Many recognise the feast of Pentecost as the day the Church really began. It is the day when Jesus’ promise was fulfilled, that he would gift his disciples with his presence and power in the form of the Holy Spirit, even though he was no longer with them physically.
Ever since that first Pentecost the Church has sought to fulfil Jesus’ commission to us that we live and tell the story of God’s love for the world and encourage others to join us in following Christ. It has been a challenging task in each generation and has required Christians to reimagine and adapt how they do that in their own context and community.
Here in Liverpool diocese, we have recognised that our resources have become depleted and our numbers declining just at a time when the needs of our society have never been greater. It has increased our need to ask for God’s help that we might become a bigger Church to make a bigger difference, and caused us to ask the Church Commissioners to partner with us in supplying some of the financial means to do that.
I am delighted that we have received the news that the wider Church has responded by promising a further £6.2 million following on from their commitment of almost £1.4 million earlier this year. This demonstrates the confidence that they have in us, the Liverpool diocese, to fulfil the vision that God has called us to, and allows us to begin to put our plans into action.
Bishop Ruth Worsley – Interim Bishop of Liverpool
In recent years, our churches have shown commitment and creativity in difficult contexts – from economic uncertainty to social change. This new focused fundingsupport from national church recognises that commitment and offers a renewed opportunity to build our future.
After decades of slow but significant decline (over 30 years we have seen our Sunday attendance reduce overall by around 65%!) we have reached a point where, however challenging we find it, change is inevitable. It’s up to us, in this generation, to decide whether we continue as we are and accept the change that brings, or we work together to find ways to grow Christian community in our locality.
If there is going to be a Church of England presence in every community, if there are going to be churches for future generations, then we need become younger and more diverse in both our leadership and membership.
The good news is that we have a pathway to deliver the change we need to make and the resources to make it happen. These resources are wrapped up in funding provided for the Fit for Missionprogramme and the new, targeted investment from the national Church to support our diocesan strategy. All of this funding is to deliver change – and get us to a new place, and it relies on everyone’s participation to make it work. Change is hard and requires us all to be inspired by the fact that anything is possible with God, and also the need to undertake an honest reality check.
Our aim is for all our churches to become missionally healthy and financially sustainable. This significant support from national Church will enable us to make a step change in building more resilient and sustainable church communities right across the diocese. Most of the outcomes will impact the whole diocese but those churches already participating in the hard work of change through Fit for Mission will have the best chance to grow and become younger and more diverse – because the accountability and leadership structures of larger single parishes have a powerful multiplying effect on whole groups of churches in their deanery.
We know this journey is challenging, but those who choose to stay as they are may inevitably find it more difficult to secure a resilient future. Everyone will of course continue to be supported by Bishops, Archdeacons and the team at St James House. But we need to journey together if we are to develop a more diverse and younger generation of disciples and church leaders, and to address the challenge of ensuring a confident Christian presence remains in all our communities.
Our Strategy
Our diocesan strategy and direction has been defined following a long period of consultation, prayer and discernment and through agreement by Diocesan Synod. It is important that our extensive engagement with parishes continues. For example over 600 people have attended the road show consultations in recent months.
Our shared diocesan strategy aims to deliver an energised culture of missional ambition, leading to sustained growth and vocational confidence, so that every church becomes missionally healthy and financially sustainable.
What the new resources will help us to deliver
By 2031, we will have:
A younger and more diverse church
A Youth & Children’s hub in most deaneries
Many new worshipping communities, including in schools
Greater racial diversity in our leaders and churches
Carried out regular every-church reviews on mission, stewardship and new income: Mission Planning and Reviews (MPRs)
Supported local missional development through Funding the Future grants
Planted two Resource churches with an under 25s focus
Supported the development of deanery Resource Hubs
Developed lay & clergy leaders by offering significant additional training and support
Like many diocese across the country, we face a long-term trend of declining attendance, reduced clergy numbers, and pressure on church sustainability. Without strategic intervention, more churches would close, we would lose clergy, and our collective missional reach would be at risk.
This moment enables us to act now to secure the future: building on the resilience of our worshipping communities, addressing challenges, and ensuring that a confident Christian presence remains in every community we serve.
As we move into this new chapter, we remain focused on our shared mission; to grow a bigger church, make a bigger difference, and ensure that more people can encounter the life and hope of Jesus Christ.
Further updates and stories from across the Diocese will be shared in the months ahead, as we work together to deliver this next stage of growth.
Let’s continue to pray together as we move forward through this great time of opportunity and change together.
Loving Father, by your grace, we long to see more people knowing Jesus, and more justice in your world. Help us to live as your disciples in the power of the Spirit and to work to your praise and glory. Amen.
