As more children, youth and families’ workers have been recruited in the diocese over the last few years, the diocesan Programme Lead for Children and Young People, Simon Hill, has created a Children, Youth and Families Ministry Network for paid workers.
Kirsty Pierson has been recruited by iSingPOP and seconded to the Diocese to work with seven churches initially as part of a pilot project to strengthen links between schools and churches, bringing local families into this one community.
An exciting new partnership for 2025, between the Diocese and iSingPOP, was launched at a breakfast event at St Wulstan’s Worcester on Thursday 6 February.
Sarah Roberts-Malpass has been licensed as the Anglo-Catholic Mission Priest for Kingswinford and Wall Heath, one of our renewal parishes. Her role is funded by the national church and will be very outward focussed, taking the church into the local community.
On the last Saturday in January, teams from churches who are part of the Myriad learning community, and are hosting and developing New Worshipping Communities, met together for the next session. This group first met this time last year.
A new guide to New Worshipping Communities (NWCs) in the Diocese has been launched. It will support parishes who are looking to find creative ways of reaching people beyond our existing congregations as we look to reach our target of creating 100 NWCs by 2030.
Bishop Martin has announced the appointment of the Revd Canon Diane Cooksey as Team Rector and Renewal Leader in the Benefice of Gornal and Sedgley.
As a paid Children and Families’ worker at Pershore Abbey (funded in part with a grant from the Healthier Churches Fund), Sam Andrews has been able to expand the Abbey’s work with children, families and schools in the local area.
St Andrew's Church in Malvern has a new worshipping community called ‘Early Birds’ aimed at families with young children. Recently, one of the parents that attends, shared her testimony on how Early Birds brought her on her own faith journey.
In 2023 we launched a seven-year transformation programme, assisted by funding from the national church, aiming to transform communities through churches that are growing in health and sustainability. The first data back from churches is showing encouraging signs of growth.
Last week, Holy Trinity in Malvern hosted a special festive ‘Messy Vintage’ service, with people coming to sing carols, create a Christmas card and enjoy refreshments together.
The Church of the Ascension in Wall Heath had been without a working clock since the Spring but thanks to the generosity of the local community and their incredible response to a Crowdfunding appeal, it has now been fixed!
In September 2024, Fraser Oates was appointed as the Renewal Leader for St Stephen's Church in Redditch and has relocated there, marking a new chapter for him and his family as well as the church and community.
New premises for Community Link in Cradley Heath will enable the church-run charity to better serve their local community.
Tardebigge parish have launched a new Forest Cafe church at St Bartholomew's that meets on the first Sunday of the month.
Debra Hill has been recruited as Children and Families Worker for the Worcester Southeast Team and St. Barnabas. Debra has lots of ideas and is very keen to get going. She hopes to see children’s ministry flourish at all the churches.
To start the school term, the Church of the Ascension in Wall Heath held their annual bag blessing service.
Fraser Oates was licensed as Renewal Leader at St Stephen’s Church in Redditch on Sunday as the church moves forward with its vision to grow into a thriving church at the heart of the town centre.
On the 11 September, Worcester Deanery put on their first “No Limits” prayer event. Churches and members of the diocesan team came together to offer an evening of worship and prayer.
Wyre Forest West churches have recently held two events to reach out to their local communities.
Latest News
16th May 2025