextual course focusing on personal transformation, mission & evangelism, and leadership
- The offer for 5 parishes to be part of the ‘Jesus Shaped People’ discipleship programme, which is running parallel to the PC programme for churches in the 30% most deprived communities (IMD)
- Support to enable clergy to attend retreats and conferences
- Line management and personality profiling training
The following list of 14 PC contexts have been invited to take part in the core funded programme as they sit in the 12.4% most deprived communities (IMD:
• St. Andrew’s, Hartcliffe, & Withywood Church, Bristol
• St. Barnabas, Filwood, Knowle West, Bristol
• Easton Christian Family Centre, Bristol
• St. Peter’s, Penhill, Swindon
• Shine Pinehurst (BMO), Swindon
• St. John’s & St. Andrew’s, Swindon
• St. Peter’s Lawrence Weston, Bristol
• St. Luke’s with Christchurch Barton Hill & St Matthew Moorfields, Bristol
• St. Stephen’s, Southmead, Bristol
• St. Agnes in St. Paul’s,
• St. Anne’s Church, Eastville
• St. Mary Magdalene with St. Francis, Lockleaze, Bristol
• St. Mary’s, Henbury, Bristol
• St. Mary’s, Fishponds, Bristol
• St. Mary’s, Shirehampton, Bristol
The 5-year PCN programme is intended to enable good growth through:
• Depth of discipleship
• Numerical growth
• Social transformation
The team supporting this programme are:
 Revd Andy Murray - Dean of Priority Communities |
 Martin Green - PCN Project Officer |
 Revd Michelle Taylor - Priority Communities Trainer |
 Evie Jones - Priority Communities Project Administrator |