‘Beginning the Journey Together …’
the vision, ethos and structure of gariochchurch
Purpose
Those who belong to gariochchurch seek together to reach out to those who live in this semi-rural area of Aberdeenshire, which encompasses Inverurie, Kintore, Kemnay, Oldmeldrum, Newmachar, Blackburn, Insch, and the surrounding villages and communities. The vision of gariochchurch is to see a number of groups, which are home-based and focused on local outreach, meeting in this area as a key means by which God can reach out to our neighbours (gariochchurch@home). These groups seek to be a faithful expression of the body of Christ within our local communities. All of the groups receive encouragement, strength, support and a sense of belonging to God’s wider church by meeting together as a single congregation several times a month in Inverurie, ‘the heart of the Garioch’ (gariochchurch@central).
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Structure and Leadership
gariochchurch@home
These small, local groups normally:
- include fewer than 20 people;
- are responsible to determine how they might most effectively reach out to their neighbours and communities.
Each group is led by one or more people, who have the character and exercise the skills of an overseer (1 Timothy 3:1-7). The primary responsibilities of these leaders, in consultation with their group and with the core gariochchurch leadership, include:
- setting an example;
- strengthening and encouraging the group;
- exercising strategic and pastoral oversight –
Core Leadership
The core gariochchurch leaders are currently Dave and Debbie Cannell, Andrew and Jane Clarke, Richard and Rachael Underwood. These leaders are to set an example, and exercise the character and skills of elders (Acts 20:28; Titus 1:6).
Responsibilities of these ‘core’ leaders include strategic oversight of:
- the protection, nurturing and feeding of the flock;
- the spiritual health of gariochchurch, including its ministry and outreach;
- the distribution of resources for the building-up of those who belong to gariochchurch to encourage and train all those who belong to use their gifts in the task of reaching out to others;
- the gariochchurch@central meetings.
Belonging
Belonging to gariochchurch means being in fellowship with Christ and each other. As disciples of Christ, we seek to follow and be obedient to him, and use our gifts, talents and resources to glorify him, to build-up of the body of Christ, and to reach out to others and serve them with the love and gospel of Christ. All those who affirm and seek to live according to this gospel are warmly welcomed into one of the gariochchurch@home groups, as well as into the wider family of gariochchurch.
Decision-making in gariochchurch
Within gariochchurch, particular decisions are variously made by individuals, small groups, or Core Leadership, as appropriate. All major decisions are made as a consequence of all those who belong to gariochchurch constantly seeking God’s will together, with transparency and integrity, recognising that we share a responsibility to seek God’s guidance, and that God may speak through any person. Transparency is fostered through a climate of openness, where records of leaders’ meetings are routinely distributed to those who belong to gariochchurch, inviting at all stages their prayerful response and godly wisdom. As part of and in the light of this ongoing process of reflection and open consultation, the leaders are guided as to what they understand to be the immediate way forward.
Baptism
This is a command of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament – and all believers are strongly encouraged to be baptised.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord Jesus commanded that his followers celebrate this meal in remembrance of him until he comes again. Within gariochchurch, we frequently break bread together, both in each others’ homes and in the larger gathering. Meals are an important element of our fellowship with Christ and each other.
Council of Reference
This group of people, whose members may be drawn both from within and outside gariochchurch, are respected for their godly wisdom, their experience, their independence, their sympathy with the broad strategy of gariochchurch, and their readiness to challenge ‘Core Leadership’ in godly and biblical ways. They will meet and pray with the ‘Core Leadership’ at least three times a year. The Council are invited to comment on the general health of gariochchurch, as well as review recent and planned initiatives, and raise issues of concern, challenge, encouragement or wider perspective. Those who belong to gariochchurch will receive all reports of these meetings.
Child protection
All leaders and those involved with the children and youth work have up-to-date disclosures.
Core gariochchurch Epithets
- ‘small is beautiful’
- ‘church is not something I go to, but something we are, and something we share’
- ‘when the church grew the most, there were no church buildings’
- ‘it is more important to invest in people than property’
- ‘homes and hospitality are key’
- ‘broad impact in many communities is more important than high profile in one’
- ‘leadership is about enabling’
- ‘active involvement of the many is preferred to intensive involvement of the few’
- ‘meeting with friends in the community is more important than meeting to plan church meetings’
- ‘almost all members live less than:
- 5-10 minutes from a gariochchurch@home group
- 15 minutes from gariochchurch@central’