For Plymouth to be a welcoming city – safe, caring and hope-filled for all. Churches respect and celebrate their heritage, culture and service. They grow in unity, exercising new methods for mission and mercy; with new partnerships for growth and diversity. They will be prayer based and God centred; with inequalities reducing and opportunities increasing; building a new pioneering generation and trusting in Christ to impact the city with God's grace and truth.

City Spiritual Vision – unpacked:

For Plymouth to be a welcoming city – safe, caring and hope-filled for all –

This statement is the core aim. Our welcome is qualified by Christian values; God has reminded us through the City motto from Proverbs 18:10 that His Kingdom provides safety through His Name. In many ways God has already shown Plymouth as a place of safety, with its Military bases as well as its Spiritual heritage. An invitation to ‘safety’ speaks of an Earthly and Heavenly security which only the gospel can give. The Christian message carries a commitment to caring (by their fruits you shall know them) and a message of hope (life over death, light over darkness, liberty over bondage) for all.

Where churches respect and celebrate their heritage, culture and service –

This statement reminds us of the past and present. Whilst we fully recognise that Church history is not all good; nevertheless, we rejoice that the Christian message has been carried down two millennia. We recognise faithful service believers continue to render week by week.

They grow in unity –

Unity brings God’s blessing (Ps133) and was Jesus’ prayer (John 17:11). As unity increases, so will the presence and power of God, the strength and effectiveness of the church.

exercising new methods for mission and mercy –

We are challenged to reach out in new ways in a changing world, both in mission (the message of the gospel) and mercy (expressions of God’s love).

with new partnerships for growth and diversity –

New partnerships across the denominational divides; across sacred / secular divides - will strengthen, broaden and deepen our work and witness.

They will be prayer based and God centred –

We seek God’s leading and anointing; not wishing to labour in vain (Ps127:1) but be led by the Lord, who blesses and ‘gives the increase’ (1Cor3:7)

with inequalities reducing and opportunities increasing –

The church is in a great position to minister into inequalities wherever they are found for all are equal in God’s sight (Mat25:34-40; Gal3:28. The council has also identified inequality as a major concern.

building a new pioneering generation -

We look to disciple, build and develop all God’s people into their gifts and ministries, looking for a new generation to be raised up and carry forward the work of the Kingdom in our city.

and trusting in Christ to impact the city with God's grace and truth –

We recognise that just as Jesus came to bring grace and truth (John1:14) so must we, His people. We believe that as we share the ‘salt and light’ of God’s Kingdom in the city, God will be glorified, our churches will grow and Plymouth will be blessed.

We invite all Christian Churches and Ministries to see in what ways they do and can contribute to this Spiritual Vision for the city of Plymouth