There are 200 parishes in our diocese, so 200 new communities is just one each! New worshipping communities can meet in a home, a café, school or pub. Or it can be a different style of worship in a church building that attracts people who don’t already attend the current services. These communities don’t have to meet on Sunday.
Where do we need to be to meet the needs of our communities who are so often hungry for something spiritual and yet do not connect with traditional church?
Ignite is an example of a new Christian community. We are also a pilot diocese for RenewWellbeing, a place where it is 'okay not to be okay'.
Case study - Ignite, sparking new communities across our diocese
Ignite is church, but probably not as most people know it.
Ignite usually doesn’t happen on a Sunday, it does not have to take place in a church building and there is no expectation of anyone having to ‘fit in’.
By employing Ignite Mission Enablers across our diocese, new Ignite communities have been successfully grown within several parishes; helping people discover faith and giving them a sense of belonging. Following this success, the Diocesan Ignite Project is looking to expand into additional parishes which will include a paid part-time worker for three to five years.
This café-style church is for people who may not feel comfortable in a traditional church service. It began in 2008 in Cliftonville and has since been replicated across our diocese. It is designed and tested to work particularly well with people living in our marginalised and socially deprived communities.
Debbie Ellisdon, Ignite Project Leader explains “We want people to feel comfortable and know that they are valued and loved, so that when the time is right – if they want to – they can choose to meet and know the risen Lord Jesus for themselves.”
Ignite is a game of two halves; the ‘meet and greet,’ with welcome, chat and food, and the ‘main event’ with short interactive segments with a Christian theme. Prayer is always available at the end.
Each Ignite is headed up by an enabler who works with the parish to engage with the local community and to build relationships with those on the margins of church.
Debbie says: “We have built a model for what makes a successful Ignite community, learned through successes and things that haven’t gone so well over the years. If anyone is interested in finding out whether Ignite could work as a new Christian community in their area, I’d love to talk to them and explore what is involved.”
What help is available for parishes interested in running Ignite?
» Advice - Ignite Project Leader, Debbie Ellisdon and our current Ignite enablers can talk to you about their experience.
» Resources - we have a bank of Ignite weekly plans based around themes, seasons and events which can be used or adapted for your community. A book explaining the Ignite journey and how to get involved will be published in 2025.
» Funding - there may be funds available for an Ignite Enabler to help establish an Ignite community in your parish.
Ignite currently meets at:
» St Paul’s Church - Margate
» St Mary the Virgin Church - Ashford
» St Andrew’s Church (families Ignite) - Herne Bay
» Christ Church - Herne Bay
» St Michael’s Church - Sittingbourne
» St Martin’s Church - Maidstone
» St Peter’s Church (families Ignite) - Aylesham