Rural Churches for Everyone – Cluster Action Plan process
update 10th Feb 2021
Rural Churches for Everyone (RCfE) will work with 34 rural churches across Northumberland to collectively plan for a sustainable future for our church buildings, our communities and our heritage. The project ends in January 2022.
Context
The 34 churches are grouped into four geographic clusters, each with six PCCs. Click here for a map. The project will support the PCCs to work together in their clusters to research, assess and decide how to manage their church building assets and responsibilities, so that together they can best meet their mission and ministry needs in the future. Three of the four clusters will work closely with their protected landscape partner (Northumberland National Park, Northumberland Coast AONB, and North Pennines AONB), and the fourth will be independent. The Centre for Rural Economy and Newcastle University is undertaking a formative evaluation of the project, helping record and shape the project and the learning from each of the four clusters.
Watch our invitation here:
The Cluster Action Plan Process
The six PCCs in each cluster will take part in workshops on the following themes:
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Our church assets - the people, heritage and the buildings
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Our community assets - a thriving community and economy
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Our research - what we have learnt
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Our social action agenda - what we want to do
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Reaching Net Zero Carbon - minimising and offsetting our carbon footprint
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Financing - balancing our budget to meet our ambitions
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Our proposals - consultation with our stakeholders
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Pilot projects - one in each cluster
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Peer conference - sharing our experience and learning
Planned Timetable
March - June 2021 Cluster training sessions. 6 per cluster. Delivered over zoom
June - September Community consultation on proposals
Sept - December Pilot projects in each cluster
January 2022 Peer conference and roll out to wider diocese and beyond
For more information please email the project on rcfenortheast @ gmail .com
