Together we're aiming to raise up a generation of new leaders who are united around a shared mission and vision to see churches established across the Bedfordshire, North Bucks and Northants area, rooted in our shared history, legacy and DNA.
We had the joy of starting Central Vineyard in 2006, which grew over time to become a large church meeting across five services in four different locations. While we were grateful for the lives impacted and the numerical growth we experienced, we increasingly longed to see more multiplication.
As we began to reimagine what multiplication could look like, we moved from defining ourselves as one church meeting in multiple locations towards becoming multiple churches functioning more as an extended family. It was in the midst of this transition that we began to sense God was also stirring something new in us, and so after 16 years of serving as Lead Pastors of Central Vineyard, we stepped down in the summer of 2022 and later that year relocated to Milton Keynes to plant Garden City Vineyard.
Functioning more as an extended family of churches has enabled us to simplify our structures and give each church greater local identity and freedom. It has allowed us to go further than we had previously imagined, while remaining convinced that we are better together than we are alone.
Together we're aiming to raise up a generation of new leaders who are united around a shared mission and vision to see churches established across the Bedfordshire, North Bucks and Northants area, rooted in our shared history, legacy and DNA.
Steve and Tammy have been leading and planting churches together for over 25 years. In their early twenties they planted their first church, Daventry Vineyard, before going on to plant Central Vineyard in Northampton, which has since multiplied into three churches. Together they also serve the wider Vineyard Movement as Regional Leaders for the Midlands & East and Steve is part of the Multiply Vineyard team, helping prepare those getting ready to church plant. They live in West Bletchely, Milton Keynes and lead Garden City Vineyard.
Since 2006, when Central Vineyard began with just five adults and three pre-schoolers, our journey was one of steady growth and development, from launching in a single location, to hosting multiple services, to expanding across sites, to eventually multiplying into autonomous churches that continue to work together as extended family.
Central Vineyard is launched in Northampton, with just five adults and three pre-schoolers.
After humble beginnings the church steadily grows and eventually purchases a building at 42 Sheep Street.
In response to growth, a second service at 42 Sheep Street is started.
Continued growth sees the launch of the Wellingborough site followed by Kettering.
Raunds Community Church becomes the Raunds site, the church is now gathering across five services in four locations.
COVID-19 Lockdown starts and the Church is scattered and moves online.
After a season of discernment, the Kettering site is released to become Kettering Vineyard.
The Wellingborough and Raunds sites merge to become Nene Valley Vineyard.
Steve & Tammy, step down as Lead Pastors and are commissioned to plant Garden City Vineyard, Milton Keynes.
After six years of faithfully serving Kettering, Kettering Vineyard sadly closes its doors.
Storehouse Church becomes Central Vineyard East.
We recognise each church serves a unique community, so we want to champion unique expression, meaning:
Our bond is mutually beneficial, rooted in relationship, meaning we will work toward:
One of the primary purposes for our connection, is to plant even more healthy reproducing churches, by:
There are currently three Vineyard churches gathered in four different locations.
We are part of the wider Vineyard movement. Alongside the sites we've lanched and churches we've planted, there are other Vineyard churches serving the Bedfordshire, North Bucks and Northants area.
Each local church has its own Lead Pastor, leadership/staff team that serves the church, oversee its ministry, set its budget, carry out governance, hire future staff, and lead the mission in its community.
Yes, Steve & Tammy Gee serve as the Founding Pastors and give relational oversight to the other Lead Pastors.
Each church is expected to be self-supporting, with their own legal identity (obviously, this takes time for new church plants). Each church gives 5% to Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland and each church contributes a small percentage towards some shared centralised operations, for things like accounting, payroll and other shared services.
What remains is available for the local church to budget and spend as needed. These funds pay for staff salaries and ministry expenses. In a genuine way, this allows those giving at a local level to know that what they give is supporting the mission of their local church, It is also important to note that what is given to Vineyard Churches and to the central operations is equally being used to extend and support the ministry of the local church.
Each church has regular live teaching, overseen by their Lead Pastors. Since we believe in multiplication and leadership development, each church will aim to develop a teaching team to equip others for present needs and future planting opportunities.
Firstly we believe we are better together! and in serving together, we are reminded that we are joining in with what God is doing, not building our kingdom. Lead Pastors are better together because they have a team of others to do life together with in the same role who are supporting and encouraging each other.
Staff are better because they have colleagues they can engage at other churches who are doing similar work. Church members are better because they have localised neighbourhood churches to invite friends and co-workers who live in other parts of our region.
Newer churches and church plants are more successful because they have a community of churches to lean on (especially in the early stages), and they have the support and strength of an extended family behind them.
In order to see more churches planted, we want to cultivate a church environments that acts as a catalyst for potential planters to be identified, trained and released to plant even more churches. Our Church Planting Residency Programme, invites those who sense a call to church planting or pioneering leadership to join us for a period of 24 months, for an intense season of preparation and training.
This will help potential planters become immersed in the life and leadership of a local church, giving them ministry experience and the support needed as they prepare to launch a new church, this will be aided by the discernment process and training offered via the Multiply Vineyard team.
To become the kind of leaders who can plant a healthy Vineyard church.
An opportunity to engage in Theological Training that will give the potential planter a solid biblical foundation.
Offering hands on experience with the opportunity to play an active role in the life of the local church.
From the wider movement including Vineyard Training, Area & Regional events and our National Conferences.
Helping the planter formulate a clear vision and philosophy of ministry and a plan for the kind of church they will start.
Our goal is to send residency planters out with a team, our support and financial backing.
Each planter who launches will have access to ongoing training and mentoring.