As Canal Ministries moves forward people have asked about our vision since our founder Peter Atwill retired from the ministry. Also a lot of those originally involved with the charity at its inception have also retired. Therefore; both Trustees and Boaters spent time at our 2025 Weekend away to develop the vision presented below. Nothing has changed in the objectives of the charity, but we have sought God’s help in attempting to understand and communicate the direction we believe God is leading us.
MISSION:
To share God’s love on the waterways by a) sharing the Gospel and b) relieving people in need or hardship.
VISION:
In putting together a vision we recognise that we are under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and seek to carry out the works he has planned for Canal Ministries to do in accordance with the Father’s will. Being led by God’s word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit we believe the vision for Canal Ministries as of February 2025 is set out below.
Over the next one or two years we will:
- Continue to support those whom God has called to be evangelists on the waterways and have expressed a desire to be part of the Canal Ministries family.
- Seek to initiate a programme of appropriate training for our volunteers to improve their ability to carry out the objectives of the charity.
- Forge stronger links with churches along the canals to help us increase Canal Ministries effectiveness in meeting our objectives.
- Find ways to offer temporary positions for young persons, students and others wishing to serve God in ministry generally or specifically on the waterways. The aim is to increase the awareness of the spiritual and practical needs of people on waterways.
Over the next 5 years:
- Hope to extend the number of boater evangelists to 12 or more.
- Investigate the possibility of acquiring a boat to extend the ability of the charity to carry out its objectives.
- Look to offer internship style opportunities for young people.
Over the next 10 years:
- Investigate ways to provide emergency engineering and other services directly to those boaters in need on the waterways