Claire Biggs started as New Worshipping Communities (NWC) Co-ordinator at St John’s in Halesowen in November 2024. St John’s is one of our renewal churches, so her role has been funded by the national church. This appointment will assist with our diocesan priority to create 100 New Worshipping Communities by 2030.
Claire previously worked as a Children and Young People worker for the Methodist church. She lives in Halesowen, and feels she has strong links to St John’s. She describes herself as being “a church lay worker who loves cake and has a passion for community and tradition.”
She said: “My vision is to connect the church with the town and its communities. For us to be at the heart of Halesowen. To bridge the gaps and remove any barriers for those who have never set foot inside the building, by meeting people where they are at, which may well be outside the building.”
At the moment, while works are being carried out to install essential facilities at St John’s, Claire is focused on what can be done in the community. Despite only being in the role three months, Claire has already launched a New Worshipping Community in a nearby Care Home, with the support of the Rector, Hazel Charlton. This is in part thanks to the links Claire already had with businesses in Halesowen and she is currently exploring what else might be possible, particularly in the town centre and with local schools.
As Claire previously worked as a children and young people worker, she is keen to assist with St John’s aim to attract more under 18s to the church.
She said:
“My own faith journey began when I took my daughter aged two, to our local Messy Church, and found a family and faith experience that has led me on a very interesting pathway. However, if someone had invited me to come to a traditional service on a Sunday at that point in my life, there’s no way I would have coped with that. So making church more accessible is a particular focus of mine and this is what I can bring to the table; it’s looking at how accessible we are, what language we use and how we welcome new people coming into our church.”
Claire is also really passionate about ensuring that church is also accessible to parents who have children with additional needs.
Claire said: “It wasn’t an area I had prior knowledge of, but in supporting some parents in my previous role I ended up journeying with them and so I know how isolated parents of children with additional needs can feel. Originally, we created a group for these families to just come and play. We said some prayers over dinner and if they asked about church we’d go in. We looked at the main festivals such as Easter or Christmas, but it was all very gentle.”
“From that came ‘Shine church’ which was a holistic approach for these families to come into church to worship, sing together and not have to worry about people looking at them because their kids were different. It was very free and easy and very removed from a traditional Sunday service, but it was beautiful chaos and amazing to be a part of.”
“At St John’s once we’re able to, I’m hoping to offer a prayer space initially, just to give parents of children with additional needs some breathing space, and a chance to be with others who are in that same place as them. I know a couple of mums who attend another church who are willing to help with this. If we started something like that initially then we might be able to grow it into something faith based, for those looking for that. “
“It's early days but it’s certainly in my heart to do something as soon as we can and get that space up and running and be there for them. We’re not experts but we can still offer a cuppa and a listening ear, as to me, that’s exactly what Jesus would’ve done.”
