Published on: 09/10/2025
A new Christian community is forming in Doncaster following the opening of a new mission and worship centre.
Saint Vincent’s Mission Doncaster opened on Monday 22 September and is the result of hard work, prayer and discernment from the team there. The building features a gift shop where people can get Christian resources, books and prayer aids, but also a space for a chapel and prayer stations. Open from 10am-4pm, Saint Vincent’s also puts on traditional and contemporary communion services, alongside morning prayer, Bible studies and social events.
Formed from a Bishop’s Mission Order out of Resurrection Doncaster, there will be a new team ministry in the city centre churches, with revitalisation between Doncaster Minster and St. James’s. The centre will partner with Christians Against Poverty, whilst also offering job clubs to help people find jobs in Doncaster.
The funding for the project came through a Diocesan bid to the Strategic Development Fund, SDF (now SMMIB), and is one of 5 projects revitalising worshipping communities across the Diocese in Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster. John Marsh, Mission Development Adviser, commented:
‘The Diocese is grateful for funding from national church to revitalise and rejuvenate our Churches and start new mission activities. We have an array of funding opportunities now available and are looking for parishes and Mission Areas to have conversations about how to make use of them.’
Revd Adam Priestley planned the opening after several months of discernment following a call from God, and after discussions with Bishop Sophie (former Bishop of Doncaster), John Marsh and Archdeacon Malcolm (former Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham). Adam’s role is full-time at Saint Vincent’s, alongside a part-time administrator and missional outreach worker.
He said:
‘It’s been absolutely amazing. We’ve seen people come in and a Christian community is already forming. Eventually we may well put on Sunday services, but we wanted to create a community first.
‘I think the call from God is to build a place where people can come in and explore faith – that’s key to what we’re doing. We want to provide a space where people can talk about faith, and within a matter of days we’ve already seen that happen. We’ve already had someone ask about Sunday services, which gives us hope for a growing Christian community.
‘We want to reach the people of Doncaster Centre, who maybe wouldn’t walk through the doors of a normal church. People are very used to walking into shops and the front of the mission is a shop. We’re in an area, which has a pedestrianised walkway and there’s a pub right across the road from us. So as people go around their daily lives in Doncaster, they can engage with faith and they can meet Jesus.’
