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Gathering 1 Catch Up

Welcome to Myriad

Timings - 85 mins (+ 25 mins for additional Safeguarding Input)

Introductions & opening prayer - allow teams to briefly introduce themselves - 5 mins
Introduction to Myriad pathway - 10 mins
‘What is a new Christian community?’ - 20 mins (10 mins input + 10 mins discussion) - adjust timings according to teams present
‘Vision’ - 40 mins (Input -10 mins. Prayer practice: Input & video - 5 mins. Exercise & discussion - 15 mins. Group discussion - 10 mins)
Rhythm of review & action planning - 5 mins
Safeguarding - 25 mins (Input - 15 mins. Q & A - 10 mins). Only necessary for teams that missed Midstage 1
Roundup - 5 mins

The objective of Stage 1 is for teams to think and pray through what God is calling them to do. Typically, teams will have an emerging vision statement by the end of Gathering 1. Teams joining after Gathering 1 must commit to develop their team vision before reporting back on it in Gathering 2.

A script for the session is provided in the slide notes. Any notes in italics are further instructions for the facilitator. Use ‘presenter view’ in Google Slides to access all slide notes.

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Introduction to the Myriad Pathway

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‘A collaborative, accountable and spiritual community, which supports us on our journey with others who are called to make disciples and form new church communities.

This learning community enables us to address the challenges and opportunities we will face, in an environment of faith, mutual learning and prayer, so that we take the best set of actions that will progress us towards our God-given vision.

A Myriad Learning Community

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Stages of Myriad Pathway

Vision

Leading�As Team

Forming a Discipleship Pathway

Forming a Discipling community

Growth & Sustainability

01

02

03

04

05

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Building Blocks of Myriad Pathway

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Building Blocks

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Elements of Myriad Pathway

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What is a New Christian Community?

What is a New Christian Community? - 10 mins

The first session that we cover examines what a new Christian community is. We explore how the Christian church has formed and changed shape throughout history and what that means for us now as we form new churches. How do we know what we need to keep and what can we leave behind in forming church?

In Matthew 28: 18-20, Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples, not churches, so discipleship is crucial. But people often miss the fact that the Great Commission is a commission to go and form new church communities - where do people get taught what Jesus teaches? Where are they helped to obey everything he said, (especially the call to go and make new disciples)? And where are those new disciples welcomed and baptised into their new family? - the church!

Church is a visible sign that discipleship is happening: When people come to faith and are discipled they will form communities of faith - churches. Alison Morgan says “The plural of disciple is church”

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Language

New Worshipping Community

Fresh Expression

Missional Community

Micro Church

New Church Community

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3. Post - Christendom (1950s - present day)

1. Early Church (0-300s CE)

2. Christendom (300s - 1900s)

So, what is is a church?

‘Ecclesia’ is the Greek Word in the New testament that Jesus used when we hear him say ‘I will build my church’ (Matthew 16)- it literally means a group of people that are ‘called out’ and was used to describe a group that is gathered or assembled for a purpose. However, the church has changed form over history

In the early years of the church, the first followers of Jesus were Jewish. Their concept of what we call church would be formed around the Jewish patterns of worship: the temple, synagogues and Jewish rituals. As the movement of Christians grew, we see them meeting in private homes, developing prayers, songs, sharing bread and wine and publicly reading the letters and books of the Bible

By the fourth century, when the Roman leader Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, it became an official and recognised religion. During this period, known as Christendom, Christianity dictates many aspects of society : politics, education, legal systems. Public buildings appear such as churches and chapels and later monasteries and cathedrals. Church often became synonymous with a building and recognised patterns of worship develop; prayers, liturgies, music and feast days.

Towards the end of the 20th century, with some exceptions, the Church in Western society declines in attendance. We enter a period called post-Christendom. As people become more mobile and are confronted with boundless choices their felt need for Church and its influence on our lives has diminished.

So as we look to make disciples of Jesus, we need to decide how we do this: For some of us, this means breathing new life into some of the ancient forms of church. For others, this means discovering new forms of church.

But for us to do that, we need to work out:

What do we keep?
What do we lose?
What do we adapt?

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A shared life

As we consider forming our own new church community, how do we know what we need to keep from the model of the historic church and what can we let go of, in order to reach a new generation?

We would like to suggest that there are some consistent elements to what a church is, and things that you will need to consider as you build new church community.

Firstly, healthy forms of church have always been places where people grow in faith. This is because as human beings we learn and grow in community.

Faith is something that is caught by spending time around people - it is not just something that is simply explained in a sermon or in a book or experienced in a service. And this requires us to share our lives with one another as Luke records the early church doing (Acts 2:42f). Healthy church communities share life together, so a key question is, how will we do life together in your church community?

Refer to the building block icon and how a ‘shared life’ enables teams to prioritise making disciples together

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2. Hearing from God in Scripture

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3. Hearing from God in Prayer

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4. Responding to God in Worship

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5. Responding to

God in mission

& evangelism

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6. Celebrating key events of the Christian faith, with the worldwide church.

Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the leadership of the world-wide church, our small church communities are connected with every other church though geography and history. We often refer to this linked feature as the Holy, Catholic (world-wide) and Apostolic church.

All churches will remember the last supper or celebrate Holy Communion or the Eucharist in a particular way- this is one of the ways we obey Jesus’ commandment and remember his presence with us.

When people make commitments of faith to Jesus, the church marks this in baptism. How will that happen in your community?

And we can remember key moments - both of the Christian faith (such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost) and of our local church and community history - through special celebrations

You will work out how to do these things in your local context and with your Oversight Minister but these are key elements of your church community living out what it means to be a church. So each community, with the help of their oversight minister and their mentor, will need to think about what are the important events for them and how they will celebrate or remember them.

So as we form new church communities we should pay attention to the development of these six elements

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Discuss

Which element do you find most challenging in your context?

A shared life
Hearing from God in the Bible
Listening to God in prayer and praying for his kingdom to come
Responding to God in worship
Engaging in a life of mission & evangelism & making new disciples
Celebrating key events & relationship to wider church

Group discussion - 10 mins (adjust timing according to how many teams are present). Ask teams to give a brief reflection on the question.

As people reflect, you are looking for where people are beginning to realise the challenge of forming a distinct community with its own identity and where they are realising it will have to be more than they initially expected. Keep presenting this challenge to them (don’t let them off the hook) but reassure them that this is why we are going to journey together over the next 2 years because it is a process.�

One element that is common at this stage is where the team are leading an event that connects with new people outside the church (e.g. toddler group, messy church, food bank) and they haven’t realised the need to form a disciple-making community. Remind them that we are seeking to go to where people are at and meet them there and form a community that will enable them to become followers of Jesus, not just connect with them and hope they make it into a Sunday service and hope that will will happen there.

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Vision

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Vision

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Video: Andy Putt

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Hearing God

Each one of us is here because we have responded to the call of God - God has spoken to us and brought to our attention a place or a people that are on his heart. Sometimes that is a really clear call, sometimes it is more of a growing conviction and sense of what God wants us to do. Perhaps you have become aware of a need that somehow you feel called to respond to, or you have a sense to reach a community with his ‘good news’.

That calling is an invitation to participate with God in the mission He has prepared for us. That calling is the seed for ‘our vision’.

Our confidence in hearing God call us will be challenged (Has God really said?...) but knowing that our vision was not just ‘our good idea’ can also sustain us in hard times. (Refer to the building block of prayer here, how prioritising hearing God in prayer in the process of discerning vision can build confidence and resilience in teams in the ups and downs of forming a new church community).

Hearing God is the starting point for our vision, but also the answer to every ‘How?’ we may have along the journey.

So, if it is so vital, how do we discern what God is saying to us?

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What is God saying to us?

Team

One of the chief ways that we will hear from God and discern the vision we are being called to, is through the members of our team.

As God starts to draw a team together,

each team member will have their own sense of call
each team member will have their own story and
each will have their own gifts and ideas

As we hear and recognise this in each other, we will discover what God has provided within our team to fulfill the vision He is giving us together. (Draw attention to the building block of ‘leading as team’ and explain how honouring the gifts and stories of others within our team can help to shape and discern the vision God is calling our teams to).

So as teams discern “What is God saying to us?” they consider the gifts and skills and individual desires of each team member and how this shapes the vision for the whole team.

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What is God saying here?

Location

Our vision is also shaped by the location God has called us to.

Myriad will provide you with a Place Discovery Tool, which you will use as a team to discover the place you are called to in greater depth over the next few months.This is not just an information-gathering exercise but a way of considering what God is saying through your growing understanding of place?

The tool initially helps you introduce and describe your area by thinking about its boundaries, what it has within it and any variations that exist across it - in terms of people and facilities. As well as describing the area, the tool helps you think about the area’s practical and spiritual needs. From this you should be able to identify some things to start to pray into.

Places acquire meaning through their history - changes that have (or are planned to) happen can greatly affect an area. Consider, what recurring events (eg. a history of church splits) or attitudes (our area is always…??) can you identify? Are there doors that need closing for the area to be free from its past?

Use the Place Discovery Tool over the next few months to regularly walk and pray in your area over the next few months. As you get to know your area God will enable you to discern, not just the plan for your new church community, but also your role in enabling His plan for that place to be fulfilled. As you discover your place, you may discover more about what God has called you to do. As you prayerfully identify spiritual and practical needs this will inform your vision.

Explain to teams that the Place Discovery Tool and a short video ‘Hearing God for your Place’ will be sent to them after the catch up session, to enable to them to begin working on this.

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What is God saying

to me?

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Forming vision

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Prayer Practice

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Input & video - 5mins

In each gathering there is a ‘prayer practice’, where we create a space to pray but also to learn new practices of prayer that might be helpful for teams to embed into the life of a new church community.

This particular ‘prayer practice’ is embedded within the ‘Vision’ session to allow an opportunity for the Lord to shape the vision of the teams in the cohort. Explain that this will be a brief introduction to an exercise they will want to use at greater length in their team times.

This time of prayer is an opportunity for us to hear God and allow Him to show us what He already sees.

Read Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

While an often overused verse. God knows where He is calling us as teams and how He sees our new church communities in the future.

He inhabits that reality already, we just need to enter into it. We need a heavenly perspective, or vision, of what we are praying for “on earth as it is in heaven”.

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‘The future must enter into you before it happens’

Rainer Maria Rilke

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Video: Rob Hopkins

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What is God showing you?

Individual prayer - 5 mins

Allow 5 minutes of silent prayer (encourage people to mute during this time), explaining that we are going to ask God to help us imagine what our new church communities may look like in the future.

Invite participants to relax and get comfortable and to quietly listen and imagine with God for 5 mins.

Slowly read the prayer inviting participants to say “Amen”. Use the following prompts.

“Father God I thank you that you have good plans for me and our church, that are a source of hope. Thank you that you share your thoughts with us, help me now to imagine what our new church community is like in 5 years. Help me to see what you see. Amen”.

So, what does it look like?
Who is there?
Where are you?
What is happening?

Ask them to record their thoughts however they want to, they can draw it if that helps.

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Group Discussion

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Discerning your vision

Is it missional?
Is it contextual?
Is it forming ‘church’?
Is it realistic?

Keep in mind…

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Discuss

Can you already identify key ingredients of your vision?

Vision group discussion - 10 mins

Allow teams to share any responses to the question ‘Can you already identify key ingredients of your vision?’

Explain that teams will need to give focused time to begin to develop their vision together before Gathering 2. This brief exercise will only serve as a brief introduction to the work they will need to do together. Merely begin to ‘tease out’ any sense of existing vision and how that might be developed or challenged by the input of this session.

Explain to teams that it is unlikely that they will have a clear ‘vision statement’ at this time, vision will form over the months ahead, however identifying what God might have already spoken and some of the key ingredients will begin to help form a clearer team vision. If teams are already clear on the key ingredients of their vision, they can begin to formulate it into a vision statement

Keep a check on 2 aspects that can be weak at this stage: 1. The call to form a new church community. 2. The missional purpose. At this early stage we are not wanting to critique each team but to encourage.

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Rhythms of Review

& Action Planning

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Vision & building blocks

Growing in devotion to Jesus
Prioritising prayer
Leading as Team
Living Missionally
Making Disciples Together

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Action planning

Action planning is a key practice as part of the Myriad Pathway. Teams will be asked to consider what their key priorities are in the next 6 months. These will usually be shared with the other teams in the hub. Explain that there will be two points in which we will review progress with these actions; firstly, in 3 months online in our midstage catch up meeting and secondly, when we meet in person in 6 months time, when teams will be asked to reflect on whether they have achieved what they felt called to do and why.

Ask teams to complete their action plan for stage 1 by gathering 2. As you plan your set of actions, be realistic and try not to make it too onerous.

State the action clearly in one sentence or phrase - try to avoid an action with several parts
Decide who will take responsibility for it being completed. This does not mean they will do it, but they will report back and take responsibility.
State when you would like it completed

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Safeguarding in

New Church Communities

The following slides are to ensure all teams have received safeguarding input in their onboarding. Only teams that did not attend midstage 1 need this section of the ‘catch up’. All other teams continue to the ‘Round Up’ slide

Input - 15 mins

Explain how important it is that teams understand that safeguarding in a new church community is quite different from safeguarding in established church contexts.

Because the context of a new church community is often changing and evolving - new people (with differing vulnerabilities) are always coming and going, or the location you meet in may change, or the team may change, or the type of activities that you do may change and develop.

All of these factors mean that safeguarding in a new church community needs regular and careful attention from teams, to ensure that the culture being formed is one that is safe for all.

Teams must be regularly reviewing and adapting their practice in line with their oversight structure. Explain what we mean by ‘oversight structure’. E.g the Safeguarding Policy and Practice of your sending church or the organisation that provides you with oversight.

So keep safeguarding on the agenda of team times

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Everyone is responsible

for safeguarding!

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Good Governance

Trustees

Senior Leaders

Leadership�Team

Community �Members

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What are the risks?

Private and Unobserved Spaces
Less Formal Structure
Mixed Age Groups
Volunteer Roles
Perception

But Safeguarding in new church communities is far different than in an established church context, there are particular areas of vulnerability.

Private and Unobserved Spaces: New church communities can sometimes meet in private homes. Homes have bedrooms, secluded gardens, and other areas where one-to-one interactions can go unseen. Community spaces often have additional rooms and spaces beyond the room being used.
Less Formal Structure: The extended family, ‘home-y’, interactive atmosphere could lead to a more casual approach to good safeguarding practice.
Mixed Age Groups: Children and adults are often in closer, more integrated proximity than in a programme-based church.
Volunteer Roles: Roles are often less defined, and individuals may take on multiple tasks without formal recruitment or training.
Perception: Activities can be seen as a "private family event", rather than an organised activity of the church, which would require a more rigorous level of safeguarding.

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Key Practices

Leadership and Accountability
Safer Recruitment of Team Members
Creating a Safe Physical Environment in the Home or Community Space
Safe Practice and Culture
Responding to Concerns

Leadership and accountability:

Appoint a Safeguarding Lead in your team - a team member who will ‘champion’ your safeguarding
Clear Leadership Structure - Where do people go to report? Who is responsible?
Safeguarding Policy

"Every organisation, regardless of size or purpose, needs to have a safeguarding policy... It is a statement of intent that demonstrates a commitment to keep everyone within your organisation safe from harm." (Thirtyone;eight)

Safer Recruitment of Team Members

Every team member must undergo some form of safer recruitment. There should be an advert with a clear role description and an interview of sorts. This might just be a conversation to check they understand what they are signing up for. The Oversight Minister should also be informed - this is part of accountability.

Creating a Safe Physical Environment in the Home or Community Space

This takes a bit of initial effort:

Conduct a simple Risk Assessment
Identify a "Safe Space" for your main meeting
Minimise Unsupervised Access to no-go areas
Visual Access: Ensure blind spots are minimised.
Communicate boundaries with everyone present.

Safe Practice and Culture

Culture is key and this is done through regular practice. Here are the things you need to do regularly:

Two-Adult Rule: At least two approved adults should be present whenever children or vulnerable adults are present.
Open Doors: Avoid meetings where only one adult and one child are present. The principle of visibility is key.
Transport: If providing lifts is necessary, try to have more than one person in the car or use a taxi service. Avoid ‘one-adult-one-child’ journeys.
Photography & Social Media: Never post photos of children or vulnerable adults online without explicit, written consent from the individual (if an adult) or their parent/guardian (if a child).
A Healthy Culture: creating a safe community for everyone involves ensuring the culture of relationships is caring and supporting, and no one is able to exercise coercive control, bully or spiritually abuse anyone. The Church of England provide guidance on how to develop a healthy culture and how to understand spiritual abuse: Section 4: Creating a healthy culture | The Church of England

Responding to Concerns

Know how to report a safeguarding concern
Record it all (factual, without interpretation)
Don’t investigate yourself - pass it on to the person with responsibility
Get your church or denominational help as needed

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What you need to do

Be intentional ��Get safeguarding regularly on your team agenda

Collaborate��Ensure your Oversight minister is fully aware of your context and changes

Engage��Make contact with your umbrella organisation’s or denomination’s safeguarding team and share with them what you are doing

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Expectations for new church communities:

Familiar with & following the policy/practice of your sending church.
Safeguarding training for the NCC Leader & team (as appropriate).
Thinking and acting on safeguarding good practice when planning activities/events.
Keeping safeguarding conversation on the agenda (team meetings)
Confirming to the Hub Leader/Oversight Minister they have engaged with policy/practice and training requirements.

Use the slide to talk teams through the safeguarding requirements.

There are some key safeguarding requirements that every Myriad team will need to fulfil.

Every team member will need to be familiar with and following the safeguarding policy and practice of your ‘sending church’ or the organisation who is offering oversight
Every team member will need to have completed the basic safeguarding training that is required by your denomination. Each team leader will need to complete the appropriate level of safeguarding training for leaders.
Keep safeguarding practice at the forefront of your minds as you plan events or meet together (or even meet with individuals in homes; offer transport; home visiting) in the new church community. Give thought to children and vulnerable adults. Discuss this together.
Regularly review your safeguarding practice in team meetings as your new church community develops and changes. Check that your existing policies & practice are still fit for purpose. Do they need reviewing?
Confirm to your hub leader and your oversight minister (the person your leader reports to) that your team have fully engaged with safeguarding requirements (understanding of policy, practice and fulfilled training requirements)

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Team Leaders

Please confirm to your Hub Leader/Oversight Minister that you are familiar with & following the safeguarding policy and practice of your sending church (oversight minister).�
Have you and your team completed safeguarding training?�
How are you training new team members on policy and practice, as they join?

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Next steps

Identify a Champion

Check this with your oversight minister

Adopt and communicate a policy

Share it with your Hub Leader

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Q & A

What further questions do you have about safeguarding in your new church community?

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Roundup

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