19th April 2018

Clergy delight at ongoing success of Church Growth Course

Two Lancashire clergy are leading a new course for local churches with the aim of encouraging and equipping them to grow both numerically and spiritually.

‘Leading your Church into Growth’ (known as LyCiG) is a Christian charity which has been serving churches across the country for 25 years and it is also responsible for the Start! Course (for those new to the Christian faith) which many Lancashire parishes have run.

Now Blackburn Diocese, in conjunction with LyCiG, are hosting a ‘LyCiG Local’ course led by the Area Dean and Vicar of St James Church Leyland, Rev Marc Wolverson (pictured right) alongside Rev James Gwyn-Thomas (pictured below) of Buckshaw Village Church, near Chorley.

LyCiG Local is designed for use in small groups and features nine DVD-based interactive sessions to stimulate, teach, equip and motivate church members of all ages to play their part in leading their church into growth.

The aims of the course are closely aligned with the ongoing wider vision of our Diocese … Vision 2026: Healthy Churches Transforming Communities.                                      

Some sessions have already taken place but there is still plenty of time to get involved.              

Rev James Gwyn-Thomas said, “At our first get-together in January we were really pleasantly surprised at the turnout."   

“We had 14 leaders from 4 churches in the deanery and we were encouraged by the opportunity to share ideas and inspiring stories of what God is doing in our parishes and church families."

James added, “We are encouraging churches to bring other members of their congregations to future sessions and it’s also not too late for members of churches which haven’t yet participated to get involved.”

• For further information and to book a place at future events email: james.gt@buckshawvillagechurch.org.uk

For more information about the LYCiG organisation (including general resources available, details of a conference for urban estates churches in June and the national LyCiG conference in September) go to: www.leadingyourchurchintogrowth.org.uk

Ronnie Semley
19 April 2018