Manchester is a vibrant diocese of opportunity and creativity. Its rich mixture of church traditions makes it a wonderful place to engage in Gospel ministry.
Our vision is to be a worshipping, growing, and transforming Christian presence at the heart of every community. We want to be a Church for a Different World.
Our Strategy 2020-2030
All of our energy, effort, and prayer is focused on achieving our vision by 2030.
Our strategy document and presentation slides have been reviewed and updated in June 2023. They describe our mission goals of growing, nurturing and serving, documenting the progress our diocese has made since 2020, and our priorities for the next seven years. A shorter version of the strategy, produced in July 2023, is designed to be a useful document for all clergy, lay leaders, and interested members of our churches. This tri-fold leaflet is also available to explain our vision at a glance.
This short film also brings our vision to life. With examples of creative and varied ministry across the diocese, we hope it will excite, encourage and inspire you.
Mission Communities: An inspiring vision for local ministry
Our mission communities are enabling us to work together in growing, nurturing and serving our communities across the diocese.
Our inspiring vision for the future of local ministry is outlined in Mission Community Guidance – published in November 2021 – and which includes the agreed mission community boundaries. Our plans for mission communities were shaped by conversations involving many people across the diocese. A summary of their feedback is published here.
Mission communities are now working together both in prayer and in action. Mission communities have been working together to:
- Release missional energy, by bringing clergy and laity together in teams to serve their communities.
- Be dynamic, intentional and focused on the goals we have always wanted to achieve - growing our church, helping people grow in their faith and serving our local communities.
- Develop new ways of working, with a focus on developing specific ministries and skills to meet the needs of local people.
- Allow for a variety of expressions of church within a given locality.
- Ensure we have greater diversity in our mission teams which in turn will support innovation across our mission communities.
- Strengthen the support we provide for ordinands and lay ministers.
The roles and responsibilities of senior clergy
The roles and responsibilities of senior clergy in our diocese are outlined in this document.