Dave King
This page is under development
Growing Faith: resource pack for churches and schools - Diocese of Derby 2022
This resource pack was created following the Churches and Schools Survey of 2021.
It is designed to support and encourage all churches as they aim to put Growing Faith at the heart of their parish priorities.
The first document listed is the contents of the pack.
Please read this first. It shows how the resource is divided into eight parts.
The contents document lists the areas covered by each of these eight documents. For example, if you were looking for information around collective worship, you will see that this heading is no.1 on document C).
If you open document C), you will find that the first section lists resources and ideas around the area of collective worship.
Please contact Sarah.brown@derby.anglican.org if you need any assistance or if there is an area which doesn't seem to be covered.
Churches and schools: contents
A) Churches and schools: an introduction
B) Churches and schools: prayer and prepararion
C) Churches and schools: involvement in the spiritual lives of schools
D) Churches and schools: school visits
E) Churches and schools: links and welcomes
F) Churches and schools: survey results and conclusions
H) Churches and schools: growing faith - a flow chart to offer ideas for churches
This page is under development
The Church of England’s Ministry Experience Scheme (MES) has been running for ten years, with 700 participants and involving 35 dioceses. It offers a year of experience and training in a range of settings for people aged 18-30 to help them discern a call to ministry.
This has been largely focussed on ordained ministry, however MES is expanding, in line with the Church’s Vision and Strategy for the 2020’s, to include a stream focussed specifically on ministry opportunities amongst children, young people and families (CYPF) – the Future Youth Ministry Experience Scheme. Funding has been received to run two pilot years of this new stream starting in 2023/24, with 12 participants nationally.
In the Diocese of Derby we have been a part of the first year of the pilot, and are looking to invest in two young adults aged 18-30, to join us as Future Youth MES workers. These 11-month training and experience gaining posts will seek to help participants discern a long-term possible vocation to Christian ministry with Children, Young People and Families.
The successful applicants will gain a diverse experience of mission and ministry with CYPF within one of our specially selected placements as part of a wider process of discerning God’s call on your life. These exciting roles will involve working closely with the ministry team of the church or mission community, to play their part in the Kingdom of God which is good news for all, helping to see transformation in the lives of CYPF, the church grow and communities built.
The FY MES scheme has also partnered with Aurora, and participants will join together with others across the country to complete the nationally run course. We will also work with participants to build in optional further training modules to their year through our Diocesan lay ministry training programme.
Placement contexts
Participants will be placed in one of up to six ministry placements across the diocese. After successful applications and interviews, the Diocesan team will work with the candidates to work out the placement where they are most likely to flourish. This decision will be based on location, church tradition, ministry interests and where there is most likely to be the best working relationship with placement supervisors. This allocation will be a conversation where successful candidates will have a chance to meet with placement supervisors and agree focuses for the placement.
The range of placements offered will offer as diverse a range of opportunities as possible, across differing contexts including urban, post-industrial and rural contexts, as well as differing traditions and theological backgrounds. The complete list of potential placements is currently being finalised and will be advertised prior to participants’ applications opening.
Placements will all adhere to the following criteria:-
- Proven capacity and ability to nurture, support and develop ministry staff.
- Effective and stable leadership with a deep understanding of ministry with CYPF.
- Congregational support for prioritising mission and ministry with CYPF.
- Established ministries with CYPF, but with extensive opportunities for further missional development.
- The national and diocesan aim for the scheme is to encourage and equip more people to discern a calling to CYPF ministry and the hope is that a significant proportion of participants will go on to be CYPF ministers in their placement contexts beyond the conclusion of the scheme. However, there is no commitment from either party beyond the initial CYPF MES.
Whilst accommodation is not provided as part of this role, we will work with successful candidates and the local church to explore affordable lodging options with hosts from the placement churches.
FOR CHURCHES/CONTEXTS SEEKING TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO APPLY TO BE A PLACEMENT CONTEXT, OR TO FIND OUT ABOUT BEING A PARTICIPANT ON THE SCHEME PLEASE CONTACT AIDAN WATSON
Ellie, current Future Youth MES Worker placed at Derby Cathedral, continuing a career working with young people beyond the completion of the scheme.
“After finishing university and moving back home, I wanted to gain experience working with children and young people whilst also accessing some further training, so Future Youth was perfect for me. It also gave me the chance to experience a different type of church and create a new Christian family compared to my normal church that I have grown up in. Although based at the Cathedral, I have been able to explore other youth ministries within the deanery.
I would not have been able to do this scheme if it had not been paid. Due to travel expenses and the climbing increase of living costs, it would not have been viable for me to start, never mind complete. It has given me the life experience of working a full-time job and helped me become more independent.
The highlight of my year has been the increase of children attending Sunday morning service and that of messy cathedral. Bringing part of who I am to the role has been great, including my agricultural background as I brought a lamb to the Easter Messy Cathedral. Asking colleagues at the Cathedral, they have all commented on how my input has led to an increase Messy Cathedral attendance and sustainability as well as the Sunday school. I am proud that being a part of this scheme at the cathedral has led to an increase in youth connection and outreach.”
For more contact Revd Aidan Watson Aidan.watson@derby.anglican.org | 01332 278144
A vision for the Church of England in the 2020s is to be 'a Church that is younger and more diverse,' seeking to double the numbers of young disciples by 2030.
Growing Faith is the movement that exists to change the culture of the Church of England, so that everyone instinctively puts children, young people and families at the heart of all the ministry and mission of the Church.
Growing Faith involves churches, schools and households working together to help children, young people and families have life in all its fullness.
As a diocese we are adopting Growing Faith as the basis for our strategic plans to grow younger.
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Why is Growing Faith needed?
Jesus (Matt.19:14) and the early church (1. Tim 4:12) placed immense value on the place and role of children and young people in the kingdom of God.
Children, young people and families are vitally important to the church, not merely for our survival into future generations, but because a church that cares about children and young people is indicative of a healthy church.
In this report from the House of Bishops in 2019, there is recognition that ‘it is not always clear that the church is sufficiently focused on the engagement in ministry with children and young people.’
This is despite it being well acknowledged that the vast majority of Christians today have come to faith before the age of 18.
As a church and as a diocese, we have to confess that historically and at present children and young people have not always been intrinsically part of our ministry and mission.
There needs to be a cultural shift.
Growing Faith envisions children, young people and households coming to faith, growing in discipleship and contributing confidently to the Kingdom of God through the community of faith.
It is about how, as members of the whole people of God, children and young people are encouraged and how the whole Church is equipped to think intergenerationally. (A useful summary can be found here )
The Growing Faith Principles
Growing Faith provides a helpful lens for assessing our current practices and potential opportunities.
As we, as churches and as a diocese, seek to give children, young people and families a chance to explore and deepen their faith, it is helpful to look for the meeting places between churches, schools and households.
Alongside our diocesan vision, "The Kingdom of God – good news for all" we are inviting church communities to ask themselves what it would look like to be good news for young people in churches, schools and households.
Three principles are shaping our approach to Growing Faith:
Connected Communities - looking for the meaningful connected community of faith in the intersection between church, school and households.
Spiritual Encounters - engaging in conversations about and expressing faith as people encounter God as individuals and together.
Imaginative Practices - searching for 'a new way of being church' and creating new thinking and new doing in relation to children, young people and households.
FAQs
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What is the current picture? +
Numbers are not always the best way to measure how fruitful a church/ministry is, but they can be a useful tool.
An estimated 95,800 under 16s attended Sunday church before the pandemic, with 1100 in the Diocese of Derby.
Most recent provisional national statistics for mission imply this has dropped by as much as 40% between 2019 and 2021.
Many of our churches are rebuilding their ministries and there is lots of potential across the diocese, but sadly children’s, youth and families ministries were most impacted by the pandemic.
However, the reality is that there are many opportunities to be good news to children, young people and families, especially since the needs for many have increased.
We are supporting and encouraging innovative children’s and youth ministries across the diocese. -
What about small congregations with fewer children? +
Growing Faith is a vision for all churches, large or small.
Every congregation can pray for their community and school(s).
Children, young people and their families need a friendly welcome and the chance to be involved, even if they are just visiting. -
How should we identify opportunities for Growing Faith? +
A key recommendation from the national growing faith movement, is that churches are encouraged to do ministry with and not just for children, young people, and families.
Listening to the voices of children and young people is key if a church is to serve them, but moreover young people are the church of now and we encourage all churches to experience the rich blessing that comes from involving young people as much as possible in all aspects of church life, including decision making structures. -
What is the Church of England doing nationally to develop Growing Faith? +
Details of the Growing Faith Foundation can be found online.
Lucy Moore (formerly of Messy Church) now heads up the team. The work in progress includes:
• Encouraging networking and shared story-telling across dioceses through growing faith champions.
• Learning hubs – investing in 12 learning hubs across the country to foster growing faith in different contexts. As a diocese, we have successfully applied for one of these learning hubs commencing in May 2023.
• Training programmes – developing the pathways for youth, children’s and family workers so that more can explore it as a vocation and progress in it for longer.
• Research - 13 Growing Faith research projects are underway to further our understanding of growing faith in the intersections between households, schools and churches. -
How will the church(es) I’m linked with be part of Growing Faith? +
It’s likely that there will already be areas of GF that are part of your church life.
Perhaps someone visits and helps in the local school, maybe you are engaging with young people in your community through various ministries, or have ways of involving children and young people in your Sunday worship, or perhaps there is a Toddler group or other activity to support carers and parents.
Growing Faith is about prayerfully seeking ways to further develop ministry in schools, homes and churches, so that as many children, young people and families have the opportunity to explore and grow their faith. -
How can we pray? +
Prayer underpins all our local, diocesan and national efforts to reach the younger generations with the good news of the Kingdom of God.
In line with the national bold outcome to double the number of young disciples in the church by 2030, there is a weekly national prayer meeting on zoom every Tuesday 1-1.20pm.
The aim is for 1000 people to pray weekly.
To get the login information email aidan.watson@derby.anglican.org
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Revd Aidan Watson (Strategic Youth Adviser) will be working to develop Growing Faith across the diocese. If you are looking to develop your growing faith ministry, or if you have stories of innovative ministry with children, young people and families to share with others, please contact.
Revd Aidan Watson Aidan.watson@derby.anglican.org | 01332 278144
Glossop parish church of All Saints has become the first church in the Diocese of Derby to achieve a gold Eco Church award.
The award is the highest accolade given by A Rocha UK, a Christian conservation charity, and reflects the church’s commitment to put creation care at the heart of their activities, and highlights how Eco Churches benefit biodiversity and reduce their carbon footprint.
To achieve the award, Glossop parish church developed its churchyard to be a living sanctuary at the heart of the community.
The planting scheme encourages bees, butterflies and birds, there are bird boxes, bug and hedgehog hotels, and the hedges aren’t cut when birds might be nesting.
The land is used for outdoor services and learning about creation, and events such as The Great British Birdwatch, the Bellringers BBQ and the end-of-season party for Dark Peak Children’s orchestra.
Joining with churches and community groups across Glossopdale, they took part in the ‘Great British Spring Clean’ in April and October and collected a total of over 40 bags of litter from a local ‘grot spot’.
The church also had a green Christmas, renting a Christmas tree which the Reverend David said is returned after Christmas so it can continue growing.
They also sent candle stubs and used tea lights to a company in the southwest of England who recycle them into candles.
During January month they are being part of ‘Buy Nothing New Month’, trying out alternatives like renting, repairing and buying pre-loved items to save both money as well as the planet.
The Vicar at All Saints, the Reverend David Mundy, said All Saints had put the concept of caring for creation at the heart of all their thinking: "The Eco Church award scheme has been instrumental in helping us understand practical ways to engage with the Anglican Communion’s ‘Fifth Mark of Mission’: 'To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth'.
"Working to achieve the different levels of award has challenged us about our faith.
"We have increasingly come to recognise that the lifestyle choices we make – what we eat, what we wear, how we travel, how we dispose of our waste, and so on – have implications not only for the planet but also for our sisters and brothers in the global South.
"The gold award is not the end of our journey; it is a staging post. I am very proud of the Eco Church team at All Saints.
"Our next steps include investigating how we might work towards the net zero targets and supporting other parishes on their Eco Church journeys."
On hearing of the award, the Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, said: "My congratulations go to everyone at All Saints, Glossop, and especially Barbara Fearnley and Eric Igo for the amazing work they have done as they have travelled towards and been awarded with Gold Eco Church status.
"Projects undertaken have included tending the churchyard and developing it as a sanctuary for humans, plants and animals, litter picking, toilet twinning, recycling candle stubs, partnering with USPG Green Schools programme in South India and 'renting' a Christmas tree which will be replanted so it can continue growing.
"I look forward to more of our churches following this example and being more environmentally sustainable and ecologically friendly.
"This is great news for the parish, for the diocese and, above all, for the environkment and the wildlife that will benefit from this remarkable effort in caring for God's creation."
And the Reverend Lucy Foster, A Rocha UK’s Eco Church Officer for Northern England said, “All Saints’ creation care is deeply rooted in their worship and prayer life and flows through all they do - from the beautiful accessible sacred space of their churchyard, and Toilet Twinning to initiatives with community partners to combat air pollution in areas of deprivation.
"They are an inspiring example of how church environmental action benefits both global and local neighbours."
Learn more about the Eco Church award scheme
The Bishop of Derby has announced the new diocesan secretary will be Will Hagger, who is currently the diocese of London's director of housing and investment property.
Will brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked for the London Diocesan Fund for eight years.
He is a chartered surveyor and has previously worked for property fund management business, Newcore Capital.
Will said: “I am really excited by the opportunities and challenges that my new role in Derby will present, both professionally and personally.
"Whilst I will be sad to leave the Diocese of London, I am looking forward to getting acquainted with the Diocese of Derby and the whole of Derbyshire.”
On announcing the appointment, Bishop Libby said: “I know you will join me in warmly welcoming Will to the Diocese of Derby.
"He will be a great asset to the diocese and in leading DBF colleagues from Church House.
"Please keep him and his family in your prayers as they prepare to move and through all their transitions."
Will’s first day with us will be 1st May.
Introducing the Diocese of Derby’s Disability Inclusion Action Group (DIAG)
Disability inclusion and access is taken very seriously by the Diocese of Derby.
Volunteers, with a range of disabilities and challenges, who all share the passion of making positive change across the diocese launched the DIAG to support the diocese and parishes to become as inclusive to disabled people as they possibly can be.
Our work is focused around three key themes - Attitude, Access, and Agency.
These themes arise from the paper ‘Disabling Church’ researched and written by Cptn Tim Rourke, which was received and endorsed by Diocesan Synod in October 2021.
The report focused on changing attitudes towards disabled people, improving access to all the church’s activities, and ensuring disabled people are enabled to exercise agency by participating at all levels in church life and governance.
The group meet regularly and is chaired by Carl Veal. The group always welcomes interest and/or enquiries from congregation and churches across the diocese.
What can we do for you?
We view our purpose as serving the needs of the disabled within the Diocese of Derby.
All of our activities and tools are designed by the group towards making the lives of those with challenges easier within the churches across our diocese.
Our information is intended for all the people of the diocese; clergy, church leaders and parishoners alike and currently includes:
- The provision of accessibility advice and you may contact us directly at diag@derby.anglican.org. We would love to hear from you.
- As we progress, we will be offering seminars both online and in groups – keep a look out for announcements.
- We can offer advice based on the very personal experiences of living with a range of disabilities. The members of the diag group are comprised of volunteers mostly with disability or multiple disabilities of some form.
We are currently working on making available a Braille print toolkit; and a BSL toolkit which willl include how to engage British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters. We are also liiking into access to completing a successful accessibility audit through an audit toolkit.
NB: All contact is treated in confidence and information will only be shared with express consent.
Getting Involved
We’d love to hear from you as your thoughts and experiences of church life and disability are important in developing best practice.
So whether you’re an individual with ‘lived’ or ‘caring' experience of disability, or a church, or community organisation, do get in contact with us.
We love to hear of new projects and events, and if you want to get more involved then we're always welcoming to new members joining our steering group.
DIAG related stories on the Diocese of Derby website
>> Bishop Malcolm experiences church from a wheelchair user’s perspective
>> Special service raises awareness of disability inclusion in churches
Events
Please note - unless otherwise stated, events listed here are external and not endorsed by the Diocese of Derby but we are happy to share the information on them.
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Resources
Ramps - improving wheelchair access
Disability Awareness Sunday [webpage]
Supporting Autistic individuals in our churches [YouTube]
DIAG Chairman's report 2021-2022 [PDF]
All Stand brochure [PDF]
Disabling Church - report by Cptn Tim Rourke C.A. [PDF]
'Support Reimagined' - CofE and Livability [webpage]
Christian BSL
Songs, hymns, and carols in British Sign Language (BSL) signed by Deaf Christians.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Thursday, 18 May 2024. Purpose of the day is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than One Billion people with disabilities/impairments.
Through the Roof
A registered charity that exists to transform lives through Jesus with disabled people.
Advent is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today.
It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, music, and good deeds, the true meaning of Jesus' birth.
Our reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent comes from the Right Reverend Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton.
St Francis Church, Mackworth, hosted a fun-filled night of carols and beer at the Woodpecker Pub on the Derby estate.
The evening was led by a choir and band that was specially formed for the event by church members and friends and helped reinforced the message that everyone is welcome to go to church at Christmas and beyond.
Many of the traditional favourites were sung and some really good discussions followed with people intending to go along and join a service soon.
The vicar, Revd Andy Bond, said: “We had around 25 singing in the choir and about the same amount from the pub who got stuck in and sang along.
“It’s the first time we've done this since I've been at St Francis.
“The event was a complete success; a lot of fun was had and there were some really positive comments about how much people enjoyed it.”
This is one of many festive events taking place across the diocese that it’s hoped will lead to transformed lives through growing church and building community.
Why not share your own Christmas successes with us at communications@derby.anglican.org.
