The Church of England has announced a £13.4 million investment aimed at revitalising parishes and expanding mission work across three dioceses. The funding, approved by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board, will be distributed to Winchester, Chelmsford and Worcester.
Winchester receives the largest share, with £7 million earmarked for a decade‑long initiative called Walking the Wessex Way. The plan seeks to attract more people to the Church, train new leaders and establish fresh worship communities, particularly in Bournemouth and Southampton where the focus is on revitalising church life in deprived areas. Bishop Philip Mounstephen welcomed the support, noting it would “enable every person living here to have access to a flourishing, joyful and sustainable Christian community.”
In Chelmsford, £2.8 million will fund a range of projects, including a new parish in Harlow, children and youth programmes in Braintree, and efforts to recruit additional youth pastors. Bishop Guli Francis‑Dehqani expressed gratitude for the resources, highlighting that the work emerged from prayer, conversation and listening within local communities.
Worcester will receive £3.6 million, which will be used to strengthen existing churches and launch a new church plant in Kidderminster. Bishop Hugh Nelson praised the national church’s continued support, stating the investment would help grow parishes in major population centres and enable the use of reserves to transform other areas.
Across all three dioceses, the funds aim to deepen relationships, foster community engagement and spread the hope and love of Jesus. The initiative reflects a broader strategy to ensure the Church remains a vibrant, accessible presence in contemporary society.
Source: Christian Today
Read the original article
Editorial note: This is an original news report prepared from the attributed source material with AI assistance. It is not a reproduction or translation of the original article.
