During the first week of August, Kingswinford parish hosted an exciting iSingPOP holiday club at St Mary’s Church featuring iSingPops catchy worship tunes and dance moves. The club proved hugely popular, with attendance peaking at 53 children.
Since launching as a renewal church, the congregation at St Stephen’s Church in Redditch has already doubled in size and some of the funding they have received from the national church is being used to build a core team which will help support continued growth.
Sue Harding is a baptism rep at St John’s Church in Halesowen, one of our renewal projects. She recently accompanied Team Rector, Hazel Charlton on a baptism visit to a family who had recently arrived from Iran and has supported the Mum in her request to be baptised at the church.
Back in May, St John’s church in Halesowen which is one of our Renewal projects, launched a post GCSE exam chill-out space for year 11s nicknamed 'Donut Club' which was really popular. They're now building on that success by offering a Bibles and Brunch session to the same group.
As we continue on our seven-year journey of transformation to ensure our churches are growing healthier and more sustainable, real progress is being made in our Transformation programme priority areas. Churches across the Diocese are starting to see the green shoots of growth.
Tim Hancock’s latest career move has made him feel like his life has gone full circle. Moving to work for Holy Trinity Old Hill, the church he was raised attending and where his father once served as vicar, has taken him out of the fast-paced world of AV corporate sales...
At All Saints Church in Sedgley on Sunday, Diane Cooksey was installed as Team Rector of Gornal and Sedgley and Renewal Leader at All Saints.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Claire Biggs started as New Worshipping Communities (NWC) Co-ordinator at St John’s in Halesowen in November 2024. This appointment will assist with our diocesan priority to create 100 New Worshipping Communities 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.
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.
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.
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.
Top Church (St Thomas & St Luke’s Church) held a heritage Open Day on Saturday 7th September to showcase their innovative Digital Tour which aims to share the history of the church and the role it has played in supporting the residents of Dudley.
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15th August 2025