Following a long period of prayerful discernment PCCs across Liverpool South Deanery have voted on whether they wish to continue on the Fit for Mission journey working towards the next stage. The deanery has a viable cohort to move forward and those churches will start working out what their future collaboration will mean from May and over the next couple of years .
The next stage will be for a transition team to be formed and we are pleased that Revd Phil Saltmarsh has accepted the role of change leader. Phil will chair the Navigation team and the Clergy Leadership team as the cohort moves forward on their collaboration journey
The following churches decided to go forward with the Fit for Mission journey
St. Anne’s Aigburth,
All Hallows Allerton,
Gateacre Team,
Grassendale St. Mary’s,
St. Mary’s and St. Nicholas Halewood,
St. Hilda’s Hunts Cross,
Mossley Hill,
St. Aidan with All Saints, Speke
Meanwhile these churches decided to not go forward with the Fit for Mission journey. They remain fully committed to the mission and ministry of Liverpool South Deanery:
St. Michael’s, Garston
St. Peter’s Much Woolton
Penny Lane St. Barnabas
All Saints Childwall
All Souls Springwood
The Deanery Synod of Liverpool South, which meets on 25th April, will be asked to affirm these worshipping communities as they move forward together and encourage every part of the deanery to continue in fellowship and collaboration.
Ian Crowe, Lay Dean said “I was pleased to see that 12 of the 17 churches in the South Liverpool Deanery have voted to move into the next phase of Fit for Mission. We still have work to do and have certainly learnt a lot through the initial stages of the process. As we move forward my prayer is that both the Clergy and Laity continue to work together to ensure the clarity and leadership that will be essential in the next stages.”
Revd Nicola Milford, Area Dean said “I would like to thank all of the parishes of Liverpool South for their active engagement in the Fit for Mission discernment journey. Relationships have been made, renewed and strengthened across the Deanery and we look forward, together, to continuing our mission, ministry and life together in God’s service.”
Welcoming the decision from South Liverpool Bishop John said “the decision of South Liverpool deanery after months of discernment is a welcome, positive step. I know parishes across the deanery will have prayed and thought hard about this and I pray for them all as they move forward in the next stages of this journey. I respect those parishes who have remained outside of the conversation but believe that being part of the Fit for Mission is the best way for our diocese to sustain a Christian presence in every community. I look forward to seeing South Liverpool deanery grow and develop over the coming months and years as they seek to build God’s kingdom through mutual support and collaboration.”