Fresh expressions of church are new types of church that tend to (though not always) develop outside of church buildings, amid contemporary culture and in ecumenical settings. They are likely to look different to traditional church, and take many different forms, such as Messy Church, Cafe Church or Alternative Worship to name but a few. They are formed specifically to share faith with people who don’t ‘go to’ church and have grown up without knowledge of Jesus. These churches emerge when Christians work within the community to love and serve – demonstrating and sharing their faith as they go about their work. They are not ‘bridges’ into traditional church, they are ‘real church’ in their own right.
As we focus on sharing faith and bringing new disciples to Christ, it is important that churches connect with our communities, and the Fresh Expressions movement offers training resources to help churches and Synods as they explore.
The URC has been a partner in the Fresh Expressions movement since 2009, and the URC Coordinator is available to advise for your local situation.
