• What is the Vineyard?
• How did the Vineyard Movement start and when?
• Are all Vineyards the same?
• Do you have to be baptized in a Vineyard to be part of the church?
• Do you have to give money to the church to be a member?
• Is the Vineyard a cult?
• How can I 'plug in'?
• Why the grapes and the name 'Vineyard' ?
• Why are you so “casual” compared to other churches?
• Why don’t you have communion every week?
• Why don’t you meet on Sunday evenings?

What is the Vineyard?

The Vineyard is a contemporary church, gathering those who want to join together to worship God and learn from the Bible in a way that’s easy to understand and applicable to our daily lives.

How did the Vineyard Movement start and when?

The first Vineyard Church began in the late 70's as a musician's fellowship in West Los Angeles, USA. From this, several churches were planted, mostly locally in California. The Vineyard Movement really began to grow, however, when John Wimber assumed leadership of it in 1982. At the time, there were less than forty churches involved. Today, there are over 1,000 Vineyard churches around the world - around 90 of these in the UK.

Are all Vineyards the same?

No, each one is different. Though all are under the covering of the Association of Vineyard Churches, each is individually incorporated, has its own board and by-laws and governs itself autonomously.

Do you have to be baptized in a Vineyard to be part of the church?

No. The Vineyard churches do not have a formal membership. We do believe in and practice baptism, and we're very happy to explain the meaning and significance of baptism to anyone considering this. We encourage people to be baptised after they have made a commitment to follow Christ.

Do you have to give money to the church to be a member?

We don't have a formal membership, and nobody has to give money. We do teach and believe, however, that the Bible has established certain principles for people to live by. One of these has to do with giving, and when a person gives to the work of the kingdom of God, it shows commitment and dedication to God and the body of believers to which he or she belongs.

Is the Vineyard a cult?

No. As evangelicals, the Bible is our final authority for faith and practice. We practice and teach the Bible, which we believe to be the inspired Word of God. Our Statement of Faith is available to anyone who has questions concerning the doctrine and theological position of the Association of Vineyard Churches. We are also active members of Churches Together in Truro - along with the other mainstream Christian churches here.

How can I 'plug in'?

Truro Vineyard is a medium sized church where we value relationships with each other very highly. It's possible to get to know a lot of the church over time. We try to offer a range of ways of becoming involved. These include small groups (meeting mid-week in people's houses), opportunities to serve in many contexts (such as serving coffee or doughnuts, serving in Children's ministries or on a prayer team and helping in ministry to the poor and homeless, among others) and also fairly regular fun events.

Why the grapes and the name 'Vineyard' ?

There are several references in the Bible about Jesus being the vine and God's people being the vineyard. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit…" The fruit of the vine in this case, would be the cluster of grapes in our logo.

Why are you so casual compared to other churches?

We want people to feel comfortable when with us. Some people feel out of place in traditional churches because of the degree of formality. Those people can come to us in casual clothes, expecting a more informal context and not feel out of place. The atmosphere is intentionally relaxed, so everyone feels comfortable and welcome.

Why don’t you have communion every week?

We feel that Communion is a very important part of worship but there are no set rules as to how often communion should be observed, and most churches establish this individually. We celebrate communion on the first and third Sundays of the month, and encourage all believers, whether "Vineyard" or not, to participate. It is a time for reflecting on what Christ has done for us and renewing our commitment to follow Him and allowing Him to be Lord of our lives.

Why don’t you meet on Sunday evenings?

We do, frequently - but not necessarily formally, as a whole church. We don't feel that formal meetings are the core of our 'family experience', so we like to give space for the development of relationships. Sunday evenings are good for this - and for being available to those around us who don't yet have the experience of knowing the love of God. We have a range of meetings on Sunday evenings. These are publicised in the church when they are taking place.