St Mark Church Dalston

Our Vision Our Purpose

Scripture tells us that it is important to have a vision, and without it the church will die. Proverbs 29:18. We believe that God has given St. Mark’s a vision and purpose for our community. As such we’re deeply committed to seeing that vision come to flourish. For us the vision and purpose is fivefold. Fellowship, Discipleship, Worship, Service and Mission.

Fellowship

God call us from a life of isolationism to being part of His family that loves and cares for each other. In order to enrich our fellowship, where everyone is loved and cared for, we have a Pastoral Care Team that encourages everyone in our church fellowship to be on the lookout for each other in order to make everyone made to feel they belong and are loved.

Discipleship

God calls us to become His followers, growing daily to love Him more, serving Him and serving others. Our Sunday Services, bible studies, young people and children’s church, prayer meetings foster that ethos in our church family because that is a fundamental requirement to our calling.

Worship

God calls us to His immeasurably love worship is our response of gratitude to His generous love. We express that gratitude by living lives that recognises that our talents, possessions and indeed all that we belongs to Him. Our Sunday gatherings are an expression of that, and seek to offer our gratitude of love to God. It also provides us with the opportunity to be renewed by His Holy Spirit to live lives which are devoted to Him and His purposes.

Service

God calls us all to serve Him with our talents and gifts. In His Kingdom there isl employment for everyone and no one can be without work. At St. Mark’s we seek to encourage and empower everyone to use their God given talents, time and gifts to the service of God and others in the church and parish.

Mission

God calls us to join Him in His mission of transforming the world though the power of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has made a huge difference to our lives. The incarnation of Christ in human flesh, His death and resurrection for the salvation of the world, compels us to proclaim the Good News and to also support our mission partners both at home and abroad.

We believe the above objectives are summed up in the Capital Vision 2020 of the Diocese of London which reminds us of the need to be more confident in speaking and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, more compassionate in serving communities with the love of God the Father and more creative in reaching new people and places in the power of the Spirit.

The Parish of St Mark’s and St Bartholomew’s Church Dalston

PROMOTING A SAFER CHURCH

The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on 24. 07.2019

In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy our church is committed to:

Promoting a safer environment and culture.
Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church.
Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation.
Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons.
Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons.
Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.

The Parish will:

Create a safe and caring place for all.
Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures.
Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse.
Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish.
Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs.
Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse.
Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately.
Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred.
Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.
Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually.
Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices at least annually.