Our vision is to be God’s transforming presence for High Wycombe and beyond. Our means to do this is to REACH – EQUIP – RESOURCE
As a church we invest 60% of our budget in people, who’s role is to equip you, the saints, for service (Ephesians 4v11-12). Together our team are outworking the vision God has given us in St Andrew’s and out into the community.
Holly Robertshaw, our Pastoral Lead, established The Well in response to the post-pandemic mental health crisis to support those facing wellbeing challenges. This includes Renew Space, a Wednesday wellbeing café and a low-cost counselling service with 4 counsellors who support up to 12 community clients. Holly plans to expand this service in 2025 and re-imagine our initiatives for older members of our community.
Since joining in January, Jamie Mitchell has led our Youth Ministry to grow in depth and numbers, with new teens coming to faith and joining the group. Under his leadership, our young people have deepened their relationship with Jesus. A May weekend retreat united various youth groups, and Upper Room nights fostered fellowship and worship. Attendance at our community club, Catalyst, has risen significantly, and some youths have been supported to start a Christian Union at Highcrest Academy. Moving forward, we aim to strengthen unity, nurture spiritual gifts, raise a praying generation, and expand outreach to more schools and the wider community.
Alongside supporting our young people, we also want to invest in our Children and Families and are currently reviewing this ministry, looking to fund the appointment of a new Children and Families pastor in 2025.
The appointment of Ant Dixon as an Associate Minister has enabled Simon and Debbie Dust to pioneer the work at St Mark’s, Bourne End and look to revitalise this church and reach out to the wider community.
Three years ago, we launched a pilot Missional Community. Since then, Ant has helped grow 5 new communities focused on mission, building community, and developing leaders. In 2025, we plan to start two more Missional Communities to reach new neighbourhoods, networks, and needs.
Our Office and Operations team has helped us to grow our Sunday teams, launch the Nexus Project and, with our Maintenance Manager, will help us make the most of our renewed building for mission and ministry in 2025.
Our vision extends beyond High Wycombe, so our people work far beyond St Andrew’s. We currently support 4 families as Mission Partners who work with Frontiers and Wycliffe Bible Translators. We commit to use 10% of our income to support global mission. We recently set up a new Mobilising Missions Team to help develop a vision to raise up and send overseas new mission partners through St Andrew’s, focusing on unreached people groups and places.
Making the Vision Happen
The main investment we make as a church to fulfil our vision is in people. We have a wonderful staff team at St Andrew’s, who help to put the vision into action. Much of this work is done behind the scenes so that we can support and encourage everyone in the church to play their part.
To realise our 2025 vision, we need your help to increase giving by around £36,000 over last year. The final budget will be agreed by the PCC on 18th November, but this is the proposed figure.
Your personal response:
Each of us has a part in making our church vision a reality. Whether you’re new or haven’t reviewed your giving in some time, committing to regular giving through standing order and reviewing it periodically allows us to plan and cover rising costs. Our giving stems from gratitude to God, who has given us everything (1 Chronicles 29:14). We want to be a local church, sharing our resources with generous and open hearts. Building on our regular giving through standing orders strengthens our financial foundation for future planning. The bible often calls this our ‘tithe’. To put God first in our lives we should put God first in our finances.
Our prayer is that we will reflect the church in Corinth in the New Testament. ‘You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.’
On Sunday 24th November we have a Commitment Sunday where we will be asking everyone in the life of the church to respond with their own financial commitment for 2025.
Please complete the Planned Giving Form (in paper on online) and bring it with you on Commitment Sunday.
‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’
