On Monday 26th February, the General Synod of the Church of England voted to recommit to the goal of achieving a loving, serving, and worshipping Christian community in every significant social housing estate. This goal was first given backing by the General Synod in February 2019.
Synod members also backed moves to double the number of young active Christians on housing estates and ensure that young people from estates and low-income communities are trained as children’s and young people’s leaders among other forms of ministry.
During the debate the Revd Claire McArthur talked about her experience of being Area Dean of Coventry East Deanery - the most densely populated deanery with the fastest growing population in the diocese. She highlighted that the deanery was also the most deprived and spoke of the poverty that those within the deanery face. Claire emphasised that to pursue the motion’s commitment, the Church needed to invest, identify and train potential leaders for inner city ministry.
Our Director of New Worshipping Communities, Revd Jenny Irvine said:
“Two thirds of those under 19 in our country live in income-deprived parishes or estates. I was delighted to watch Synod enthusiastically and unanimously back the commitment to mission in our income-deprived parishes and estates. Many thanks to the Revd Claire McArthur who spoke so well into this debate. As the Bishop of Blackburn said: ‘I’m convinced that there is an underground army of evangelists and prophets out there, which a culturally middle class church is missing.’”
You can watch the Revd Claire McArthur’s speech here beginning at 1:51:00 in amongst the wider conversation around estates.