Working in Lockleaze, a housing estate in Bristol, as a Vicar of an Anglican church on the edge of the City, the part I play has been slowly changing. I am no longer here to look after the parish but more to help local people look after the parish. There is still a long way to go. Promoting indigenous ministry is what I am about. When I retire, I hope the parish, and its part in God’s mission, will be run by local people. They will need support from outside, but support for their own interventions, and freedom to use their own resources. The two major resources that local people have are relational:

• Belonging to their culture.
• Belonging to their local congregation.

I want to tell the story so far, and add some reflections about what I think this might mean for future Anglican ministry on housing estates. (I am sure many of the learning points are transferable to other denominations with the use of a little imagination.)

The papers available here are:

• Accidental beginnings lead to core issues.
• A model of ministry emerges.
• A step forward - along a blind alley?
• Gift discovery and Growing support teams.
• Formation of a local person for OLM estate Priesthood.
• Some reactions to the initiative.

We have not consciously started with any theory other than that which says local culture will discern what will work in this locality. This does not mean we are disinterested in what other people think especially if it emerges from what they have done. The comment boxes are for that purpose.