Big Changes Ahead!
Big Changes Ahead for City Church Bristol!
What’s the Latest?
Exciting times are ahead for City Church Bristol! After years of dedicated leadership, Andy Cottingham has sensed that now is the right moment to step down from leading the team of elders and pass the baton to James Lee. James, who currently heads up the Cotham site (one of the three locations that make up City Church), will officially take on this new role over the first half of 2025, with the transition wrapping up in September.
Meet James
James first arrived in Bristol as a student back in 2007 and has been a key part of City Church for 14 years. At the time, he never imagined he’d stay this long, but he and his family have come to love being part of what God is doing in the church. Now, stepping into this leadership role feels like a natural next step.
Andy recalls a moment from years ago, just after he had taken over leadership of City Church. Sitting on a sofa at a Christian festival, he found himself chatting with a young James. Though they didn’t know each other well, Andy was struck by James’ character and sense of calling — qualities rare in someone so young. Over the years, that initial feeling only deepened, and now Andy is convinced that James is the right person to take City Church into its next season. After countless conversations with key leaders — including other leaders from across Commission, the Eldership team, trustees, and others — there’s a strong sense of unity and excitement about this transition.
What’s Next for Andy?
Andy isn’t going far! He’ll be stepping into a new season, using his gifts to invest in leaders both within and beyond City Church. He’ll spend about half his time preaching at City Church and continuing in pastoral ministry, while the other half will be spent visiting and supporting other churches. This shift is something the team at City Church is thrilled about, as it brings a fresh, multigenerational dynamic and even greater diversity to the church.
Why Now?
Since its beginning, City Church has always had a heart for serving the wider church, not just focusing inward but reaching out beyond its own walls. While this has happened to some extent over the years, there’s now a sense that God is calling them to take bolder, more intentional steps of faith to make this a core part of their identity.
To be a church that blesses others, they believe five key things need to be in place:
A heart to serve other churches.
The right resources — people, time, and finances.
A strong and diverse leadership team so that the local church remains strong.
A willingness to commit to the journey.
A team that doesn’t depend on just one leader.
By God’s grace, all of these things are now in place. And as one leader put it, this shift isn’t happening just because they’re looking for a change — it’s happening because they believe this move will help spread the gospel even further.
Looking Ahead
At City Church, teamwork has always been at the core of how they operate. This isn’t about one person leading alone — it’s about a team pulling together in the same direction. James will be surrounded by a strong team as he leads, and Andy isn’t heading off on a solo mission either — he’ll be gathering a team to make sure what he builds is sustainable and lasts beyond him.
One thing’s for sure — this is an exciting time for City Church Bristol, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the months ahead!
This blog was inspired by City Church's blog and the video below:
