The Initial "Engage" stage of the Fit for Mission journey was a time for exploration and curiosity, as PCCs, lay leaders and clergy facross our deanery examined their hopes and questions about what a shared vision of a larger parish may look like. This stage concluded with each PCC voting. The results were announced across the deanery on Sunday 17th March with the statement below.
“I would like to thank all of the parishes of Liverpool South for their active engagement in the Fit for Mission discernment journey. Relationships have been made, renewed and strengthened across the Deanery and we look forward, together, to continuing our mission, ministry and life together in God’s service.” Nicola Milford, Area Dean
As the parishes of Liverpool South Deanery. we affirm our commitment to: Work together in partnership with one another, doing all that we can to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bonds of peace.
We seek to deliver on The Diocese of Liverpool priorities of:
- Introducing people to Jesus
- Deepening discipleship
- Developing new Christian leaders
- Working for justice
The Deanery of Liverpool South, noting the request of the diocesan synod for parishes and deaneries to consider the Fit for Mission (FfM) programme:
- Note the following parishes have decided to enter into the next stage of the FfM Journey.
- St. Anne's Aigburth
- All Hallows Alllerton,
- Gateacre Team,
- Grassendale St. Mary’s,
- St. Mary’s and St. Nicholas Halewood,
- St. Hilda’s Hunts Cross,
- St. Aidan with All Saints, Speke
- All Souls Springwood
Note the following parishes have decided not to enter into the next stage of the FfM journey.
- St. Michael’s, Garston
- St. Peter’s Much Woolton
- Penny Lane St. Barnabas
- All Saints Childwall
- St Matthew & St James Mossley Hill,
- We encourage all churches within Liverpool South Deanery to effectively promote the mission of the church.
- We encourage every part of the deanery to continue in our collective mission within a spirit of fellowship and collaboration.
- We encourage all within our deanery to prayerfully support Revd Phil Saltmarsh as he embarks on his role FfM Change Lead.
"Following a lengthy period of discernment, I was pleased to see that 12 of the 17 churches in the South Liverpool Deanery have voted to move into the next phase of Fit for Mission.
This has been a challenging journey for our PCC’s and the range of options that have been reached through the voting process serves to highlight the degree of work that still needs to be undertaken in the “Working as If” period as we seek to find consensus.
We have certainly learnt a lot through the initial stages of the Fit for Mission process and as we move forward it is imperative that both the Clergy and Laity work together through the Navigation Team and Project Team to ensure the clarity and leadership that will be essential in delivering a positive outcome." Ian Crowe, Lay Dean
To find out more about Fit for Mission visit the Diocesan Website.