The Gregory Centre
for Church Multiplication

On an estate at the outskirts of Nottingham, The Orchard is creating an accessible worshipping community shaped by local people. Thanks to the CCX Become course, new leaders are growing in confidence, exploring faith and discovering that church might be for them too.

Across a network of eight churches in Nottingham, Woven is seeing new life emerge in communities once marked by church decline. After taking part in the CCX Become course, local people are growing in confidence, discovering their gifts and beginning to see themselves as leaders.

CCX's Pioneer Enabler Phil Hoyle offers a reflection on noticing God at work in unexpected places, and the invitation this extends to us.

After a season of change and challenge, Revd Stewart Deering and a team from Sherbornes with Pamber joined the CCX Grow Course. The space to pray, reflect and plan together helped them rediscover a confidence for mission and begin opening up new pathways into church life for local families.

CCX is delighted to welcome Jo Trickey as our new Partnership & Learning Development Lead.

Take inspiration from the journey of Katie, from active addiction, to finding a home in her local church, to becoming a leader in her community

Michael is the Dean of Emmanuel Theological College. But his journey into church leadership began when he was growing up an estate in Liverpool. “Wherever you’ve come from shouldn’t be a barrier to God’s call.”

Andrew has been in ministry, both lay and ordained, for 25 years. Now Vicar of St Martin’s, Gospel Oak, in North London, Andrew's journey is an inspiring example of what happens when the Church supports and encourages those from working class roots to respond to God’s call into leadership.

Two new research papers, from either side of the Atlantic, point to an emerging generation longing to belong to a meaningful, authentic Church community that will encourage and teach them how to pray and grow. CCX summarises these latest findings, and points to our own research on what can best nurture the spirituality of young people.

Multiply: North was hosted in St George’s Church, Leeds, by a collaboration of Baptist, Anglican and ecumenical organisations, united by a vision to see healthy churches planted and multiplied across the north of England. Around 200 leaders gathered from across the north of the UK to share wisdom across traditions, contexts and models. We explored how we can build teams, shape culture and develop networks that help the Church reach new people, in new and renewed ways, with the good news of Jesus.

This structured conversation of Multiply: North on Tuesday 23 June saw Aaron Elder, leader of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Leeds, and Alex Rayment, leader of Penny Lane Church in Liverpool, share their experiences and reflections on how to establish and maintain a healthy team culture that inspires and encourages church planting. 

This structured conversation of Multiply: North on Tuesday 23 June saw Marjorie Allan and David Sisson of The Well, Sheffield, and Hannah Patton, leader of St John's Goole, share their experiences of church planting and leading church revitalisations.

Tom Finnemore shared lessons at Multiply: North that the team of St Thomas Crookes have learnt as a mixed church of Baptist and Anglican traditions, serving the city of Sheffield with a range of transformational gatherings and ministries. 

At Multiply: North in Leeds on Tuesday 23 June, Bishop Eleanor addressed the gathered leaders on the subject of Heart Lessons, drawing on her experiences of serving communities in New Zealand and beyond.

At Multiply: North, held in Leeds on Tuesday 23 June, Alex Harris addressed the gathered leaders to offer encouragement and challenge on the topic of the Great Collaboration, drawing on the words of Jesus' prayer in John 17, "I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Listening to the Voice of Rural Church Planters and Pioneers presents the experiences of those engaged in starting new forms of Church for the rural context. It is the hope of CCX that this research has the potential to serve both as a tool for advocacy and a practical guide for those directly engaged in planting and supporting rural churches more widely.