A story that starts in a garden...
...And ends in a garden city.
The name of our church community is rooted in the story of the Bible, a story that starts in a Garden and ends in a Garden City. It’s the story of God rescuing and redeeming broken people and renewing broken cities, and we believe we're being called to plant a church that will embody this story in every corner of the city.
It's also a name that is synonymous with Milton Keynes' history and how, when this new city was first conceived, it was heavily influenced by the Garden City Movement of urban design. Today Milton Keynes really has become a 'city in a forest' and our sense is this name will be something of a prophetic statement, one that speaks about the kind of church we're called to be and the kind of role we are to play in the city.
Our Leaders
Steve & Tammy Gee
Steve & Tammy have been in ministry together for over two decades. They planted their first church, Daventry Vineyard in their early 20's and went on to launch the Central Vineyard in 2006, which has since multiplied in to three unique churches, alowing them to step down as the Lead Pastors in the summer of 2022 to focus on starting Garden City Vineyard.
Whilst leading Garden City, they also give oversight to the CV Family of Churches, they serve the wider Vineyard Movement as Regional Leaders for the Midlands and East of England, and are involved in coaching a number of other church planters. Steve also works part time for World Vision UK. They live in West Bletchley, with their three teenage daughters and a slightly needy Cavachon called Rolo.
Our vision
We're aiming to build a worshipping community in Milton Keynes that is “Practicing the way of Jesus, together, for the renewal of the city”
Practicing the way
Our aim is to be apprentices of Jesus where we are ordering our lives around three goals, to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus and to do what Jesus did. As we live this way we believe our lives, our communities and our city will be transformed.
Together
We want to look beyond Sunday gatherings, and look towards building a community where we intentionally connect people and families and businesses and institutions to the life-changing presence of God. Where together we can encounter Jesus and the life He has to offer.
For the renewal of the city
We’re not just called to build a great church, we are called to play our part in building a great city, that we believe can shape and affect a whole region. A city where everyone is playing their part in extending God’s Kingdom, everywhere and in every way.
Our values
Presence
We want to be a people who live in the reality of God’s presence, becoming like Jesus. Seeing His Kingdom come in and through our lives becomes possible as we learn to live in His presence, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The way of presence leads us away from striving to abiding. When we abide in Christ our lives bear much fruit showing ourselves to be His apprentices.
Formation
We want to cultivate interior lives that engage in habits and practices that sustain and support the kind of radical life Jesus invites us into. Our apprenticeship to Jesus is about learning to take intentional steps to follow Him and live lives that are being transformed as we practice His way in the context of community.
Family
We want to develop lives of selfless love where we make room for one another - regardless of race, religion, education or socio-economic background. We want to create a culture that is characterised by welcome, warmth and hospitality, where church isn’t seen as a place we go to, but as a family to which we belong.
Generosity
We live in a culture where spirituality cannot be separated from generosity. The teachings of Jesus implore us to give to those in need, committing ourselves to an ethic of generosity. The scriptures say that God loves a cheerful giver, not because the church’s needs are met, but because God's heart is made glad when we depend on Him to provide all that we need.
Renewal
We have a conviction that God is at work to heal and remake the whole earth. Our own lives are a part of that renewal project and God invites us to join with Him in the ongoing work of making all things new. To follow Jesus and join Him in His mission is to become agents of renewal in our neighbourhoods, industries and our city as a whole.
Multiplication
We are not called to focus our energy and resources on our church alone, instead we want to see all that can be achieved in one person or one place multiplied, ultimately through the planting of new churches. We are convinced church planting is the most effective way to reach new people and it's our desire to plant churches across our region and beyond.
Our BELIEFS
We hold to the historic teachings of Christian orthodoxy as articulated in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. We also subscribe to recent summaries of Christian doctrine as formulated in the Lausanne Covenant.
You can also see the Statement of Faith for Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland via the button below.
Our Team
Steve & Tammy Gee
Esther Veal
Sam Rajagopel
Paul Veal
Paul Lowe
Andrew & Rosie McNeil
Our PaRtners
We are part of the Vineyard Movement, a worldwide family of more then 2,500 churches in five continents, with churches and sites in over 150 locations across the UK and Ireland.
Locally we have a close working relationship with our friends at Grand Union Vineyard. We are also part of a family of churches, gathered across Northants and MK, that were each birthed out of our sending church Central Vineyard in Northampton, and we are also supported by the Multiply Vineyard team, who provide training and mentoring for those called to plant churches within the Vineyard Movement.
We're also thrilled to work alongside Gospel Entrepreneurs, to help develop a strong Christian lead in church, ministry and business and locally we have a growing relationship with the Bridgebuilder Trust MK and World Vision.
