£30,000 grant to support new young adult congregation at St Peter’s, Loudwater

St Peter’s, Loudwater has been awarded £30,000 to employ a Worship and Young Adults Pastor who will establish and help lead a new weekly young adults congregation, fostering engagement, discipleship, and leadership among young people aged 16–25. 

Bishop of Buckingham, the Rt Revd Dave Bull, said:

“All over the diocese we are seeing young adults showing increasing interest in God. The transition from education into adult life can be a challenging and formative time. As they step into the workforce and shape the world with fresh vision and courage, the church needs to offer support by nurturing young adults and helping them access the resources that we are offered when we follow Jesus. St Peter’s is doing just that by creating spaces where young adults may grow, reflect deeply, and explore the richness of their spiritual lives, which will enable them to bring the compassion, wisdom and grace that our society so desperately needs.” 

The award forms part of our Development Fund. In December 2025 we awarded 11 grants to churches across the diocese, totalling £299,047. Of this, £241,147 was awarded to six projects supporting ministry among children and young people. 

The project at St Peter’s will create spaces where young adults can explore faith, build community, and grow as leaders, with music and worship serving as key pathways for connection. 

Revd Danny Rodgers, Vicar of St Peter’s said:

“As many churches all over the country are experiencing, we are so thankful that the Lord is doing a new thing in this season, particularly among youth and young adults who seem more open than ever to exploring Christianity and connect with the church. We are excited to be launching a new congregation aimed primarily at engaging with 20s and 30s. Alongside this new worshiping community we will be investing in developing younger leaders, forming a choir, and starting new home groups to encourage discipleship and the deepening of relationships. We are responding to what we see God doing in our church and we are excited to see what God has in store for us as we seek to play our part in God’s mission and introduce young people to Jesus and help them grow in the Christian faith. 

“We have found that across the local area, churches are witnessing increasing curiosity about Christianity, with many young adults exploring faith for the first time or returning after time away. At the same time, many young people report difficulty finding church environments where they feel represented, welcomed, and empowered to lead. We are responding to this need by creating opportunities for belonging, discipleship, and leadership development.” 

The expanded pastoral role will also strengthen the church’s ability to mentor emerging worship leaders, helping to bridge the gap between youth and adult congregations and encouraging intergenerational worship and participation. 

The project intends to connect with the diocesan young adults initiative, YouShape. YouShape develops new communities of young adults across the region. By investing in leadership development, worship, and community-building, St Peter’s aims to see a thriving young adult congregation emerge, equipping a new generation to shape the future life of the church. 

The awards from December are: 

1. St Peter’s, Loudwater to employ a worship and young adults pastor to establish and help lead a young adults congregation and foster engagement, discipleship and leadership among young people 
2. Didcot Ladygrove to grow support for families and provide increased capacity for mission in schools and our rapidly expanding parish by employing a children and families worker 
3. Iffley Parish to expand significantly the discipleship pathways for children and families in the parish by employing a children and families worker 
4. Penn Street & Holmer Green to engage with more children, young people and families by employing a children and youth outreach worker 
5. East Hendred to grow the number of young disciples in the church by developing and promoting our newly restarted Children’s Church 
6. St John the Evangelist, Woodley to grow connections and disciple young people by employing a part-time youth minister 
7. Hambledon Frieth to form detailed plans for installing a kitchen/WC extension in the church 
8. St Mary Magdalene, Marlston to erect a noticeboard at St Mary Marlston Church entrance to make our work better known in the parish 
9. or Church of The Holy Rood, Sparsholt to conduct a feasibility study to develop plans that prioritise how best our reordered Church will serve the local community 
10. St Mary Magdalen, Stoke Talmage to support opportunities to build connections with the community by installing water, drainage, WC and kitchen 
11. St Catherine’s, Bearwood to obtain a comprehensive survey of the church and environs in order to develop level access, accessible WC and a kitchenette to support outreach and hospitality