Our Mission

The Calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.

1. Worship – to increase awareness of God’s presence and to celebrate God’s love.
2. Learning and Caring – to help people learn and grow as Christians through mutual support and care.
3. Service – to be a good neighbour to all people in need, showing compassion and empathy, and to challenge injustice.
4. Evangelism – to make more followers of Jesus Christ.

 In response to this calling, the Cambridge Methodist Circuit will give attention to the principles of:

•          underpinning everything that we do with God-centred worship and prayer;
•        supporting community development and action for justice, especially amongst the poor and most deprived – in Britain and worldwide;
•         developing confidence in evangelism and in the ability to speak of God and faith in ways that make sense to all involved;
•         encouraging new ways of making church more relevant locally; nurturing a church culture which is people centred, caring and flexible.

 Applying these principles to the four aspects of our Methodist Calling, the Circuit will address:

1. Worship

•     support the training and development of our ordained and lay people including local preachers, worship leaders and others;
•     offer safe places for worship to the local community;
•     help people develop a greater awareness of God’s presence and experience God’s love
•     encourage and assist the provision of varied worship opportunities appropriate for people of all ages; and support the developing use of technology in our churches.

2.  Learning and Caring

•  help all who are part of our Church communities to grow in their learning and spiritual life;
•  source and help provide resources, training and ideas for those who wish to learn more about our faith and how it might be communicated to others;
• create opportunities for those who only participate in social gatherings in our churches to learn more about the Christian faith;
• encourage and support churches in their ministry to children, young people and students; and
• develop mutually beneficial partnerships with our local Methodist Schools.

3.  Service

•      explore ways of witnessing to our faith, both directly and in partnership with other organisations; by being alongside those in our communities who are vulnerable or in need,
•      build and maintain good relationships with people in need, not least the lonely and the disadvantaged;
•      help those agencies which work with vulnerable and impoverished people in the wider world;
•      become part of a justice-seeking Church which speaks out on social, environmental and economic   inequalities in our local areas, nationally and throughout God’s world; and
•      encourage and support the provision of safe, welcoming, warm, well-maintained, accessible and child friendly premises for both our own use and for the wider community.

4.  Evangelism

•       provide opportunities to explore the Bible and Christian faith and, remembering that we all have good news to share, help develop the confidence to communicate this with others; seize opportunities for mission activity both inside and outside our churches, and for witness to those we meet in daily life;
  enhance the confidence of people to offer their own testimony and prayer life for the benefit of others; and look for ways to work ecumenically in order to improve the effectiveness of our mission activity.
•      seize opportunities for mission activity both inside and outside our churches, and for witness to those we meet in daily life;
•     enhance the confidence of people to offer their own testimony and prayer life for the benefit of others; and
•     look for ways to work ecumenically in order to improve the effectiveness of our mission activity.

  These four aspects our Calling are energised by a fifth, underpinning strand of efficient governance and the use of resources.

5.  Governance and Resources

•      plan and control circuit finances and, where needed, assist churches to decide how best to manage their financial information; 
•      maintain manses to an appropriate standard and give advice and help to churches on the proper maintenance of their premises;
•      seek ways in which individual churches might come together to share trusteeship, common systems and specialist resources;
•      develop small centres of good practice which, in conjunction with District sources, offer help and advice on matters such as safeguarding, risk management, employment regulations, data handling, equality diversity and inclusivity.

See the full plan and actions by accessing the full document in the resources section of this site.