Newly announced funding of up to £5.9 million (£5.1 million is conditional) from the Church of England will be spent by the Diocese of Lichfield on revitalising the Christian presence in Stoke on Trent, largely among younger communities across the city.
This money and the love and commitment of local people for their local community can start a new chapter for the churches of Stoke on Trent, furthering centuries of service and looking beyond the decay of many buildings and dwindling of some congregations. The strength of Christian heritage is evident in the 130 congregations of all kinds in the city today and in the number of church schools that were established to educate the children and young people of the city, especially those who were poorest.
The driving force of the bid is a desire: “to respond more creatively and effectively than we do now to those in our parishes who experience poverty, conflict and isolation. We want to support our children and young people. And we want more and more people to come to know Jesus Christ and for our churches to grow and to reflect more fully the diversity of the communities of which we are a part.”
In the successful bid, the Archdeacon of Stoke, the Venerable Dr Megan Smith, identifies Stoke today as “...a wonderful city, full of wonderful, warm people. A place with a proud craft and industrial heritage still having within it strong communities and lively sense of local identity, as well as a distinctive Christian heritage… now much more diverse, enriched by people from different cultures and traditions,” but she also recognises Stoke’s deprivation and fragmentation, shared by the city’s Church of England churches.
Archdeacon Megan continued: “Lichfield Diocese is starting a work which can play its part in changing the recent story of Stoke on Trent. The successful bid is key to making the aspirations of the churches in Stoke for their communities a reality, but so is the plan.”
The Rt Revd Matthew Parker, Bishop of Stafford, said: “The word that describes this work is ‘togetherness’. Where there has been fragmentation, we want to create a sense of community, of working together and mutual support based on the strength which thriving churches can bring to places. The result of that will be fresh hope.”
There will be two strands of work, both based out of All Saints Joiners Square, Hanley which will be refurbished. Sited among a number of places of education, it is an ideal base for reaching out to nearby families and higher- and further-education students as well as for developing the church- schools partnerships envisaged.
The funding includes money for lay and ordained posts and will create ten new worshipping communities: nine built through church and school partnerships around the city, alongside a tenth focussed on students and young adults at All Saints.
Among those who have welcomed the news is The Revd Shaun Morris, Area Dean of Stoke, who said: “At the heart of these plans is not just a pot of cash. It’s money backing a plan about Christians working together across the diversity of our city for the good of our communities and our churches and above all young people and families.”
Local headteacher Mrs Sara Goddard, Principal of Kingsland CE Academy said: “Many church school families join me in especially welcoming the prospect of revitalised churches across the Stoke community. In my experience schools are strengthened by community ties including with churches whether they are church schools or not.”