Church Conference Analysis

We had a good conference on 29th November and were joined by people from Polwarth and St Catherine’s Argyle. We are grateful for all of the effort, imagination and conversation on the day. What follows in this summary is the fruit of those conversations: the prayers, hopes, frustrations and ideas that people were generous enough to share.

The good news is that there is a very strong, consistent heartbeat running through the responses. Again and again people spoke about wanting Jesus to be clearly at the centre, and the church to be a place of genuine warmth and belonging – especially for those who are new, on the margins, or just hanging on. There is real appetite for us to be more open, more outward-looking and more permission-giving: less bogged down in process for its own sake, and more focused on releasing people and spaces for kingdom use.

You’ll also notice that the themes people raised are not wildly unrealistic. Many of the suggested “next steps” are simple, human things: learning names; wearing name badges; opening the doors earlier; making decisions a bit quicker; inviting students, families and neighbours to share life with us; partnering more intentionally with nearby churches and local charities. That’s encouraging – it means that much of what people long for is within reach, if we choose to act on it together.

The sections that follow don’t give us a finished plan, but they do give us a clear direction of travel. They affirm much of who we already are, and they gently challenge us where culture and structures need to catch up with our vision. My hope is that you’ll read this not as a criticism of what has been, but as an invitation: an invitation to keep shaping a church where Jesus is at the centre and there is a real welcome for all. There was too much information to include individual responses here, so each section has only a summary, however, a full version is available by emailing minister@barclayviewforth.org.uk.

Session 1

Q1 – Vivid Vision: diverse, context-shaped worshipping communities and partnerships

People imagine a church made up of overlapping communities: locals, students, hall users, and partner congregations. Buildings are seen as assets for hospitality and mission, and partnerships—with churches and community groups—are central to that vision.

Q2 – Jesus at the centre, communities served at the edges

Jesus at the centre is understood as costly love at the edges: practical compassion for the vulnerable, open doors, clear witness to Jesus in public spaces, and equipping ordinary disciples in family and workplace life.

Q3 – A permission-giving, “can-do” culture

There is a clear desire for leadership and structures that release rather than restrain: a culture where people are trusted to experiment, where stories of what God is doing are told, and where communication helps people participate.

Session 2

Q1 – Language shift: where do we need a language refresh?

People want language that is biblically rooted, story-rich and understandable to all ages—especially children—while being positive, sensitive and free from jargon and gossip.

Q2 – People before processes: which bottleneck should we remove?

The main bottlenecks are slow structures and concentrated responsibility. People long for a culture that trusts and empowers more people, values manageable volunteering, and makes decisions in a more responsive, relational way.

Q3 – Hospitality & belonging: one habit to make Sundays tangibly warmer

Warmth on Sundays is primarily relational: being recognisably welcoming, noticing and accompanying visitors, giving more time for conversation, and making the space and information truly accessible.

Q4 – Learning from others and partnerships: what partnership first?

The first partnerships people imagine are with nearby churches, local students and charities—always with an emphasis on real friendship and shared life rather than just shared projects.

Session 3

Q1 – Sundays with a Jesus centre: two quick wins for newcomers

Quick wins centre on being easier to spot, easier to approach, and clearer about how newcomers can connect further—again with name badges as a key practical tool.

Q2 – Ministries that match the vision: one pilot in the next 90 days

People want pilots that combine hospitality, visible witness and low-bar community: shared meals, public worship, accessible information for newcomers, and simple relational activities that help people walk together with Jesus.

Q3 – Partnership and place: which partnership first?

The instinct is to begin with realistic, local partnerships—especially with St Catherine’s, Polwarth, ECCC, students, and charities working with vulnerable people—while recognising that all such work is done in conscious partnership with God.

Overall assessment of the responses

Taking all three sessions together, several strong, consistent themes emerge.

1. Hospitality and belonging are central.
   Again and again people return to welcome: name badges, greeters, chatting benches, open doors, early drop-in, tea and coffee, personal invitations, and noticing visitors. There is a deep desire for church to feel like a place where people are seen, remembered and drawn into friendship.

2. Jesus at the centre means outward-facing compassion.
   Serving those who are homeless or struggling, offering warm space, food, vouchers, and safe places, and partnering with groups like Bethany and Jenga are all seen as natural expressions of a Jesus-centred church. The “edges” of community life—students, the homeless, hall users, families—are where people expect Christ’s love to be most visible.

3. Buildings are tools for mission, not ends in themselves.
   People repeatedly treat the building as a resource to be opened and shared: community café, concerts, drama, meals, warm spaces, meeting space for charities, external screens and visible signage. There’s also a gentle critique of spending on buildings without matching investment in people.

4. Partnerships are key to the future.
   St Catherine’s, Polwarth, ECCC, students, hall users, charities and local shops all appear as potential partners. Partnership is imagined not just as shared projects but shared life—befriending people, knowing their likes and dislikes, and walking with them.

5. Culture change: from cautious to permission-giving.
   Many responses push for a “can try” culture: faster decisions, wider shared responsibility, experimental pilots, public worship on the steps, new uses of space. People want leadership and structures that trust them, release their gifts and celebrate what God is already doing.

6. Communication and language need refreshing.
   There is a repeated call for simpler, more positive, Bible-rooted language, better explanation of church terms and processes, and worship that is accessible for children and newcomers. Testimony, modern parables and everyday stories of faith are all seen as vital.

In short, the responses describe a church that is: Jesus-centred, relationally warm, outward-looking to the vulnerable, collaborative with others, and eager to be released into creative mission.

The main task now, having identified ‘quick wins’, is to actually do these things, and plan for when we get back into the sanctuary in March.