Mission Shed

Mission Sheds are back! 
Mission Sheds are gatherings that help share resources, good practice, good news, and good ideas among churches and individuals.  They  are designed to help us go further and deeper with particular topics of mission. Topics include:  worship, growing faith, evangelism, rural mission, social transformation, intention (mission action planning), multiplication, and pioneering and fresh expressions. The Mission Shed Curriculum will run over a two-year period and will include 8 gatherings across all four archdeaconries. Each Mission Shed event will also contribute to a pathway for training for those who feel a calling toward becoming a ‘leader of mission’ in their church, mission community or deanery.

The Mission Shed vision is to:

• To share good practice among individuals and mission communities on priority areas of mission.
• To provide high-quality mission resources to support the mission of our parish churches and church schools.
• To encourage innovation in mission that leads to new and growth of existing worshipping communities.
• To provide a learning community where ‘leaders of mission’ (lay and ordained) are assisted, encouraged and supported in their missional leadership.
• Enable intentional learning together through:
  • Mission shaped Initiation – encourage calling out of individuals and potential teams
  • Mission shaped ministry – training of lay leaders and teams
  • Mentoring / Coaching for teams and leader
• Accompany – ‘travel’ alongside and with others seeking to develop and grow
• To deliver a curriculum of learning (and support) that will help support equip and assist with the training of Lay Missioners.
• To provide a regular opportunity to discuss and share ideas for mission through a variety of topics, and in different parts of the diocese, for anyone who wants to come.
• To inspire mission communities and church schools to think more intentionally and collaboratively toward mission, community engagement and evangelism.

For more Mission Shed updates, check out our Facebook page which can be found here

Upcoming Mission Sheds:

Planting New things: Deep Roots, New Shoots – Saturday 5th December 2026, 10am-4pm at The Old Deanery, Exeter.
Join us at our next Mission Shed on Saturday 5th December. This is a day for churches seeking to plant out or start something new. We are excited to welcome John McGinley from Myriad. Drawing on Myriad’s approach, John will explore church planting through prayer, teamwork and sharing faith in everyday life—with people and relationships at its heart.  David Lloyd, Mission Development Officer for the Diocese of Norwich and leader of Garden Church, will be leading an inspiring session on pioneering mission, cultivating discipleship, and developing vibrant local Christian communities.  Tina Hodgett will be leading an engaging session on helping people and congregations grow in confidence and vocation, connect with their communities and explore new ways of being church.  Please click on their names to watch introductory videos for this exciting event.
The day is intended to be an opportunity for teams to learn from examples of planting in practice, in prayer, and in partnership. Come and enjoy the day with other church leaders to hear more, and maybe even start the faithful work of starting something new together.
You will also be able to take away information about how your mission community can access funding, including direct funding from the diocese to help you start a fresh expression of church, or church plant.  Spaces are limited – Reserve your FREE space now by clicking on this link.

Vocations – Saturday 27th February 2027, 10am-4pm, Venue to be confirmed. Tickets to follow

Transformative connections with schools – Wednesday 12th May 2027, 10am-4pm, Abbotsbury Church. Tickets to follow

Engaging with the spiritually curious – Saturday 11th September 2027, 10am-4pm, St Andrew’s Church Cullompton. Tickets to follow

Working with Difference – Saturday 27th November 2027, 10am-4pm, St Paul’s Sticklepath. Tickets to follow

Past Events

Digital Ministry Mission Shed – 28 February 2026, 10am-4pm at St Jude’s Church in Plymouth
How can we confidently and creatively share the Good News and build communities within our increasingly digital landscape? What are today’s best tools and techniques and what does it mean to be authentic, contextual communicators? This one-day event led by the Diocese of Exeter’s Mission Shed Devon team, will feature talks and workshops from The Church of England‘s Digital Labs Team and Emmaus Gaming.

Adapting, Growing, Flourishing! Mission Shed – 7 March 2026, 9:30am-4pm, Cullompton Community Centre
Connecting with children, young people and families. Led by the Bishop of Plymouth and the Mission and Ministry team, join us to learn from practitioners from across the field of Children, Families and Young People, including Begin Well, Kids Matter, Safe Families and Home for Good, South West Youth Ministries, Hygge Church, Bubble Church, Toast Church and more! Plus hear from the voices of young people.

Tuesday 21st October 2025 (Swimbridge) – Living God’s Future Now: Making your church’s heart sing

June 14th 2025 – (Newton Abbot) – Social Justice, Politics, and Environmentalism
Speakers: Revd Dr Lucy Larkin (SWMTC), Hannah Rich (Theos), Andy Flannagan (Christians in Politics)

March 2025 – (Exeter) – Jesus the Pioneer
Speakers: Revd Tina Hodgett (CMS Pioneer), Rt Revd Dr Mike Harrison (Bishop of Exeter), Lindsey Morgan Lundie (Creative and Art Pioneer), Matt Smith (Community Waffle House), Revd Claire Curtis (Listening and Responding), Revd John White (Hazelnut Community Farm).
Resources:
Slides Set 1 | Slide Set 2

November 2024 (Plymouth) – Evangelism
Speakers: Revd Chris Russell (Archbishop’s Adviser for Evangelism and Witness), Revd Dr Ben Aldous (Churches Together in England, Principle Officer for Mission and Evangelism), Revd Li Selman (College of Evangelists), Heidi Lewis (Church Army Evangelist), Tim Moyler (Living and Telling)

September 2024 (Barnstaple) – Growing Faith
Speakers: Chris Curtis (Youthscape UK), Paul Friend (South West Youth Ministries), Sue Lockwood (Director of Education – Exeter Diocese), Anna Watson (Youth Alpha UK), Jo Hobbis (Raise Up Faith), Sharon Blyth (Childrens and Families Mission Enabler).

February 2024 (Newton Abbot) – Worship
Speakers: Sam and Sara Hargreaves (Engage Worship), Chloe Axford (Digital Worship), Mack Robinson (Poetry Workshop), Heidi Lewis (Worship in the Outdoors), Denise Robinson (Community Choir startup), Fr Nick Debney (Sacramental Worship).