Welcome to CRT Newsletter 004
Six new Church plants comissioned at Focus!
CRT celebrated the launch of six new Network church plants this summer at Focus, the HTB Network annual festival at Somerley Estate. Over 8000 guests from across network churches joined, including the plants launched in 2018 who brought their teams and congregations for the first time.
The new churches commissioned were:
- St Matthew’s Exeter, led by Ed and Jess Hodges
- Preston Minster, led by Sam and Hannah Haigh
- St John’s Bilborough, Nottingham, led by Peter Shaw, has planted into a local estate from St Margaret’s Nottingham
- Hackney Church Leyton, the first site plant from Hackney Church, also led by Al and Liv Gordon
- St Peter’s Vauxhall, a plant from Holy Trinity Clapham led by Michael and Emma John
- Christ Church Three Mills, led by Dan and Ellie Scott from All Hallows Bow
“These church plants join the 85 existing Network churches across the country. Momentum is building!”
The Peter Stream Multiplying the number of candidates
Every year, many gifted young leaders choose not to pursue ordination in the Church of England because they believe they ‘don’t fit the mould’. The Peter Stream was born from a desire to change this and to raise leaders from under represented backgrounds, particularly in relation to educational, social or minority ethnic groups. CRT and St Mellitus Theological College are working in partnership to pioneer an alternative C of E theological training to intentionally see the under represented supported as they press into their call to ordained leadership in the Church of England.
The Peter Stream launched in 2018 with 4 candidates and we are delighted that 19 new candidates will be enrolling this month. Our vision is for unity in diversity and we want to raise up leadership in the Church of England to reflect the diversity of the nation and to send them out to plant churches onto estates and in urban priority areas.
3 new city centre resource churches
St Mary’s, Andover
At the invitation of the Bishop of Winchester, Chris and Naomi Bradish relaunched St Mary’s Andover as a Resource Church on Sunday 1st September. “Our prayer is for St Mary’s community to be a beating heart for Andover which pumps life around the town – that means throwing some great parties – but it’s also about the simple witness of everyday discipleship, opening doors for others and sharing new stories about our lives and the Get your copy today difference Je sus makes. Andover is a multi-generational town but growing younger as new families move onto the major development areas – and, of course, it’s also home to Army HQ. We’re passionate to see our young people come to faith and to support all who serve us in the Forces.”
Preston Minster
The historic Preston Minster is undergoing a major renovation to become a church fit for 21st worship and mission. Led by Sam and Hannah Haigh and a newly recruited team, the church will reopen later this month with a vision to see new life in Jesus and the renewal of Preston. Preston is home to the University of Central Lancaster (with over 24,000 students), Preston Prison and a large Pakistani Urdu speaking community. Sam, Hannah and their five children moved from London to Preston earlier this year and are excited for all God is going to do in the city.
St Matt’s Exeter
Ed and Jess Hodges, along with their two small daughters relocated from HTB in the summer of 2019 to prepare to relaunch St Matthew’s church later this month. Exeter University is home to over 22,000 students from more than 130 different countries. With a campus just 3-minute walk away, Ed and the team are eager to open their doors to welcome the next wave of students shortly after fresher’s week.
Friends of CRT
If this is a movement that reflects your heart and aligns with your passion to see the church alive and transforming the world by become a friend of CRT.
Pray
Please join us in praying for a recruitment of future leaders, the Peter Pathway candidates, new partnerships with diocese and bishops and for transformation in areas of social deprivation.
Give
We would be delighted if you would consider supporting our church planting vision – partnering closely with us as we embark on this critical and significant opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ across the nation.
