Salisbury St Mark and Laverstock St Andrew

Who and what we are

Our Parish
Salisbury St. Mark and Laverstock St. Andrew is a Church
of England parish offering an evangelical ministry to
the North and East of the city. Our parish varies widely,
containing areas of social housing and many owner-occupied homes.

St Mark’s is in Salisbury itself, serving the city and the
expanding estates where 500 new homes have been added
in the north. It has been used for a variety of activities
over the past few years. We have up-to-date audio visual
equipment and resources, and an adjacent hall.

St Andrew’s serves the neighbouring village of Laverstock
which also has a growing population and new housing.
Laverstock people like the feeling of belonging to a small
community between the countryside and the city.
St Andrew’s is a more traditional, historic church building.

Across the two churches we offer traditional Anglican
services as well as worship with a more contemporary feel.
Within the parish we have 11 schools, primary, secondary,
state and independent. There are three care homes and
two sheltered housing complexes in the parish. Although
we are two churches, we are one parish, and share a
mission and ministry to the whole area. We also work
with other Christians mainly through the Deanery and Churches
Together in Salisbury.

Vision for the whole parish:
‘Making disciples of Jesus, committed to serve.’

Mission
• To see our church grow and our “neighbours” transformed
by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and equipped by His Spirit
to serve.
• To see our church grow in depth as mature disciples
of Jesus (praying, worshipping, informed, witnessing,
evangelising, social action, world mission)
• To see our church grow in number

Values
• We adore Him : Inspired to worship
• We listen to Him : Biblical teaching
• We talk with Him : Abiding prayer
• We live for Him : Discipline about discipleship
• We work for Him : Ambassadorial mission
• We are united in Him : A diverse body
• We love like Him : Loving one another

What it’s like round here
Salisbury is a beautiful city founded in 1220 when the Norman
Cathedral on the fortified hill of Old Sarum was abandoned and the
building of the new Cathedral began a mile to the south. The City is
an attractive mix of old and new, from the Cathedral’s spacious ‘Close’ to the medieval chequers [grid pattern] of its streets today. www.visitwiltshire.co.uk A short walk, about a mile from the city centre, is Laverstock, a village between Salisbury and the Clarendon Estate’s open farmland. It still maintains its own identity with a CofE Aided primary school, pub, community farm, a small shop and a Sports Club. (A cycle path runs almost directly from the vicarage, into Laverstock making it nearly as quick to walk or cycle as to drive!) Unusually there are three secondary schools in the village drawing children from across South Wiltshire. Laverstock is bordered by open countryside www.laverstock-ford.co.uk

The majority of people work in or around the City, although some
commute further afield. Salisbury is on the main railway line from
London’s Waterloo Station to Exeter with easy connection to
Southampton, Bristol and South Wales. The population of just over
41,000 is served by a good range of facilities with a fair mixture of
shops. Larger shopping malls and department stores are available
in Southampton (22 miles south) and Bath (32 miles north-west).
Bournemouth with its excellent beaches is only 25 miles away and
London is only an 90 minutes by train (72miles)

There are several excellent cultural centres, including Salisbury
Playhouse, the Arts Centre and a five screen Odeon Cinema. The City Hall hosts varied popular events and there is a strong classical music presence in the City and surrounding areas. The Salisbury International Arts Festival is a bi annual two-week event in June. The Five Rivers Leisure Centre has recently been expanded and offers sporting, fitness and community facilities. www.wiltshire.gov.uk

Salisbury has a diversity of well-regarded state and independent
schools as well as Colleges offering FE and HE courses. Sarum
College offers ecumenical education, ministry training, conference
resources and also good facilities for bed and breakfast.

Salisbury District Hospital, a mile to the south-west, is connected by
regular bus services. It has been substantially rebuilt in recent years
and features specialist burns and spinal injuries units, accident and
emergency and a palliative care unit.

We are reshaping our Sunday ministry at St Mark's. We run a weekly youth club, Sunday school, Breakfast@9 service, two 10.30 services, 2 drop in cafes, a parent and toddler group, working weekly in 4 schools and termly in more.

St Mark’s Salisbury previously stood alone but today partners confidently with St Andrew’s Laverstock and we are looking to strengthen our ministry to city, suburb and village. Both churches have launched new leadership teams and Mission Action Plans, an Administrator has been appointed and changes are afoot. In May 2020 St Mark’s will be changing their service times and developing new patterns of worship. In June 2020 an ecumenical fresh expression will be pioneered in the north of the parish close to the curate’s house, building on the youth work taking place in the Pavilion. We are keen to keep building an outreach focussed staff team to support growing ministry. With existing outreach to seekers and families at Breakfast@9 and Together@ten we are not a parish that is looking to stand still but in confidence that God builds his church through the teaching of his word and through the ministry of compassion we aim to call people to faith and hope in Jesus and we pray that others will join us in this work.

We are committed to
Teaching from all the Scriptures
• With clarity, and relevance
• On Sundays in small groups and 1-2-1
Leadership that listens and serves
• Recognising and encouraging the ministry of all believers
• Seeking Jesus and showing clear direction
Ministry that engages
• Uniting all ages, traditions and crossing cultural divides
• Reaching out to all with the gospel.

What we offer
• Community of people trying to grow as disciples and share
their faith
• Context in which to develop your gifts and teaching ministry
• Committed staff and team of volunteers to partner with
• Loving family who will support you as a person, along with any
family you may bring.