After four years serving as Interim Priest in Charge, Chris Beaumont was last week collated as rector of Blandford Forum Parish Church by Bishop Stephen. During the induction service, Bishop Stephen also commissioned the church as a Mission Hub, recognising the parish’s missional plans, which are rooted in what God is already doing in the church and area and in a shared sense of where He is calling the church to in the future.
Mission Hubs are churches which are ready to partner with other churches in the diocese to grow disciples, raise up leaders and help every community to flourish and grow. The 13 Mission Hubs have received funding from the national Church and have also invested their own resources to realise their missional plans. You can find out more about Mission Hubs here.
Blandford Forum Parish Church has experienced a season of both spiritual and numerical growth over the past four years, welcoming many newcomers and seeing increased engagement in local schools and the wider community, as well as in ministries among families, vulnerable adults and the elderly. This season of fruitfulness has been shaped by a clear and focused vision, alongside a reinvigorated commitment to spiritual renewal through prayer, seeking God’s presence in worship and stepping out in faith, knowing that God desires to build His church. Many of those joining the church have relocated from other parts of the country, sensing God’s call to make Blandford Forum their spiritual home, while others have come to new faith through Alpha and wider community outreach. The church gives thanks to God for all that He is doing.
The vision of Blandford Forum Parish Church is "To be a Beacon of God’s Hope for Blandford and Beyond" through leadership, discipleship, community engagement and God-empowered growth. At the heart of its calling as a Mission Hub is a shared commitment to Make Jesus Known: through lives devoted to Jesus, communities formed by Jesus and churches sent by Jesus to build creative partnerships for mission.
The church’s primary focus remains drawing people into a deeper relationship with God, overflowing into service to the wider community. Knowing the Lord more fully, and helping others to know Him more deeply, are viewed as the catalysts for sustainable growth in faith and discipleship. Looking ahead, the church holds a vision to see accelerated growth from a worshipping community of 77 in 2022 to more than 300 committed members by 2030, alongside planting churches and/or grafting into existing churches across Dorset and beyond. This is intended to strengthen the wider church by inspiring and equipping disciples for mission and growth.
As a Mission Hub, Blandford Forum Parish Church will work closely with the diocesan team and other Mission Hubs, cultivating creative partnerships with nearby churches by offering resource, people and expertise as part of the first phase of rolling out the diocesan vision and strategy. While some Mission Hubs will receive funding from the national Church to accelerate their mission plans, the team at Blandford has chosen to continue its journey of dependence on God to provide all that they need.
If you would like to explore further how your parish might be involved in the diocesan vision to Make Jesus Known, please contact Stuart Britton (stuart.britton@salisbury.anglican.org.uk).