Grabbing the bag- An all age approach to community cash

At our recent Ocean Church Vision Day, we tried something a little different.
Instead of sticking the adults in one room to talk budgets while the kids did crafts somewhere else, we brought everyone together —children, teens, and adults — and asked one simple question:

“If Ocean Church had a pot of money to spend, what should we spend it on?”

It was messy, colourful, loud, and surprisingly insightful.

Led brilliantly by Chris Downey (shout-out to the king of purple paper and felt-tips), we scattered big sheets around the room and invited every age to scribble ideas. Equipment, adventures, helping others, nature projects, staff time — everything went in the mix. The aim wasn’t to create a budget; we wanted to see what our community instinctively values.

And honestly? The patterns were clearer than I expected. Heres a few of my thoughts

1. Adventures are central to who we are.

Across every board the same things appeared:
surf camp, hikes, pilgrimages, breakfasts, beach gatherings, Parkrun, trips.

The message was simple:
People want shared outdoor experiences.
Movement, nature, and connection sit right at the heart of Ocean Church.

2. Equipment is a priority because it makes everything possible.

A huge amount of energy went toward practical kit:

Shelters, PA system, Watersports gear, Power packs, A van/camper, Kitchen equipment, Gardening and litter-picking tools, Outdoor sports gear

Some of these things are essentials and some are extras, but together they make our gatherings smoother, safer, and more enjoyable. Equipment is part of what helps a mobile, outdoor church actually function.

3. People and leadership matter.

A surprising number of groups wrote about the need for:

Admin support, Marketing, Training, Future staff, Youth work, Leadership development, Support for the minister

This tells us the community sees the need for capacity behind the scenes, not just activity out front.
People understand that a growing movement needs more shoulders carrying the load.

4. Generosity is a natural instinct.

Even without being prompted, almost every board mentioned:

Supporting the poor, Helping those in need, Giving to other churches, Conservation and nature care, Local community support

Our people want Ocean Church to look outward, not just inward. How do we do generosity with other people? What or who is God calling us to give to?

5. Creation care keeps showing up.

There were lots of nature-focused ideas:

Seeds and planting, Gardening tools, Land for community use, Conservation, Ecology talks, Community growing spaces, Litter-picking

We don’t just meet outdoors — we care about the places we gather.
There’s a shared desire for responsibility, stewardship, and learning.

We wrote a blog a while back about Dorsets nature recovery strategy. Perhaps tha might be something for us to pray about?

6. We don’t need a big building, but we could use a base.

No one asked for a traditional church building.
But plenty of people mentioned:

A field, A campervan, A beach hut, A simple shelter, A hub to store equipment

This isn’t a call for infrastructure-heavy church life.
It’s a desire for a practical “basecamp” — a modest hub to support everything else we do.

7. Hospitality matters, even in small ways.

Among the bigger ideas were simple things:

• Food

• Gas

• Seasonal supplies

• Snacks

• Consumables

These small touches hold community together.
Warm food after cold water, shared drinks, simple comforts — these things genuinely matter.

So what does all this tell us?

When you put it all together, I think some clarity around a direction emerges:

• Keep prioritising outdoor adventures.

• Strengthen our equipment base.

• Build leadership and admin capacity.

• Stay generous.

• Embed creation care.

• Explore a simple basecamp for the future.

• Keep hospitality warm and simple.

This wasn’t a budgeting exercise — it was a values conversation.
And it showed us who we already are and who we’re becoming.