Five marks of Mission

Bishop Stephen has just launched his latest video reminding us all of the importance of Mission as God's Church here on earth. He has endorsed the "Mission Action Plans" in each parish (MAP) and encouraged churches across the region to refresh and re-launch their planning for growth and outreach.

Bishop Stephen refers to the Five "T"s - his easy to remember summary of what the Five Marks of Mission urge all churches to aspire to: “Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure.” You can see the video here:

He is joined on screen by the Archdeacon of Huntingdon & Wisbech, The Ven Hugh McCurdy and The Revd Rosemary Maskell, Vicar of Littleport, whose parish is already using the MAP process.

Bishop Stephen says: “Now is the time to be moving forward. Now is the time to be checking on what we are doing. Now is the time to look to see what God’s doing so we can join in.”

Archdeacon McCurdy adds: “MAPs allow parishes to focus on particular courses of action that they have agreed. It enables taking up new ways of engaging with those who don’t regularly come to church.”

In her video interview with the Archdeacon, Rosemary says: “Our MAP is changing day by day and we are still working at it; there are some things from the start we are still doing and have put the website in to place which has encouraged people from outside to contact us and find out what’s actually going on in the church. The welcome booklet has also helped to bring people in.”

The Five Marks of Mission are an agreed five point formula devised by the Church of England: To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom, To teach, baptise and nurture new believers, To respond to human need by loving service, To seek to transform unjust structures of society and To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.