A three-year programme will bring churches and schools together to help young people lead intergenerational worship in five school communities across Hereford Diocese. The project is part of a wider Church of England project to help the church grow younger by 2030.
The local programme will develop young leaders to help shape and run intergenerational worshipping communities meeting in school buildings. Each community will provide a place of worship, belonging and discipleship for the wider school family, including children, young people, parents, carers, staff and local church members.
Flourish communities are being developed as a collaboration between the diocesan Education Team and Mission and Ministry Team. It is part of a national Church of England project, which began a pilot in 2025 and has already seen success elsewhere. Many are reporting surprising growth as new people of all ages are drawn to the church because it meets outside traditional church buildings. It is hoped the local project will directly contribute to the diocesan priorities to raise young leaders, strengthen engagement with schools and support the growth of new worshipping communities.
From September, Youth Hub team members and Lifelink school chaplains will begin working with children and young people in the participating schools, supporting them to develop leadership skills and plan the first flourish events from early December.
Each Flourish community will be shaped by five core principles: placing young people’s voices at the centre of leadership and decision-making; sharing a clear purpose to grow a younger and more diverse community of Christian disciples; building strategic leadership partnerships between schools or colleges and at least one church community; creating intergenerational faith development experiences for children and families of all ages; and integrating worship into the regular rhythms, practices, structures and resources of the schools’ vision for the flourishing of children and adults.
Participating schools are two secondary schools: The Hereford Church of England Academy, The Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School and three primary schools: Coalbrookdale and Ironbridge CE Primary Academy, Pembridge CE Primary School and Stretton Sugwas C.E. Academy.
Mark Harrington, Education Development Officer who led the bid and who will spearhead the project with schools, explains: “We are really excited by the possibilities that could emerge from these partnerships, and by what young people will create as they help the Church grow younger and more diverse.”
Archdeacon of Ludlow, Ven Sam Hustwayte adds: “I am delighted that we will be part of this national project, helping faith to be discovered and nurtured across generations, and working more intentionally with our Church of England schools as we see God at work and grow disciples locally.”
The pilot reflects Hereford Diocese’s commitment to work prayerfully, creatively and collaboratively with schools and churches.