Changing Market Towns WorkersAcross the Fenland towns, the Changing Market Towns project has appointed workers with a brief to reach-out to their communities in new ways. In each town, the aim is to see a significant number of Fresh Expressions of church appearing as new parts of the community are reached. There are now Changing Market Towns Workers in the following towns;
In each town, the exact nature of the role has been shaped to respond to the needs and opportunities identified locally. The special focus of the workers includes:
Operations ManagersIn each town where investment has begun, Operations Managers are in place. Their role is to ensure that the increased activity has the support needed to allow effective work to grow. They are working to encourage efficient working, to share good practice with other towns and to enable volunteers to develop their gifts and grow in confidence. In some cases they support more than one town. Growing New ChurchesChanging Market Towns is working towards a wide range of new opportunities to encounter God’s love across all the towns involved. In most cases, these will take the form of Fresh Expressions of church, linked to the existing parish churches. In two cases, further energy and variety is being brought in through the development of new congregations that will add to the current pattern of church life. Christ Church, Huntingdon, opened in September 2018, with support in the form of a core team from Cambridge. Early plans are now also under way to create a new Christian community in Downham Market. Strategic Programme ManagerAdam Evans joined the Diocese in early 2018 as Strategic Programme Manager. Fully funded by the Strategic Development Unit at Church House, the role is part of a cohort of similar roles in dioceses across the country. The primary focus of this role is to bring additional programme and project management support to the Diocesan Office, to support the centrally funded Changing Market Towns project and other activities related to the Diocesan Strategy. The role sites within a Programme Management Office, which also incorporates the functions of the Head of Communications, Digital Evangelism Manager and Projects & Development Team, as well as providing a link to the central Changing Market Towns functions that include the Bishop’s Officer for Changing Market Towns, and the Evangelism Coach. The Programme Management Office also provides secretarial services to the Changing Market Towns Board and Delivery Group and the Ely 2025 Board, through the analysis of performance data to enable improved deployment of resources. The Wisbech Learning CommunityThe aims of Changing Market Towns include a significant growth in volunteering and in lay ministry at all levels. In addition to the development of this at local level as new staff members draw others alongside them and inspire them, Changing Market Towns supports and funds the Wisbech Learning Community. ThriveIn 2019, the Diocese formally agreed to incubate Thrive Youth Work, a project developed out of the work of the Diocese and local churches in Huntingdon. More informtion on Thrive and where to learn more can be found here. Finding out more about each town
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