About us
Welcome to Exeter Vineyard.
Our purpose is to create a community of disciples; learning what it is to have our lives transformed by the good news of Jesus
Our values
Jesus - we value Jesus as the central truth for life. More than a good example or moral teacher, Jesus, through his death and resurrection, made it possible for our lives to be transformed and find fresh meaning.
Worship - more than singing songs, we value lives that are oriented towards God, gratefully finding his goodness in all aspects of our lives and giving him permission to be in charge.
Community - we value loving relationships and real connections (no pretending, no masks). We know deep friendships require time, forgiveness, sacrifice and compassion and so we want to create environments that encourage this to happen.
Joyous Creativity - we value trying new ways of expressing our faith and doing church. We like to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously.
The Bible - we value this ancient (and often confusing) book as a means by which God wants to speak to us. We value inviting the Holy Spirit to allow the Bible to encourage and challenge us.
Our story & our team
Exeter Vineyard was planted in 1995 by Bob & Debra McKenzie. After some plot twists, Dave & Sarah became the senior pastors in 2005.
Their previous experience wasn’t especially relevant - they’d both got degrees in art (not theology) and had worked as a lecturer and graphic designer. However they enrolled in the learning-as-you-go-along school of church leadership, with plenty of good advice from other Vineyard pastors and, of course, lots of grace from God.
Over the last 20 years we have been seeking to follow God’s prompts and nudges as he has led us as a church.
Dave & Sarah are our senior pastors. They help shape the vision and direction of the church, support our volunteer leaders and seek to facilitate a growing church family. They have two teenage children.
Adam has been our Assistant Pastor since 2010, working a day a week at whatever needs doing! Currently he oversees the Worship Team and the Extra Sunday gathering.
Alan is our Assistant Pastor who helps oversee our Sunday Services, which he does as a volunteer.