Lay Pioneers in the Diocese
Revd Dave Battison is an experienced pioneer minister. As a part-time member of the Mission Team he is supporting pioneering and Fresh Expressions across the Diocese.
How can Dave help you? In particular he could work alongside you and your parish(es) to:
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Connect with people who don't come to church;
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Identify and support those people with a pioneering mindset, especially identifying with lay people who are pioneering already - or who have pioneered in the past;
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Advise on new initiatives which are crucial for developing lay pioneer ministers in our Diocese; also new initiatives that are developed 'on the ground' in the different parishes.
Dave can help clergy and lay people develop their strategies and develop their understanding of the pioneer mindset. He is always looking for Good News stories from around the Diocese which reflect your resourcefulness, build on existing capabilities, and demonstrate originality.
Email Dave Battison for more information about pioneering and Fresh Expressions.
Flourishing Church. 2nd-4th April 2025 Cranmer Hall, Durham.
The annual church planting theology conference is an opportunity to hear from leading academics and practitioners, as we explore the theology of church planting.
This year’s conference focuses on the theme of flourishing. While we are each committed to seeing God’s church grow, there can sometimes be a lack of clarity in what healthy growth actually means. The language of flourishing invites us to consider not just the numerical health of our churches, but their depth of spirituality, their commitment to serving their communities, as well as their longevity. At a time in which the Church has been confronted by its own failures, and the significant cost of abuses of power, especially for the most vulnerable, this is an important moment to ask questions around the nature of healthy growth and flourishing.
The keynote presentations each explore this theme of flourishing from different areas of expertise: biblical scholarship, missiology, practical theology, clinical psychology, and public health. We will also be hearing from practitioners tell their own stories of the church’s flourishing in context. Alongside the main sessions, we will hear a diverse selection of shorter papers from different researchers and practitioners exploring the theme of flourishing.
Booking is open now and will be available until 14th March.
Pioneering Hub Gathering Thursday 08 May 2025 at Bouverie Court
For more information, contact Revd Dave Battison
The Evolution of the Mixed Ecology-What Time Is It? A Pioneer Conversation
10:00 A.M. – 2:30 P.M. Saturday, 17 May, 2025. St Mary’s Church, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Join us at St Mary’s in Ely for a thought-provoking consultation as we explore the evolving landscape of mission in the Church of England through the lens of mixed ecology. This discussion will bring pioneer practitioners together from across the Eastern Region to reflect on the present reality, personal experiences, future possibilities, and theological foundations of a church that thrives in diverse forms.
Through guided conversation, we will engage with four key questions:
1. What is?
What is the current reality of the mixed ecology of church? How do different expressions of church coexist and interact today?
2. What has been?
What have been your personal experiences of the mixed ecology of church? What challenges and opportunities have emerged?
3. What could be?
How might the mixed ecology shape the future of the Church of England? What possibilities does it hold for mission, discipleship, and community?
4. What theological perspectives shape our understanding?
How do scripture, tradition, and theological reflection inform our approach to a church that exists in multiple forms?
This consultation is designed to be a space for open dialogue, shared learning, and creative imagining. Insights from your pioneer practice will contribute to a richer understanding of how the Church can embrace and sustain its diverse expressions in the years ahead.
Come and be part of this crucial conversation as we seek to discern how the mixed ecology can shape the Church’s witness and mission in a rapidly changing world.
CCX Multiply 2025 Birmingham 18 June 2025
The Church is seeking innovation in spiritual formation and disciple-making - disciples that make disciples, growth that multiplies. How do we do this well? What are the practices that grew us as followers of Jesus? Who helped us to bear fruit? How do our churches root us in Jesus and his Kingdom, enabling us to grow fruitfully?
CCX is at the forefront of planting and growing new worshipping communities that prioritise reaching new people and making new disciples. At Multiply 2025, we will immerse you in stories of creativity and renewal from across the Church, equipping you with lessons from the latest research and insights from frontline practitioners, sharing tools that can shape our churches for the spiritual formation of missionary disciples.
Who is Multiply 2025 for?
Every church is called to form whole-life disciples. Multiply 2025 is for every leader and team, of every context and tradition. It’s for anyone who wants to reach new people, in new and renewed ways, with the love of Jesus.
Click here for more information and to book your place(s).