Pioneer Posts

The Fresh Expressions movement that grew out of the House of Bishop’s report ‘Mission Shaped Church’ (2004) defines a fresh expression as:

“A form of church for our changing culture established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church”.

More on pioneer ministry here.

The Diocese of Salisbury is encouraging and developing pioneer ministry most evidently through two pioneer mission posts:

• Paul Bradbury: Reconnect in Central Poole 
• Becky Sedgwick: Children and Families Worker in Devizes 

These posts were all funded in 2008 and show how the principles of pioneer ministry give rise to some very different results.

Poole Missional Communities 

• This new charity was launched on Monday 4 April 2011. Click here to visit the Poole Missional Communities website
• Paul Bradbury was licensed in Sept 2008 into the regeneration area of Poole. In Sept 2009 the missional community Reconnect was started. Numbering about 30 adults and children, Reconnect have developed a ‘rule of life’ and are seeking ways of building relationships with the local community. Facebook. Fresh Expressions page on Reconnect. 'Share The Guide' page on Reconnect. 'This is Dorset' (short article)
• The 'work:space' initiative developed from this, offering space, quiet, meditation and contemplation to busy people in the workplace. Fresh Expressions page on work:space
• Wild Spirit, a series of social and spiritual events specifically for men
• No34 Cafe is the latest project. Click here for the Facebook page
• Contact Paul Bradbury:
  07531 255194, bradsare@btinternet.com 

Devizes – Children and Families Worker

• Becky Sedgwick has spent four years working across the town of Devizes and the local deanery, based at St James’ Southbroom. She works in several local primary schools, as well as at St James’ and ecumenically with other churches in the town. She is also part of the group developing the children and young people’s action plan for the Devizes deanery.
• Becky creates pathways to enable children and their families to journey into faith in ways that work for them. Over the last four years, St James’ has developed a range of activities which now provide a continuous pathway for children and families to remain engaged with church without necessarily coming on a Sunday morning.
  Click here for Facebook
• In particular, two new initiatives have been started: miniMess – a place for our very youngest children to come and worship God - click here for the official page - and twice-yearly children’s and young people’s retreats. Click here for more on these
• Becky is passionate about the need to enable children to encounter God, not just learn about him, and developing children as leaders
• Contact Becky Sedgwick:
  07506 740950, mazeygrace@yahoo.com