The Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Mrs Anna Turner JP, accompanied by the Dean of Hereford the Very Revd Sarah Brown, Archdeacon of Ludlow, Ven Dr Fiona Gibson, and Deputy Lieutenant Katherine Garnier, spent much of last Monday (4 August 2025) touring six parishes in South Shropshire which are part of the Ludlow Archdeaconry. Shropshire as a county is shared between the Dioceses of Hereford and Lichfield.
"It was wonderful to have the opportunity for a road trip taking our Lord-Lieutenant and one of her deputies around some of the extraordinary churches of South Shropshire," commented Fiona. "I was delighted and honoured to be able to introduce the Lord-Lieutenant and her deputy, Katherine to some of the wonderful people who care so much about the churches and community in their places - from Sutton Hill to Stanton Lacy.”
As Archdeacon Fiona explained: “There were two reasons for the visits. First was for the Dean and the Lord-Lieutenant together to encourage those working faithfully in the parishes of South Shropshire. The second was for the Lord-Lieutenant to be able to meet people and to understand a little more about the work of churches, showcasing the various ways they serve the local community. We work closely on many Shropshire civic events throughout the year, which are often held in our churches, so it was nice to be able to share with her the variety of things that happen beyond those key events.”
As Dean Sarah reflected: "Rumours of the demise of the Church of England are grossly exaggerated and its diversity as it serves different communities appropriately to their context is truly inspiring!"
The tour highlighted remarkable community initiatives across the parishes:
At Doddington, the visitors saw the completed "Beacon on the Hill" project, which has transformed the church into a welcoming space for pilgrims, walkers and cyclists exploring Clee Hill, featuring eco-friendly facilities and celebrating the area's ancient heritage.
The Church at Sutton Hill impressed with its 'Crafting for Charity' group, creating items for local hospitals and dementia support, alongside a thriving Hygiene Bank, toddler groups, and preparations for Experience Harvest welcoming over 600 local schoolchildren, led by Revd Dawn Taffinder and supported by a wonderful team of volunteers.
Revd Greg Smith was delighted to share the work in Pontesbury supporting the mental health of people in the town through their weekly 'Time Out' drop-in service, run in partnership with Shropshire mental health teams, complementing established bereavement support groups.
In Minsterley the team saw the extensive youth work in collaboration with Shrewsbury Youth for Christ, with daily community activities and mentoring support in local schools.
Other churches on the tour included visiting St Peter’s Church in Diddlebury, where Messy Church and school engagement are delivered by a team made up from the surrounding local village churches working together. The local team were also thrilled to show their recently rediscovered 400-year-old hidden Jacobite symbol.
Saint Peter's Church at Stanton Lacy was the final stop on the tour where the party enjoyed the display showcasing the historic church which has recently been transformed with modern facilities to serve wider community groups while preserving its Saxon heritage.
Dean Sarah concluded: "I just want to say a big thank you to all who gave their time and passion to showing us what they do - and we all enjoyed eating some of the wonderful cake offered at stops on our trip"
Lord-Lieutenant, Anna Turner, reflected on the visit: "I realised how energised I felt by the kind, generous and loving people we had met in all six churches. The encouragement and open invitation to everyone is made with a genuine desire for their communities to be good places to live and have friends. In my world, there is never a wrong time to eat cake, so we ate and enjoyed just a couple of guilt-free pieces offered on our journey, and oh my goodness, they were delicious!”
The visits revealed how rural churches continue to care for their communities, finding creative ways to share the love of Christ through practical service. From support for younger people to crafting communities to welcoming pilgrims, these parishes show how the Gospel comes alive when churches engage deeply with their communities. Their work demonstrates that rural mission isn't just surviving - it's flourishing, as congregations discover fresh expressions of our ancient Christian faith that continues to speak to people today.