£1.7m Telford New Church launches to cope with demand
Lichfield Diocese is launching a pioneer outreach church at a cost of about £1.7 million to cope with Telford's growing population.
Telford New Church will be based in Southwater but will see services and gatherings held in homes and community centres with some held at Meeting Point House near the shopping centre when it opens next year.
It will be the first in the diocese to pioneer the new ‘gathered and scattered’ model of operation.
The project is being mainly funded by the national Church of England’s Strategic Development Fund.
It will be led by the Rev Matt Beer who was licensed by the Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Ipgrave, at a special service at Holy Trinity in Wrockwardine Wood.
Telford New Church will work closely with other places of worship to provide a mission base and energy for Christians in the area. There will also be a strong focus on activities for children and young people.
Mr Beer, who was previously Senior Curate at St Mary’s Bletchley, said: “This is such a wonderful opportunity for Christians in Telford.
"We will spend the coming months networking with churches, schools and community organisations and listening to their hopes for the area.
"This will be a locally rooted project focused on knowing and loving our communities, and finding where God is already at work.
Ripe
"As it develops, Telford New Church will also have a visible presence at the heart of the town centre where we envisage the majority of its members will come from non-church backgrounds.”
The leadership team will spend the next 12 months in planning and development before opening in December next year.
The Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Rt Rev Sarah Bullock, said it was an exciting project and that the time was ripe for it.
“Telford New Church is a carefully thought through project to reach new people with the good news of God’s love in this complex and emerging town.
"There will be 200,000 people living in Telford by 2031 and great opportunities for the church to build and enrich both new and current communities.
"This is a long-term missional project which will work with people of all ages and backgrounds – especially those young people who currently have no contact with church. It represents a confidence in the gospel and a committed desire by the church to bless Telford and all of its communities.”
Lichfield Diocese has been working closely with neighbouring Hereford Diocese, which also covers part of Telford, on the project. It has secured £1.69m from the SDF over a six-year period until 2025, with the rest of the funding coming from Lichfield.
Telford New Church is the latest to be founded in the area. Earlier this year evangelical denomination All Nations Church opened a new branch in Holyhead Road, Ketley.
