1. A Worshipping Community on Every Estate

It was great to be part of the NECN London Gathering last week where the Church of England’s Estates Evangelism strategy was launched, and to see so many friends there.

The strategy is ambitious.  This catches a glimpse of the vision:

Imagine a thriving, loving, serving, worshipping Christian community on every significant social housing estate in the country.

 Imagine a church which has really grasped the truth that renewal comes from the margins and is happy to invest imagination, resources and its best leaders there.

 Imagine new leaders, ordained and lay, from and for the estates churches, an army of Caedmons who can speak the Gospel in a language people understand.

 Imagine priests, new and experienced, longing to serve in estates and finding in that ministry inspiration, support and a profound sense that they are changing lives.

 Imagine estates residents, church leaders and theologians in rich dialogue to discern together the Good News of Jesus Christ on our estates.

 Imagine even more people who live on estates finding in their local church a voice for justice, a place of service and a community of love and in so doing discover their true dignity and beauty in Jesus Christ.

There is a great film accompanying this.  Watch it here:

The CofE issued this Press Release:

The Church of England is “coming back” to the estates, reversing a trend where over decades, services like shops and children’s centres have withdrawn, the Bishop of Burnley has said.

In a speech delivered at the National Estate Churches Network, the Rt Revd Philip North spoke of how outer estates are to be a key priority for the Church, with the publication of a new Commitment to Action to share the Christian faith on some of the country’s most deprived estates. He also launched a new film outlining the work.

The plans have been prepared by the Church’s Estates Evangelism Task Group, which is chaired by Bishop Philip, and is part of the Church’s Renewal and Reform programme.

Addressing the conference at St Francis at the Engine Room in Tottenham Hale, London, Bishop Philip said: “We want to have a thriving, growing, loving church on every significant estate in the country.”

The group is also committed to training estates residents to become future church leaders and to supporting existing Christian communities on estates, which may see collaboration with other denominations.

Speaking about the work of existing estate churches across Dioceses, some of which have been supported by the Church’s Strategic Development Funding, Bishop Philip said: “The Church is coming back. The Holy Spirit is doing amazing things on the estates of this nation.”

Birmingham Diocese’s Urban Estates Mission Enabler, Revd Andy Delmege, who is chair of the Estates Network and vicar at St Bede’s, Brandwood in Birmingham, said: “As a priest who ministers on estates, I am very excited about these plans.

“I pray it will continue to stimulate fresh energy, vision, and resources in our existing estate churches, as well as inspiring new initiatives.”

The Revd Helen Shannon, vicar of church@five on the Strawberry Estate in East Finchley, London, said: “The Church of England’s vision is ‘A Christian presence in every community’ that means no forgotten people; no forgotten places, even in some of our toughest estates.

“I’m so excited that the Church has a growing commitment to the revitalisation of estate churches, plans to launch new estate churches where none currently exist, and a vision to raise up local people from the estates to achieve this.”

Debbie Clinton, Director of Renewal and Reform, said: “Estates ministry is vital to the growth of the Church. I am delighted that as well as encapsulating the vision for estates evangelism, these new plans build on the wonderful work already being undertaken on estates churches by clergy and lay people, who are committed to meeting the spiritual and social needs of estate residents.”

and you can read a good article about it in the Church Times here:

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/28-september/news/uk/share-the-good-news-on-estates-and-the-nation-will-take-notice-says-bishop-of-burnley

There will be more detail about the strategy and how it is being implemented as we go on.  It is an attempt to put into practice the Four Strands (https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/Estates%20Evangelism%20Commitment%20to%20Action_0.pdf), which come from a great deal of consultation with estate churches and other partners.

I pray that this is something we can all get behind and that it will make the difference on the ground that we are crying out for.

NECN is one of the key partners in this (and members of our Exec are on the Estates Evangelism Group and vice versa).  Our task is to help keep the energy going, to represent estate churches, to ensure things are bottom up, and to keep ecumenical perspectives at the centre.  None of this can happen without your support and prayers.  We will do our best to include you all and to keep you informed as things develop.

2. London Gathering

One of the things that has come out of the London Gathering is that there are a number of issues that make estates feel a bit different to the rest of the country.  These include

– a marked ethnic mix in populations

– rich and poor living in extremely close proximately

– a complete lack of affordable housing

– an assault on social housing

– particularly sharp issues around gangs and knife crime.

It therefore makes sense to have a Conference especially for the London Region.

If you would like to be part of the group organizing this, or if you are interested in a local NECN Group, please contact Andy.Delmege@estatechurches.org

More news on this soon.

3. NECN will have a new website very soon.

4. Don’t forget our National Conferences in Bradford on June 18^th and Birmingham on June 20th. More details to follow.

5. If you want to be on the NECN Mailing List, please contact Andy.Delmege@estatechurches.org

please share this widely!

love and prayers

Andy