Greenhouse is a national church project enabling dioceses to cultivate, grow and nurture individuals and teams in Fresh Expressions and pioneer ministry through learning communities, networks and coaching: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/fresh-expressions/what-greenhouse.
The Greenhouse Missional Journey
Greenhouse Learning Communities guide and enable individuals and teams through a fresh expressions missional journey with the help of Godsend resources. The Godsend toolkit includes a book, videos and stories that open up conversations and development of new initiatives through the cycle of Listen, Love, Community, Share Jesus, Church, Repeat. Teams and individuals can identify where they feel they are in the missional journey and develop their fresh expression at their own pace. Find out more about Godsend here: https://godsend.cloud/.
Greenhouse in Lichfield Diocese
Our diocese has a Greenhouse network in each episcopal area. Every Greenhouse meets in person at least twice a year and is facilitated by a team of lay and ordained people grounded in pioneering and fresh expressions and specifically trained for this role.
Our network facilitators are also trained to offer coaching to support individuals and/or teams as they explore the missional journey and set up fresh expressions. Coaching can be particularly helpful at those times when we’re feeling unsure of the way forward or rather stuck in one area of the development cycle.
Find out more about Greenhouse through your local facilitators:-
- Shropshire Greenhouse: Chris Precious or Di Woolridge
- Walsall District Greenhouse: Chris Lane
- Stafford Greenhouse: Tim Watson
Small Grants
Greenhouse teams can apply for small grants from May 2025. A new fund aims to help make sure equipment and resources aren’t a barrier to you as you explore neighbourhood outreach and setting up a new worshipping community.
A typical grant will be around £200. Grants are made by a separate organisation, Seed Funding for Fresh Expressions, and are available in Lichfield Diocese to teams who are part of a Greenhouse.
Further information and an application form can be found here. Grant decisions are generally made within one month. Submissions (from any denomination) should be sent to Simon Foster.