Written by Rev Canon Helen Edwards COHL Team Rector
We are delighted to share news that a new chapter has formally begun for a group of churches in West Derby Deanery. As part of the Fit for Mission, a new parish, Christ Our Hope Liverpool (COHL), has been created.
Churches from across the Deanery in the communities of Stoneycroft, Clubmoor, Norris Green, Stanley, Dovecot, Old Swan, Childwall, Croxteth and Croxteth Park have been working together to strengthen their mission and ministry. On Tuesday, 18th March a New Parish Meeting was held, over 100 people from the churches gathered to celebrate the formal start of the new parish.
Living within the parish are around 90,000 people. Jesus says, ‘go and make disciples’. In coming together, the Christ our Hope churches believe they are stronger and fitter, better equipped to embrace the commission of Jesus.
Churches are already collaborating more closely, bringing together dedicated teams of lay leaders and clergy. A new PCC has been elected to serve Christ our Hope and they are supported by safeguarding officers, churchwardens, treasurers who now come together to serve as PCC subcommittees. Lay and clergy are working closely in areas of mission and ministry too, including justice, children, families and youth and eco-church. Clergy, including seven team vicars, curates and the team rector meet weekly with readers joining when they are able. The parish is resourced further by a Support Services Team, bringing greater capacity to governance matters like finance, church buildings and safer recruitment.
Over recent months, each church has established a Local Leadership Team uniting those who are called to develop a vision for mission priorities, in their local context. They oversee the worship, mission and ministry in their locality, encouraging people to use their gifts and talents in the life of God’s church. Within the new parish, we celebrate the diversity of our different worshipping communities, whilst being committed to a shared vision, to ‘grow Christ-centred communities that enable everyone to flourish.’
These new structures provide a stronger foundation and enable support to be offered from the centre, enabling churches to act locally in ministry and mission.
At the new parish meeting, there was a tangible sense of thanksgiving, celebration and hope. Bringing about the changes has required dedication and faith, tenacity and courage and the meeting gave an opportunity to pause, to look back and to look to the future. Speaking at the meeting, Helen Edwards, the Team Rector, reflected on how at moments the journey had felt like a team ‘ecclesiastical and spiritual assault course’. It had been challenging, but they were now stronger together. Many others, lay and ordained gave thanks for the deepening of relationships and greater interdependency.
The new parish meeting marked a moment in their journey, to pause, give thanks and look ahead together. Archdeacon Miranda shared with the churches in the celebrations and led them in prayer:
Generous God, we thank you for calling us together into Christ our Hope.
We praise for you for the blessings of the past.
We seek the power of the Holy Spirit in the present.
We pray that you would grow Christ-centred communities now and in the future.
Lord, by your Spirit, may we be renewed in hope and
inspired to share the Gospel, as we serve Christ and each other.
In Jesus name. Amen.
