Community Hubs
At the Diocese, we are committed to serving our community in as many ways as we can, especially through building a network of community hubs throughout the Diocese to support growth.
At the Diocese, we are committed to serving our community in as many ways as we can, especially through building a network of community hubs throughout the Diocese to support growth.
This ‘Community Hubs’ vision was outlined to Synod by Revd Canon Jonathan Triffitt, Diocesan Director of Mission and Ministry and Jo Tubbs Diocesan Director of Education.
Members were shown a video, that showed one aspect of the hubs work, ( here).
Jonathan said:
“The hubs start at a point of working with and being with children and young people of all ages to create a safe space to explore questions of faith.”
“Many children and young people are disconnected from formal religion, do not believe in God, and have a negative view of religious organisations. The hub model can give us a different way of working and an opportunity to connect with CYP where they are, in their lived experiences through schools, churches, household and the wider community..”
The vision, which is designed to bring together our diocesan parishes and schools, is to build a network of Community Hubs across the diocese focussed initially on market towns and their surrounding rural areas.
In developing this network of Community Hubs we are supporting the Diocese in the delivery of the core priorities for growth:
Transforming Lives and Communities: The hubs start at a point of working with and being with children and young people (CYP) of all ages (Under 5’s, 5 –11s and 11- 18s) to create spaces for children and young people to belong, be agents of change through courageous advocacy, to flourish, taking seriously their emotional wellbeing and mental health and to engage in and explore questions of spirituality and faith in a way that is holistic, safe, understandable, and empowering. Enabling their voice and leadership capacity to be integral to, and at the core, of the process of change in their contexts, working in partnership with God, each other and those around them.
Collaborative Leadership: Bringing school and church leadership together in these communities to be the engine for change in collaboration with wider groups and organisations each contributing from their gifts, skills and resources. So that the people can transform their communities as they respond to the Holy Spirit in their local situation and that the hub activities are an authentic expression of church and mission in that place.
Discipleship and Evangelism: Being open to new ways of encountering God through the experiences lives and stories of CYP and learning with and from young people about this. Through facilitating ways for the local community to be with children and young people, listening to them and hearing how they encounter the world around them to learn from them and enable them to recognise the spiritual encounters they experience and how this impacts their spiritual growth and development. Together explore how this may be a first step to or an expression of faith and walk together as this deepens. Being open to change within our existing worshipping communities and imagining new ones.
You can read more on the Diocesan vision for Community Hubs here
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