St Ives Church

St John's is part of a wider benefice with St Ia church in the centre of St Ives.

There has always been a dedicated congregation - but one that was generally of an older age demographic. A few years ago a little flurry of families began to start meeting at St Johns and a partnership with some of the other churches in the town with children and young people began to develop.

Then, during the lockdown seasons, Wild Church was formed as a ministry that sought to worship and meet together in the outdoors, when inside worship was not permitted.

Since then this service has grown to be the benefice's largest congregation and one that has particularly taken off with young families. With that, we have been developing our youth, children and families programmes, to reflect those in our church family and also reach, support and love and share the good news with those in our community.

Our youth, children's and families work is ever evolving and growing and changing. This area of ministry is headed up by our youth, children's and families worker - alongside a growing team.

We define our mission for children, young people and families as follows:

‘At St John’s we are passionate about children, young people and families and we hope to provide spaces and relationships where every child and young person can experience the love, encouragement, safety, and relational nature of Jesus. Through our work we also hope to give the opportunity for all children and young people to hear the Good News of the gospel, the opportunity to respond to this and the opportunity to grow in a relationship with God.’

Our hope is that we can provide both a faith nurturing provision and a outreach/relational style provision for each age - so that children, young people and families can journey with us all the way to adulthood feeling held, loved and supported and growing in their relationship with God in each stage of their life.

We are currently on our way to this - but hope that over the next 12-24 months we could have a programme that meets this well - should this be where we continue to feel God's guidance.

St John's In The Fields is set at the top of the busy tourist town of St Ives - out of the commercial centre and somewhat central to the residential area. Once, as the name suggests, surrounded by fields it is now surrounded by houses and just a small distance away from other larger estates.

We are close to both the local infant and junior school, and not too far away from the secondary school.

Economically there is real diversity in the area, we always aim to support and help those who need it and hope to warmly welcome all, no matter what background.

Some of our current ministry includes:

• Mother's Circle/Baby group (for families with under ones)
• Tiddlers baby and toddler group
• Lego Club
• Younger Youth discipleship group
• Wild Church (all age service)
• Assembly links with the local C of E school
• Detached sports youth provision
• Key missional events throughout the year.
• Regular links with organisations such as the Tate and Leach pottery for children's and families work.

Over the next term we are also hoping to start:

• Older youth discipleship group
•  Schools work (with the local infant school)
• Family together days
• After school discipleship group (primary age)