The Creation Crew is a diverse group that enjoy the local environment and want to help care for it. They form one of the new missional communities at St Andrew’s Church, High Wycombe.
The Crew launched just after Easter. It opened with an exploration evening, where people who were interested came to meet the leadership team and find out more. They aim to deepen their faith together and connect with others who don’t yet know Jesus.
Since then, the group of 18, meet every fortnight to share food, pray and study the Bible. Many of these meetings have been held in member’s homes.
The other aspect of the Crew is a very practical helping out. Members are invited to join a Chiltern Rangers conservation task, take part in local litter picks or join in a local nature group’s activities.
“As a group, we’ve taken part in a local work party,” says Marion Lyon one of the Creation Crew’s leaders. “It enabled people to see what’s involved.” The site the visit was in the parish but not usually open to the public. On another social evening, the Crew joined a local ‘bat walk’.
“It’s all about making contact with others who are interested in the environment, wildlife and nature,” says Marion. “We can make a difference practically to our local environment, meeting people with similar interests but who might not have faith.”
A WhatsApp group helps keep the Creation Crew connected. Members share beautiful things they’ve seen, or local events that others might be interested in. The App also helps share requests for prayer. Looking to the future, Marion is positive that, “there are so many possibilities.”
Growing new congregations
In the Diocese of Oxford, we long to see more people from every part of our diverse diocese come to know Jesus, through fresh expressions of church, revitalisations, grafts and new church plants, language fellowships, the faithful work that currently exists and new opportunities within our parishes.