Letter from Archdeacon of Dudley

Do you,like me, love to see people of all ages growing in faith and enjoying the loveof God?

One ofour four priorities within the Kingdom People vision is to increase ourengagement with children, young people and their families across thediocese. Our newly formed team of CallingYoung Disciples Mission Enablers are already having an impact in theirhost parishes and further afield. We nowhave six, working under the leadership of Project Director Ruth Walker, thefinal two having started in January.

I havebeen greatly encouraged to hear stories emerging as this creative team buildrelationships with congregations and both equip them, and help them to thinkdifferently!

Adam ,for example, tells of how Messy Church is developing parish-wide as resourcesand talents are pooled and how its being increasingly seen as an additionalcongregation rather than something to feed into the 9.30 am service.

Anne,Helen and Amy have enthused about the willingness to try something new frompeople who havent been on the radar of clergy, people who have had a holyunrest. The introduction of a MissionEnabler to poke and shake things up has helped to revive the fire in people. They have had God moments, when children,young people and adults have spoken about God and faith, and there has been astrong sense of God preparing the way in the places where theyre allocated. They have seen evidence of where people havebeen working beneath the surface to progress the Kingdom People ethos and arenow ready and willing to move with the tide.

Alongside the work of this team, as wellas that of our Youth Officer, Simon and Childrens Officer, Emma, we also hadthe privilege of a days training from Lucy Moore on how to keep the discipleshipfocus of Messy Church in November. Nearly a hundred people were inspired and enthused to take their MessyChurches to the next level, and from some of the tweets I saw leading up toChristmas, this had excellent results.

I long to see churches across thediocese truly engaging with all ages effectively our churches need to bemulti-generational if they are to reflect the welcome of Gods kingdom. I am looking forward to many more encouragingstories as we intentionally focus on this, and hope that all those families whopacked out our special Christmas services will be invited back for other eventssoon. Please join me in praying for thework of the Calling Young Disciples Team, and our Diocesan Youth and ChildrensOfficers, giving thanks for seeds sown, green shoots appearing, and the promiseof more to come. I am sure we have anexciting year ahead!