THE £198-million Strategic Development Funding (SDF) programme launched by the Archbishops’ Council in 2014 has helped to bring 27,000 new people to church services and gatherings, Church House announced on Thursday. “Figures from evaluations, annual reports, internal summaries and updates show 26,000 to 27,000 people newly participating in different church gatherings backed by SDF,” the press release said. The SDF programme was expected to create 89,375 disciples between 2014 and 2021, but the Chote review concluded that, to date, 12,705 had been “witnessed”. Church House reports that 600 people now regularly attend St Mary’s, and more than half of its congregation are under 35. The other church highlighted is St Thomas and St Luke’s, Dudley (Top Church), a resource church in the diocese of Worcester.

Source: The Times November 09, 2023 15:09 UTC