Church Times - Exeter Network Church: The first CofE church outside the parish system?

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Exeter Network Church: The first CofE church outside the parish system?

12/11/2009 12:00:00

The first 'Bishop's Mission Order' was officially 'signed' last weekend in Exeter. This, if I understand correctly, creates the first new CofE church to exist outside the parish system (do correct me if I've missed some other example). The church in question is Exeter Network Church, and there is an article about it on the Fresh Expressions website: First Bishop's Mission Order creates new church in Exeter

This Bishop's Mission Order is the first to be signed for a 'fresh expression' or new form of church in the country. Mission orders were only approved by General Synod last year and each one will be different, written according to the particular requirements and goals of the fresh expression of church. As the name implies, Exeter Network Church (ENC) is based on networks of relationships, usually social, which stretch across the city. Through these networks leaders of the ENC, Jon and Jo Soper, aim to love and serve the people they connect with, reaching out to people who would not normally connect with parish churches.

I note from the Fresh Expressions site that the organisation is humble enough to admit that its initiatives don't always work. See for example 308 Nailsea, where Steve Tilley (writer of one of the best clergy blogs) explains why the Nailsea 308 service didn't work as planned:

Sadly, despite working really hard on our publicity, we never penetrated our target constituency. Maybe there wasn't enough personal invitation by word of mouth? Maybe the idea was flawed from the start? Perhaps it simply wasn't God's will for now. There will be many reasons why 3.08 at Kingshill didn’t work as we hoped.

Wasn't the Nine O'Clock Service technically an 'extra parochial place' when it moved to its own premises - ie a church without a parish?

Pam Smith | 12/11/2009 14:48:08

There are other network (i.e. non-geographic) churches within the CofE, and I recall that the Nine O Clock Service was designated as an 'extra parochial place'. BMO's are an attempt to catch up with all of this and make it legal, and it's good to see them being used.

David Keen | 12/11/2009 17:04:13

This is fantastic news, about time! Exeter network church were out there for years doing it on their own without C/E support and it's wonderful they are now in the fold - Bishops nationally pay attention!

sjpoole | 13/11/2009 05:54:40

"Church Times Blog" has been included in this weeks Sites To See. I hope you like the image I featured, and I hope this helps to attract many new visitors here.

http://asthecrackerheadcrumbles.blogspot.com/2009/11/sites-to-see_13.html

FishHawk | 13/11/2009 08:19:26

"(do correct me if I've missed some other example)."

Well - you did ask...

We (Christ Church, Bath) are 200 years old, but we were created outside the parish system, and have always remained so. We were created by the then Archdeacon to give the poor people of the city a church where they could sit down without paying!

I like the idea that we might be a 200 year old Fresh Expression!

Mark Elliott | 13/11/2009 12:08:27

I have been educated! Quite who gets the title I'm not sure - it looks like it could be Mark.

Dave Walker | 13/11/2009 16:36:58