Work to grow ministry with children, families and young people were at the forefront of the latest round of Development Fund grants from the Diocese of Oxford.
Of the six awards made, totalling £105, 228, four are related to reaching out to the younger generation. The fund, established in 2019 to divulge up to £1million a year for the growing needs of communities in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes, has now announced more than £500,000 of awards so far this year.
Sally Bowley is a licensed lay minister at Ruscombe and Twyford where they have received £20,000 to grow the work of their children and families’ worker, said: “We’re hoping to establish a Messy Church as well as setting up something for parents which will we can engage with them. We want to go in to the community, rather than the community having to come to us.”
The grant will allow the church to increase the hours of their current children and families’ worker, Phillippa Middleton. Since taking on the role 18 months ago, Phillippa has reinstated and developed family outreach which has been started by her predecessor. This includes the tots group, the monthly family service, expanding the Trailblazers group to meet on four Sundays a month.
In this latest round six parishes received funding, taking the total granted since 2019 to more than £4million. For Hazlemere parish, this means £60,000 to employ a family outreach worker. The Revd Mark Meardon explained they are planning to extend the links they have with eight local schools, develop their outreach work and intentionally develop different expressions of church to welcome a new generation. He added: "I am hoping to create a cultural movement where we expand the forms of church we have, to connect with these generations, without being constrained by traditional church services."
The full list of awards is:
Hazlemere Parish – to grow mission in the local community by employing a family outreach worker.
Iffley Parish – to grow engagement with children and families Iffley, Rose Hill and Donnington by starting a Messy Church.
Berinsfield – to grow engagement between the Berinsfield Church and villagers and enable us to witness to our faith through our care for the environment by developing a small community garden next to the church.
Ruscombe and Twyford – to develop new initiatives to bring children and families into a closer relationship with Jesus by growing the role of our Children's and Families' Worker.
St Paul's, West Wycombe – to support inclusivity, greater flexibility in worship patterns and events by installing a new sound system in the church.
Little Marlow – to consolidate and build on links with the local community by employing a children and families minister.
Find out more about how to apply for a Development Fund grant.
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Notes to Editor
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About the Diocese of Oxford
The Diocese of Oxford is the Church of England in the Thames Valley region of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. There are over 800 churches in 626 parishes, the largest number of churches of any diocese in the Church of England. The diocese is also home to 285 schools and academies educating some 60,000 pupils.