St. Cross Church ​Clayton, Manchester
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        • Harvest Festival
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        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Shoebox Appeal
        • Christmas Craft Market
        • Remembrance Sunday 2018
        • Christmas at St. Cross 2018 >
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle Service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
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        • Renaissance in Concert
        • Confirmation Service
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Remembrance Sunday 2017
        • Christmas at St. Cross >
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
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    • 2017 >
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Picture


MAP

Stage 1:

Preliminary
Stage

Part 1
​Template 1

Picture
Template 1 [For use by the MAP Group chosen at the start of Part 1.]

[A printable copy of this Template is available to download below or a paper copy can be obtained from Fr. Chris in church.]


GROWING CHURCHES
A church that is willing to change and adapt
 
Starter question: Out of ten, how do you rate your church as one that is willing to change and adapt? (where 1 is the weakest and 10 the strongest)               /10

Read together:

The research showed that it’s important for churches to look regularly at what they are doing and not to do things just because they have always been done that way.
 “Vitality comes with reflection and choice. The particular style is less important than the fact that it has been considered and embraced rather than adopted by default.”
Change is not always easy but for there to be growth it is often necessary for the existing congregation to be willing to change and adapt.

KEY FACTS FROM THE RESEARCH:
  • “…at a minimum, the arrival of new people disrupts what might be a cosy club.”
  • The research shows that it’s not essential to adopt a particular tradition or style to grow; what does matter is that you embrace your tradition wholeheartedly and that your particular worship style is chosen rather than inherited and accepted because it’s easier not to change. 
  • The researchers described successful churches with a “let’s give it a go” attitude. These churches try different initiatives as experiments, if they work they invest in them; if they don’t they drop them.

​Questions for discussion:
  1. Here are some questions to help you start thinking and talking about what being more open to change might mean in your church life:
  2. What opportunities are there for us to sit down and to talk about our church life and how things are going?
  3. Which changes can we celebrate? Where has change has been good in our church?
  4. Are there areas in our church’s life, where we might be doing things because we’ve always done it that way? 
  5. Do we find it hard to change? 
  6. How can we support one another through change? Could anyone describe our church as “a cosy club”?
  7. Which areas of our church’s life might be more effective if we did something differently? For example, service times, style and regular activities?
  8. Could we consider making any changes (small or larger) to our building to make it more welcoming or more fit for our ministry and mission? Please add your own questions to this list
  9. Think of some ideas which might involve change or being more open to change in your church. Discuss your ideas with others. Choose one to take forward. 
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  • Home
  • Worship from Home
    • This Week's Live Service
  • Covid-19 Info & Updates
    • Latest Message from Fr Chris
    • Blog - Coronavirus - Latest Info & Updates
    • Helplines & Support
  • Services
    • Worship for Everyone
  • Events
    • Past Events >
      • 2022 >
        • Lent, Holy Week & Easter at St Cross 2022 >
          • Palm Sunday
          • Stations of the Cross
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Vigil & Service of Light
          • Easter Sunday
      • 2021 >
        • Ash Wednesday Live Service
        • Mothering Sunday
        • Holy Week & Easter at St Cross >
          • Palm Sunday
          • Maundy Thursday
          • Stations of the Cross (Good Friday)
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Day
        • All Souls’ Day
        • Christmas Services (and Livestreams) >
          • Nativity Service (& Holy Communion for Advent 4)
          • The First Mass of Christmas (8pm Christmas Eve)
          • Christmas Day Eucharist, 10am
          • Epiphany Eucharist - Thurs. 6th, 7:30pm
      • 2020 >
        • Ash Wednesday
        • Holy Week & Easter at St Cross
        • Remembrance Sunday 2020
        • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
        • Christmas Day Live Service
      • 2019 >
        • Coffee Morning
        • Spring Craft Market
        • Mothering Sunday
        • Lent, Holy Week & Easter 2019 >
          • Lenten Stations of the Cross
          • Easter Egg Tombola
          • Holy Week & Easter Services Explained
          • Palm Sunday
          • Maundy Thursday
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Vigil
          • Easter Day
        • Songs for Summer Concert
        • Summer Fair
        • Harvest Festival
        • Parish International Day
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Christmas at St. Cross 2019 >
          • Christmas Craft Market
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Christmas Tree Fesitival
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle Service
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2018 >
        • Mothering Sunday 2018
        • Holy Week & Easter 2018 >
          • Holy Week & Easter Services Explained
          • Lent Course
          • Palm Sunday
          • Stations of the Cross
          • Maundy Thursday
          • Children's Service
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Vigil
          • Easter Day
        • Summer Fair 2018
        • Heritage Weekend
        • Harvest Festival
        • Child Friendly Church Award Presentation & Little Stars' 1st Birthday
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Shoebox Appeal
        • Christmas Craft Market
        • Remembrance Sunday 2018
        • Christmas at St. Cross 2018 >
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle Service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2017 >
        • Women's World Day of Prayer 2017
        • Spring Coffee Morning 2017
        • Thy Kingdom Come Prayerwalk
        • Summer Fair
        • Heritage Weekend
        • Renaissance in Concert
        • Confirmation Service
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Remembrance Sunday 2017
        • Christmas at St. Cross >
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2016 >
        • Easter 2016
        • Harvest Festival Appeal 2016
        • Remembrance Sunday 2016
        • Christmas Fair 2016
      • 150th Year Celebrations >
        • 150th Year Memorabilia
  • Rector's Reflections
    • Reflections for Maundy Thursday
    • Reflections for Passion Sunday
    • 2020 >
      • Reflections for Advent
    • 2018 >
      • Christmas Reflections
      • Reflections on our Child Friendly Church Award and Children in Church Life
      • Reflections at Pentecost
      • Holy Week & Easter Reflections
      • Lent Reflections
      • Reflections at Epiphany
    • 2017 >
      • Christmas Reflections
      • Reflections on Advent
      • Taking Care of God's Vineyard >
        • The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
      • Introducing MAP through Romans
      • 'Growing Our Mission'
      • 'Ordinary Time' Pt. 2
      • 'Ordinary Time'
      • Eastertide
      • Holy Week & Easter
  • Baptisms & Marriages
  • Room Hire
  • Community
    • The Beacon Centre
    • Community News
    • Get Involved >
      • Volunteering
      • Fundraising >
        • 150th Year Memorabilia
    • Foodbank
    • St. Cross Singers
    • St. Cross Little Stars Sunday School
    • Deanery Dancing Lessons
    • Friday Film Nights
    • Bible Study Group
    • Links >
      • Neighbouring Churches >
        • Ardwick Deanery Churches
        • Churches Nearby - CofE
        • Nearby Churches - Other Denominations
      • Nearby Community Organisations
    • Church Centre Activities
    • Plans to re-open Barrington Street Community Centre
    • Manchester Arena Attack >
      • Prayers for Manchester
      • Messages from the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester and Fr. Chris
  • Stewardship & Donations
    • Stewardship (Regular Giving)
    • Donations
  • Our MAP
    • Preliminary Stage >
      • Preliminary Stage: Part 1 >
        • Part 1: Review
    • Stage 1: Review >
      • Stage 1: Parts 2-6
    • Stage 2: Create a Vision and Prioritse >
      • Stage 2: Part 7
    • Stage 3: Plan >
      • Stage 3: Part 8
    • Stage 4: Do
    • Our MAP
  • Blog
  • About
    • Tour St. Cross >
      • Jigsaws of St. Cross
    • Who's Who
    • Church Repairs & Improvements
    • History of St. Cross
    • Safeguarding
    • Data Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Newsletter Sign-Up