Our Vision and Values
& summary of the Church's major activities
As members of Ulverston Parish Church we seek to:
Belong to Christ:
Put Jesus at the centre
Know God personally
Worship God in Spirit and truth
Apply the Bible to our lives
Represent all ages and backgrounds
Meet together regularly
Work in partnership with other churches
Grow in Christ:
Become more like Christ
Pray continually
Encourage and support one another within small groups
Discover and use our God-given gifts
Encourage the ministry of healing
Give appropriate nurture and training
Provide accountable leadership
Share his love:
Share our faith in Christ
Share our buildings and resources
Serve the needy through prayer, finance and practical action
Support family life
Support mission locally and worldwide
Promote peace and justice
Welcome everyone and help them to know God
Ulverston Parish Church Values
Under the guidance of God's Holy Spirit and under the authority of God's Word, we desire to be a distinctive community which reflects the values of the New Testament Church, as set out in Acts 2:42-47. To this end, we will pray and work that God may make us a compassionate, outward-looking, committed family of Christians in which the gifts of all are used wisely, worship is relevant, excellence is sought and the Bible and prayer are central.
Compassionate: Love is the hallmark of the church (John 13:35). We seek to demonstrate and experience this in our relationships and in practical ways. Church should be a place where the lonely find friendship, the unloved find acceptance, the bereaved find comfort, the sick and distressed find support.
Outward-looking: Our mission is to be evangelistic, holistic, Kingdom-centred, and concerned with justice and care for the poor. We will not be a holy huddle. We long for people who do not know Jesus to meet him, know him and commit their lives to him. We aim to welcome and encourage all who wish to investigate and explore faith with us.
Committed: Christianity is not a hobby - it is a way of life. We seek to help people on their journey towards whole-hearted commitment to God and to one another. Only in this way can Christians realise their potential and grow in maturity. We encourage personal discipleship that is based on living like Jesus, dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Family: Although we meet in different congregations and home groups, we are called to be the family of God where people of all ages, classes and nationalities can experience a sense of welcome and belonging and engage in relationships that are honest and loving.
Gifts: All Christians are gifted, even if they may not think so. Spiritual gifts are given by God for the encouragement and growth of the church. We need to identify our gifts and organise ourselves in such a way that we serve in those areas where we are gifted. To this end, we value leadership that is humble, faithful, accountable and visionary.
Worship: We want our worship to be passionate and inspiring, facilitating an encounter with God. Worship and teaching must be relevant and Bible-based, and equip for everyday life and ministry. One size fits all worship will not work; we offer different worship styles to enable different types of people to encounter God.
Excellence: Perfection is beyond us, but excellence is not. We want to be the best and do the best that we can, for God, whilst acknowledging that we all make mistakes. But when we do things well it is honouring to God and attractive to those who seek Him.
Bible: Our doctrine and our ethics are founded upon the person and works of Jesus, as revealed in the Bible. God speaks to us in the words of the Bible as the Holy Spirit applies it to our lives; our response is to obey. When we face difficulties or disagreement, we turn to the Bible.
Prayer: Prayer is crucial. If we don't pray, our plans for the future will not count for much. Prayer is the lifeblood of the Christian life and the Christian Church. The Holy Spirit is the source of power that God gives for mission and ministry. It is as we pray that God gives guidance and growth.
'In all things, we aim for the best for God'
Ulverston Parish Church Objectives for 2009/2010
Discipleship
Run Freedom in Christ course
Nurture gifts/vocations in the congregation
Grow/train our home group leaders
Children and Youth
Recruit Youth Worker (for Youth Congregation)
Take group of young people to Soul Survivor
Worship
Establish Worship Planning Team (especially for All Age Worship)
Develop Café Church
Property
Repair wall of St John's Repair roof of Parish Church Refurbish Parish Centre
Mission
Appoint ARC Co-ordinator
Develop links with new Dale Street Children's Centre
Develop the church website
Improve our publicity/visibility in the community
Finance & Administration
Plan Stewardship Programme (set up team)
Review function of Financial Team
The Alpha Course
This course, which is frequently run in Ulverston, is for those who wish to investigate Christianity.
Prayer
Prayer for healing or for needs of any kind is available at Sunday services.
There is a Prayer Surgery every Monday (except Bank Holidays) in the church at 7.30pm. Just turn up!
Coffee 'n' Chat
An opportunity to get together with friends on a Friday morning, in the Parish Church on Church Walk, for a free cup of coffee or tea, and a biscuit. Drinks served between 10-11.30 am. All are welcome!
Toddler Group
'Toddlers' is run in the Parish Centre from 10am until noon every Wednesday morning during school term time. All are welcome.
Home Groups
We encourage every member of the church to be involved in a midweek home group. If you are not already in a group, please look at the display board to see if there is one that would suit you. Also, if you are in a group and would like a change, feel free to try another group. In either case please speak to the home group leader.
Services are held in Church every Sunday, please do join us. (See Notices/Website/Posters for Details of Services)
08.30am - A quiet, traditional service.
10.30am - A lively service (using a variety of styles) catering for all ages. 07.00pm - Cafe Church, a relaxed, informal service.
During the 10.30am Service (except at All Age Worship) youngsters aged 3-14 go to the Parish Centre with their leaders for special activities. There is a carpeted crèche at the back of Church where younger children can play during the Service.
The 'CYFA' Group - aged 14 to 18 - meet in the Parish Centre basement from 8.00pm to 9.00pm, following Cafe Church.
Thursday
10.00 am - Holy Communion (with prayer for healing on 3rd week)