Are You on the Bus? The Invitation of Plymouth 2035
When Rev’d Alex Randle-Bissell was welcomed as Plymouth's new City Dean, he spoke of being excited by "the expanse of water in front of us all" and the opportunity of "having a new vision for Plymouth and enacting that and following Christ wherever he is leading us."
That sense of anticipation and possibility continues to shape the emerging vision of Plymouth 2035.
While Plymouth 2035 includes ambitious goals around making disciples, engaging with children and young people, and planting new worshipping communities, it is ultimately about far more than numbers. It is about seeing lives transformed by Jesus Christ and helping local churches play their part in God's mission across the city.
Prayer at the Centre
One of the clearest messages from Alex has been that mission must begin with prayer.
As he shared when he arrived in Plymouth, "Prayer is right at the centre" and, for him, faith is rooted in "seeing God in all things."
In a world that often looks for quick solutions, Plymouth 2035 begins somewhere different. Before strategies, structures or programmes comes a dependence on God. Prayer is not simply preparation for mission; it is the foundation of mission.
The invitation to churches across Plymouth is not first to do more, but to seek God more deeply and to ask where he is already at work.
Seeing God in the City
Over recent months, Alex has spent time listening, meeting people and prayer-walking around Plymouth, seeking to understand both the opportunities and challenges facing the city.
His Ignatian spirituality, with its emphasis on finding God in everyday life, encourages a posture of attentiveness. Rather than asking churches to create mission from scratch, the challenge is to recognise where God is already moving and to join in.
Across Plymouth there are communities full of potential, places where hope, compassion and faith can make a transformational difference. Plymouth 2035 is an invitation to look beyond church walls and engage afresh with God's work in the city.
A Vision Shaped Together
From the very beginning, there has been a desire for Plymouth 2035 to be something owned by the city rather than imposed upon it.
That has meant listening carefully to clergy, church leaders and congregations as the vision has developed. The result is a shared commitment around three key areas: developing leaders, growing younger, and engaging with the opportunities and challenges facing our communities.
The vision recognises that the future of the Church is not dependent on a handful of people. It will be shaped by ordinary Christians living out their faith, serving their neighbours and sharing the hope they have found in Jesus.
As Rev’d Alex Randle-Bissell has said, the task before us is to follow Christ wherever he leads.
Looking Towards 2035
The goals of Plymouth 2035 are significant. The vision seeks to see more people exploring Christian faith, more people becoming disciples of Jesus and more worshipping communities established across the city over the next decade.
Yet behind every target is a simple desire: that more people would come to know and follow Jesus.
This is not a vision for a committee, a project team or a handful of church leaders.
It is a vision for all of us.
A call to pray.
A call to serve.
A call to invest in future generations.
A call to join God's mission in Plymouth.
Or, as Alex has put it
:
"Are you on the bus?"
