Joshua Centre receives £1m funding boost to multiply congregations
We start 2017 with the excellent news that the Joshua Centre has received a significant £1m grant from the Archbishop’s Council to develop our innovative, practical plans to grow the church through multiplying congregations.
The grant will enable The Joshua Centre, our resource centre, to support multiplying congregations. Set up under the direction of Canon Richard White the Joshua Centre will provide practical help direct to parishes across our diocese as we work together to become a bigger church making a bigger difference.
“This fantastic news will enable us to provide parishes with support as they launch and grow new congregations” Canon Richard White explained. “We want to make sure the church is close to everyone in our diocese, both geographically and culturally, this will help us make great strides in that direction.”
The Diocese of Liverpool and Liverpool Cathedral established the Joshua Centre in 2014 to be a resource centre of excellence for multiplying congregations. As its work grows we will talk further about how you and your parish can use their expertise as you seek to be bigger church in your community.
Bishop Paul welcomed the news saying “This announcement is tremendous news and represents a significant milestone for our Diocese. I am enormously grateful to Richard White and his colleagues for carrying this application through.
If we are truly to be a bigger church, the royal road involves the multiplying of congregations. Across our Diocese I have a dream and a goal - one congregation for every four thousand people in the first instance. This is a challenging but perfectly realistic vision, and this funding will help to bring it into being. Canon Richard White and the Joshua Centre will be able to develop their work, supporting parishes and local leaders in planting many new congregations that will make a bigger difference to their communities.”