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> Story 04 - Community Development
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Story 4 - Community Development
Houghton Regis
David Skinner
Establishing a church, when a new housing development began, has been an important idea for more than fifteen years and part of prayerful discussion for at least eight. There have also been conversations with the local authority for the last seven years. It’s been a long time coming, with many delays, but now the houses are arriving and it’s finally starting to happen!
A local group of churches are currently seeking to call a pioneer community worker to live and reach out to the new development that is being constructed in Houghton Regis. Much of the infrastructure for up to 10,000 new homes has now been built and people began to move into the first new homes before Christmas 2019. Over the next 15 years the population will more than double.
To begin with we’ll be focusing on Bidwell West ( HRN2). Built on the edge of the green belt we hope to contribute to the growth of a healthy, vibrant, thriving and inclusive community, through a partnership of local churches and other stakeholders.
Alongside engaging a pioneer worker, we’re in negotiation to put up a significant community centre building. It will be designed to be an open, welcoming and inclusive facility, available for local groups of all kinds, including in time, a home for a worshipping Christian community. As we’ve considered what to do, we’ve been excited by:
the pioneer community work of Ali Boulton in Swindon, where a new local Christian community has formed from local people who as often as not didn’t have a church background.
the community engagement achieved at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead, where so many people come into a community facility which the church is delivering for them.
and the social prescribing models on offer at Bromley By Bow Healthy Living Centre that bring engagement and wellbeing through a wide range of creative activities. We were encouraged ‘to think big’ and ‘plan for something significant’ and that’s helped to engage key agencies.
Houghton Regis itself, is the most deprived area of Central Bedfordshire, close to the M1 on the borders of Luton and Dunstable. The local community are hoping that the new development will also bring wider benefits.
At the outset we wondered whether the local authority would be interested in a proposal coming from local churches and where the resources would come from, both to employ a worker and build such a centre. We’ve been encouraged that these have slowly come together and there have been people with expertise who have given their time generously to support the initiative. We’ve formed the Houghton Regis Community Development Charity to provide an efficient way of overseeing the initiative.
We are :
Challenged by the scale of what we’re trying to undertake but thinking if it can happen here it’s a way forward that might be taken up elsewhere.
Excited about repositioning the church into the heart of the community where it is able to play an important and central role for local people and indeed statutory agencies.
Looking forward to all that God may bring as we welcome new residents, seek to let Christian spirituality shape the new community and share Jesus with people as they make a new beginning in our area.
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Story 68 - Erica Bowler (Podcast Episode 14)
Erica Bowler
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EBA, MA_Pioneering, MA_Podcast, Story61-70
Story 67 - Jesus Our Victory
Waghmare Family
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Story61-70, HEBA, MA_Evangelism
Story 65 - The Garden at the Surgery
Lindsay Caplen
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Story61-70, MA_Pioneering, MA_Social Action, WEBA
Story 66 - Kingdom Breakthrough Ministries
Jonathan Squirrell
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EBA, Story61-70, MA_Pioneering
Story 64 - John Good (Podcast Episode 13)
John Good
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MA_Podcast, Story61-70, SCBA, MA_Pioneering
Story 63 - 'Yarn - Bombing'
Michael Shaw
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Story61-70, SWBA, MA_Social Action
One Hundred Stories
missional adventure
Stories
Story 68 - Erica Bowler (Podcast Episode 14)
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 67 - Jesus Our Victory
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 65 - The Garden at the Surgery
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 66 - Kingdom Breakthrough Ministries
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 64 - John Good (Podcast Episode 13)
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 63 - 'Yarn - Bombing'
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 62 - Pioneer Minister-in-training
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 61 - The Wren Bakery
Posted:
01/01/2021
Story 60 - Clayton Baptist Church
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 59 - Seaton Baptist Church
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 58 - The Olive Branch Coffee Shop
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 57 - Crossgates, Leeds
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 56 - Gaynor Hammond (Podcast Episode 12)
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 55 - Connect Church
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 54 - Mindful Church
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 53 - Renewing Stocky
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 52 - Peter Dominey (Podcast Episode 11)
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 51 - Art in Mission
Posted:
01/12/2020
Missional Adventure Stories 51-60
Posted:
01/12/2020
Story 50 - Growth in Lockdown
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 49 - Sean Carter (Podcast Episode 10)
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 48 - Connecting in Leeds
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 47 - Pioneering in the Forest of Dean
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 46 - Renew Cafe
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 45 - Nick Graves (Podcast Episode 9)
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 44 - Genuine Relationships
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 43 - Embracing Adventure in Mission
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 42 - Community Shaped Mission
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 41 - Westbourne Park Baptist Church
Posted:
01/11/2020
Missional Adventure Stories 41-50
Posted:
01/11/2020
Story 39 - Beacon Church Stafford (Podcast Episode 8)
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 38 - Multi-Congregational Church
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 37 - Tim Ninnis (Podcast Episode 7)
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 36 - Biglife Ministries
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 35 - Revive, Leeds
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 34 - Church Planting in a New Community
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 33 - Developing a Culture of Change
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 32 - Ian McDonald (Podcast Episode 6)
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 40 - Bread of Life
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 31 - Whitehouse Church
Posted:
01/10/2020
Missional Adventure Stories 31-40
Posted:
01/10/2020
Story 30 - Creepy Cove Community Church
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 29 - Missional Communities
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 28 - Ministry of Presence (Podcast Episode 5)
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 27 - West Craven Baptist Church
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 26 - Ebenezer's
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 25 - No fear of failure
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 24 - Kings Corner
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 23 - Sam and Suzie Abramian (Podcast Episode 4)
Posted:
01/09/2020
Story 22 - Forest Church Community
Posted:
01/09/2020
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