Our mission and values

At Westminster Abbey, we see ourselves as a living symbol of faith at the heart of the nation. Our main purpose is to be a working inclusive church.

Christ's hand holding a globe of the world

Our mission

To offer daily divine Worship to Almighty God and resource the Church in this vocation;
To serve the Sovereign;
To proclaim the Gospel to the nation and Commonwealth, celebrating the distinctive witness of the Christian faith and engaging with public life;
To provide a safe, welcoming and inspiring environment for all who came to the Abbey;
To care for the precious resources entrusted to us; our people, building, heritage and money.

Our values

The Abbey is our place of work; it is also a community, and above all it is a church. As we minister to the needs of the nation, the Commonwealth and the world, all who come here should be made welcome and find here peace, hope, and a sure sign of faith.

Within this community we are committed to the task of helping worshippers, pilgrims, visitors and one another to find their place in Westminster Abbey.

We have three guiding principles:

We are a community.
- We are committed to being a safe, welcoming and inclusive church for everyone.
- We value each other and the contribution we all make to our common life.
- We are dedicated to supporting each other’s wellbeing and showing kindness in all we do.
- We value our relationships with neighbours, partners and stakeholders.
We are sustained by hope.
- We are confident in sharing the Abbey’s message of hope, whether or not we share the Christian faith on which it is built.
- In hope, we will uphold the truth and seek a just world in which human dignity can flourish.
- We will engage in difficult conversations based on mutual respect, believing we can come to a better understanding.
- Where there are differences amongst us, we will be honest and work for a resolution.
We strive to be faithful in all that we do
- We will work together on our shared goals.
- We are committed to excellence and integrity in all that we do.
- We are committed to being good stewards of our resources.
- We demonstrate our respect for God’s creation through our actions on the environment and sustainability.

Governance

Dean & Chapter is the overall governing body of the Abbey but there is also an Abbey Board that takes responsibility for setting strategies for the Abbey and overseeing their implementation.