Phil Wade has started as the new Worship Director for AllSaints Church in Worcester. Phil will lead a voluntary team of around 25musicians and technicians as well as support other local churches as part ofAll Saints role as a resourcing church for the Diocese.
Phil has moved to Worcester from a church in Dorset where hehas worked for the last three years as Assistant Minister for Worship. He said:A great deal of prayer went into the move and I had a real feeling that Godwas calling me to Worcester. All Saints has an amazing history and heritage people have worshipped in the building since the 1100s and its exciting to bepart of that story.
Phil started in July and has been spending the first fewweeks working with the team at All Saints and thinking about the direction thattheyd like to take their worship. Once hes settled into his new role, Philwill be getting in touch with those leading worship in other local churches tosee how he can support them.
Im keen to enable churches to be the best that they canbe, continued Phil. Its important that they keep their own identities, buthopefully I can help them to grow and develop. Theres also a great deal thatother churches can teach us here at All Saints. I like collaborating withothers and hope that we can meet together locally to develop relationships andshare ideas.
Phil grew up in a Church of England church similar to AllSaints and has worked with a range of churches offering a breadth of worshipall over the UK. He came to faith age 14 and as he became more involved inchurch he worked alongside the worship leader and was taught how to play thepiano. He will move to Worcester with his wife Annabel, an RE Teacher who isgoing to work at Dyson Perrins CE Academy in Malvern.
Phil said: There is always more to discover about leadingworship and Im really excited to be starting at All Saints and to be able tocollaborate with other churches. Please pray for both Annabel and I as we continueour journey of faith together.
All Saints in Worcester was one of two churchesin the Diocese of Worcester awarded a significant grant from the ChurchCommissioners of the Church of England to become a resourcing church. Thechurch was relaunched in its new role last year and will become a resource forboth the local community and other churches in the Worcester area.
