Our Aims

The Clergy and Parochial Church Council identified these areas of our church’s life as our priorities. In seeking to develop them we try above all to look to the authority of scripture, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the power of prayer.

Biblical Teaching

To develop Biblical teaching which encourages and equips us to serve Christ at home, at work and among our friends and neighbours.

This includes such activities as our home groups and other small groups; the youth and children’s work; preaching at midweek and Sunday services; Lent School of Faith; study courses wuch as the Moore College Course ; God@work for those working in the city centre; student Focus; church houseparty; promoting Bible reading notes; supporting summer ventures for young people.

To hold the Church Houseparty at Brunel Manor on 25-27th May: speaker Richard Coombs
To investigate lower cost opportunities for a weekend away in 2008
To support the Peninsula Gospel Partnership training course for young leaders
To support the South West Bible Festival (18-20 May)
To make morning as well as evening sermons available on the church website.

Welcoming and Caring

To grow as a welcoming and caring church with an active concern to know,
pray for and support one another.

This includes the welcomers, stewards and sidespersons; Christian Listeners; TNT (for 20s and 30s) pastoral care for the housebound, sick, lonely and bereaved; the church shop; home groups; Mothers’ Union; baptism, marriage and parenting courses; the Prayer Diary; social events; Age Concern; Thursday lunches; evening service prayer ministry.

To pursue the possibility of a coffee/tea facility with a signposting service for those in need of help in the SW corner of the church.
To enhance our welcome and displays for midweek visitors to the church
To encourage and develop our Sunday welcome teams.

Worshipping Together

To join in worshipping together as the people of God in a rich variety of forms.

This includes our Sunday and mid-week services; First Eleven; midday prayers; the musicians; our gatherings for prayer; St Andrew’s Nights; special civic and other services.

To develop our contemporary music at the 11am and 6.30pm services through the appointment of a music leader.
To hold the ordination service on 30th June.

Evangelism

To pursue relevant and thoughtful evangelism.

This includes special events; parish visiting; guest services; publicity; sports nights and social events for Pathfinders, Fish Shop and their friends; Christianity Explored courses; After-school (JAM) clubs; ministry to tourists and visitors - but above all the contacts, opportunities and friendships that we as a congregation have.

To hold suitable events for those outside the congregation e.g. croquet, craft evening
To support Hope 2008 in association with other city centre churches
To support the youth mission Deeper Inside Out (July)
To hold a training morning on personal evangelism
To hold Christianity Explored courses in the Summer and Autumn.

Community Involvement

To promote practical involvement and service in the community.

This includes our links and activities within the parish and wider community; civic involvement; support for the Shekinah Mission; the availability and diverse involvement of the clergy, e.g. chaplaincies to police, fire service, RNLI, Citadel, ex-services associations, Age Concern, Drake Circus Shopping Centre, Plymouth Albion; chaplaincy at Plymouth College; support for St. Andrew’s C of E School; the Holiday Club; the Soup Run on Tuesdays; the STEP project; and the many areas of city life in which members of our church fellowship are involved.

To support asylum seekers through hosting the drop-in sessions in the Lower Abbey Hall
To update the STEP DVD for visiting schools
To respond to the growth of Noah’s Ark
To develop the Drake Circus Shopping Centre chaplaincy in association with Methodist Central Hall.
To support John Money as chaplain to Plymouth Albion
To become a Fair Trade Church
To hold special services to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Slave trade, the 100th anniversary of the Scouting Movement and the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War.

The Wider Church

To work in partnership with the wider church at home and overseas.

This includes our support of mission activity at home and overseas; our involvement in the deanery, diocese, Churches Together in Plymouth and city centre churches; the team ministry with St Paul’s, Stonehouse.

To support Paula V as she starts work in Central Asia with students
To support Katy K as she starts in Christianwork overseas
To offer a summer placement to young Christian leaders from Serbia

Resources

To provide the staff, plant and finance required to implement our priorities.

This includes our finances and stewardship; the upkeep of the Abbey Hall and Prysten House; the work of the church office; the maintenance of the church fabric; the employment of our church staff; the Friends of St Andrew’s (and in particular the shop); policies for health and safety, data protection and child protection.

To pursue proposals to upgrade the internal lighting of St Andrew’s and the subsequent redecoration of the church
To continue to discuss with Plymouth City Council the use of and improvement to the forecourt of the church
To develop proposals for a performance space and disabled access to the Abbey Hall and Prysten House
To recruit Ministry Assistants to succeed Tom and Sara
To pursue funding for Resurgam 50 projects from voluntary, business and public sources
To explore renewable energy provision.