Guildford Diocese Church Growth Conference 2023

This annual event is primarily intended for clergy, staff teams, PCCs and other potential leaders from parishes in the Diocese of Guildford. It comprises a morning plenary session followed by lunch and a choice of two afternoon streams. The plenary session features -

• Nicky Gumbel, Alpha pioneer, who will be drawing upon his long experience of church leadership, church planting and evangelism to explore how churches can enter into a new season of growth. Nicky will be interviewed and then respond to your questions.
• Rachel Gardner, author, relationships lead with Youthscape, President of the Girls' Brigade and a leading international speaker, will explore on ‘growing intergenerational churches’ and will also speak on discipling young people in the afternoon.
• The Rt Revd Bev Mason, Bishop of Warrington and Trustee of Leading your Church into Growth, will examine how to develop a church growth strategy suited to your context and church tradition, and also explore the Anglo Catholic perspective on local mission.

You then have a choice of two afternoon streams: one on 'Growing your ministry to children, families and young people and one on 'engaging with your local community and leading people to faith'. Information on both streams appears below:

Stream A - Growing your ministry to children, families and young people. Speakers include

• opening address by the Rt Revd Paul Davies, Bishop of Dorking
• Growing your ministry to children and families with Emma Coy, Mission Enabler for Children and Families, Diocese of Guildford
• Growing Faith, how to put children and families at the heart of ministry and mission with Cheryl Govier, Partnerships Lead, Growing Faith Foundation with Emma Coy
• a briefing on Youth Catalyst ,our new programme for growing youth ministry across the diocese (video)
• Deepening discipleship with the young with Rachel Gardner, author, Relationships Lead, Youthscape and President, Girls’ Brigade
• Leading young people in local mission with Gideon Bridgman, Youth Outreach Minister, St Peter’s West Molesey
• Integrating children’s, families, youth and schools’ ministry to grow an intergenerational church - a case study from St John’s Egham - Revd Esther Prior, Vicar, Grace Hopkins, Lay Pastor Students and Young People and Rachel Upcott, Lay Pastor, Children and Families

Stream B - Engaging with your local community and leading people to faith

• Developing a community engagement strategy – opportunities for your parish with Revd Victoria Ashdown, Mission Enabler for Communities, Diocese of Guildford
• Case study by Woking Lighthouse (Community Hub) – letting God opens doors and create opportunities presented by Revd Erik and Rebecca Jespersen, Founders, Woking Lighthouse
• Building team and creating a place to belong with Pippa Cramer, Pastoral Care and Seniors’ Minister, Holy Trinity Claygate
• From community action to evangelism – how to help those you serve to encounter Jesus with Revd Chris Richardson, Vicar, St Martin’s Camberley
• Intregrating social action and evangelism to grow your church with Jon Ruddock, Evangelism Lead, St Paul’s Dorking and David Senior, Mission Enabler for Stewardship and Evangelism, Diocese of Guildford

The day will be opened by Bishop Andrew who commented ‘This conference presents a wonderful opportunity for church leaders to bring their lay and ordained teams, and those who may have the potential to help lead in the future, to be inspired and equipped. I hope you can join us.’