People from churches across the Diocese gathered together in the Cathedral to celebrate the life of our smaller churches. Churches with 20 or fewer active members make up 45% of our churches and play an important role in their communities.
To support one of their Neurodivergent parishioners who is Dyslexic, the team in Halas has bought a special Dyslexia-friendly bible with coloured inlays. This enables more people to join the reading rota and share passages from the bible.
The Muddy Boots Rural Mission area covers 26 churches and 156 square miles. The area has a number of ministers and three stipendiary incumbents – Sallie Butcher, Julia Curtis and David Morris, who work closely together to support each other.
St James Church in Hartlebury village near Kidderminster has launched a new monthly energetic church service called ‘Jamie’s’ for children and families featuring ISingPOP’s catchy worship songs and dance routines. It takes place on the second Sunday of the month in the church at 4pm.
St John’s church in Halesowen is looking at ways they can build stronger links with and better serve their local community. This week they have launched a post exam calm space for year 11s about to embark on their GCSEs.
A blog from Diocesan Lead for Transformation and Change, Nikki Groarke about conversations taking place in each of our churches over the next couple of months as we continue on our journey to improve the health and sustainability of our churches
Churches across the diocese baptised new people into the faith on Easter Day.
Heather Murphy has recently been appointed as Children, Youth and families Minister for three churches in Worcester that already work closely together.
The Lightbox team braved the rain on Good Friday to offer activities as well as free food and drink to young people in Worcester City Centre.
Last month St Peter’s in Bengeworth opened a Community Café inside the church called ‘The Point’. The café opens every Tuesday morning and aims to be a welcoming space for those who might not have been in the church before.
Two new starters will shortly be joining our diocesan Transformation support hub. Sharon Boardman will be joining us as Transformation Project Manager, and Fiona Edlington as Parish, HR and Recruitment Adviser.
St John’s Greenlands in Redditch has a thriving New Worshipping Community for families and children called ‘Activity Church’ which runs at the same time as their traditional Sunday morning service, in the adjacent church hall.
An independent review of the Mission Accompaniers scheme has found that it effectively prepared churches for mission.
A learning community has been launched for Renewal and Resourcing Church leaders to support each other as they journey together on their missions to revitalise existing churches and grow the Kingdom.
In conversation with local groups supporting adults with additional needs, St Mary’s church in Oldswinford has created a service, which is designed to be accessible for all.
Janet Fox has worked as our Clergy Development Officer for the past year. She came from an NHS background with significant experience in coaching and mediation, and during her first twelve months has spent time getting to know clergy to understand how we can best support their ongoing development and wellbeing.
Matt Cook is the Children and Youth worker for Harvington Youth Project and has been in post seven months. St James the Great is part of the ARCH benefice and has a small congregation on Sundays, however they work together with the Baptist church as the steering group for Harvington’s thriving youth project.
Bishop Martin visited the church of St Peter and St Paul in Rock on Sunday to celebrate the creation of the Muddy Boots Mission Area. As part of the service, people from across the 26 churches in the area committed to praying and working together.
Today, on Ash Wednesday, following a service to mark the start of Lent and the giving of Ashes at Church of the Ascension in Wall Heath, Mission Priest Sarah Roberts-Malpass and Curate Chris Smith, visited the nearby high street to offer ‘Ashes to go’ to passersby.
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.
Latest News
15th August 2025