Our Vision and Values: Generous Faith
At St John’s Waterloo, Generous Faith encompasses the way we approach life and God. We are a church that centres around love – God is love and those who live in love, live in God and God lives in them (1 John 4:16) – therefore our vision and values centre around the love of God that moves out towards all places and all people in prayer and action.
We are an inclusive and affirming community always hoping to grow in this area and create a space in which all feel welcome and community can continue to grow. We love questions and encourage curiosity. To ask when we don’t know, to hold the mystery when there is doubt, and to embrace the journey not only the destination.
We hope this page will give you an idea of who we are, our vision and our values and a bit of what we believe.
We’re always up for a conversation so if you are new and interested in making St John’s your church, feel free to get in touch with one of the clergy to find out more.
We have a church podcast – Generous Faith – a podcast that embraces the curious and the questioning and searches for the beauty between the binaries. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and at MorleyRadio.com.
I’ve been vicar here for sixteen years. During that time I’ve tried to build a community which is enquiring, exciting, active and thoughtful. The heart of our life is a belief in the power of love to transform the world and individuals, most clearly manifested in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This love can flourish when walls are broken down and people come together in love. This is why I try to continue to push the boundaries of inclusion, having offered prayer space for the Muslim community, welcoming refugees, the street homeless, and Extinction Rebellion activism.
We try to live out a generous faith (the clue’s in the name!), and our vision is of a place where ALL people can live out the true meaning of their being, under the eye of the eternal God who is love.
I tell a bit of my story in a recent Nomad podcast as I reflect on the faith I inherited, the shifts and struggles that reshaped it, and what it means to remain rooted while reimagining what faith can be. I tell much more of my story journey in my book, Generous Faith, published in July 2024. Generous Faith weaves together the journey of my life, my faith and the life of the church from the moments that fit seamlessly
together to the other parts of life where my inner journey did not appear to fit with my external one.
It is a privilege to be a part of a church that embraces the curiosity of life, doesn’t shy away from the pain, and celebrates love – in all its forms.
Buy Generous Faith here.
‘A very good book about the journey into a different, more demanding and more fulfilling vision for human beings and the world they inhabit.’ – Rowan Williams
‘Bravely honest, yet gracious and generous… We can all find parts of our own journey in this book, whoever and from whatever faith or philosophy we are.’ – Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg
‘Radiates with acceptance, resilience and hope. It is a deeply honest book, beautifully written.’ – Bishop Rosemarie Mallett
‘A wonderful resource for everyone – from spiritual seekers of all traditions to policy makers and decision makers.’ – Professor Jagbir Jhutti-Johal
‘I started to read it and was unable to put it down until it was finished – the next day! I haven’t read a book so avidly for ages. Thank you for sharing your moving, challenging and inspirational story. I
laughed and cried. I am sure that many people will, like me, find the book uplifting.’ – Reader Review
Curious about what we believe or how we approach faith at St John’s? Hear directly from people in our community sharing their perspectives in these short videos:
Jesus
Worship
Video coming soon.
The Bible
Video coming soon.
God
Action
Video coming soon.