The Ignite Project is supporting parishes across Lancashire to employ youth and children’s leaders, enabling greater engagement with local young people, nurturing their spiritual growth and ultimately seeing them become lifelong disciples of Jesus. Holy Trinity Church, Bolton-le-sands has an application in supporting this project.
Ignite Project aims to fire up County’s young people for Jesus
A major new initiative that will see the Good News of Jesus blaze across the hearts of children and young people in Lancashire launched this week.
The Ignite Project is part of the Diocese of Blackburn’s ambitious vision to see Jesus made known amongst the younger generation in the County. Funding for the project follows a generous grant from the national church. Read more about the whole of Ignite’s work here where parishes can also find out how they can get involved.
The Diocese knows that employing a youth or children’s minister is the biggest common factor to seeing sustainable growth of ministry to those age groups. So we are strategically placing 30 youth and children’s leaders in parishes across Lancashire to enable greater engagement with local young people.
These leaders will be employed locally in, and work for, parishes across the Diocese.
The Ignite Project launch took place at the Diocesan Offices on the edge of Blackburn and the first cohort of Ignite Leaders and the clergy from the churches where they are based were welcomed.
The Ignite Leaders vanguard present on the day were Hattie Boak who is working for Rufford St Mary’s and Tarleton Holy Trinity Church and Tash Green, working for All Saints Higher Walton and Holy Trinity Hoghton.
Rachel Gardner, Youth Innovation Lead at St Luke’s Blackburn, gave the opening address and talked about how Jesus places the child in the midst of the Christian community so we should be doing that too.
Meanwhile, Rev. Jono Peatman, curate-in-charge at Christ Church Wesham, led the group in sung worship during a day which included talks; workshops; introductions to Diocesan team members and the Ignite Project team; lunch – even Ignite branded cupcakes!
At time progresses, the group will meet regularly at community-building and training days called the Forge. The Forge days will feature guest speakers who are experts in youth and children’s work, tools for wellbeing, training and more.
The whole day was well-received by all who took part. Rev. Hannah Boyd, from the Higher Walton and Hoghton churches, said: “I am excited about what the future will hold: building on existing work and going from strength to strength, drawing in the wider church. It will be great to be part of this work as we continue to reach the children and young people in the wider area. Today has been really helpful.”
And Fr Mark Soady from Rufford and Tarleton commented: “I am very excited by the project, it’s a symbol of how much importance the Diocese and the wider Church of England are putting on children and young people that they’re investing in this project, it’s a privilege to be part of this pioneering work.”
Ignite Project Manager, Sam Lee, added: “It was fantastic to be able to gather the first cohort together to explore the vision for growth of youth and children’s work in each parish, to pray together and encourage each other. I’m excited to see where their ministries lead and how the Ignite Project grows in the coming years.”
Tunstall Deanery Ignite Application
Letters of Support
“ … Isolated rural areas are difficult places in which to pull groups together because of the travel involved and the scattered communities. Two Ignite Project workers would be able to make a significant difference, working closely with young people and schools, making a real difference to some young lives which currently miss out on opportunities more readily available in urban areas …. I hope the Diocese will look favourably on your application and thus demonstrate support for the more remote and challenging areas.”
(The Lord Shuttleworth, former Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, who lives in the Deanery)
“ I am pleased to confirm my support ….. You are proposing that the postholders will work closely with children and young people … and you are looking for a demonstrable impact on the lives of young people through these appointments. This is exactly what is required in scattered rural communities
(Thomas Bowring DL, former High Sheriff of Lancashire, who lives in the Deanery)
“Tunstall Deanery covers a large, scattered rural area across much of my constituency, which presents unique challenges when compared to larger urban parishes. Rural communities face disadvantages due to their geographic isolation and lack of local services, and children in particular often have limited opportunities ….. I am pleased that Tunstall Deanery are taking the initiative to support their wider rural community ….”
(Lizzi Collinge MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale)
“We would be delighted to support this proposal. Your bid will be addressing the key issues associated with rural isolation for children and young people in the communities served by the parishes of the Deanery”
(Mark Davies, Chief Executive, Lancaster City Council)
“As a council … (we) appreciate the relevance of your work not only to the future life of the Church of England but to the
maintenance of thriving small communities.”
(Caroline Jackson, Leader: Lancaster City Council)
“I write as a resident in the Diocese, as the sitting councillor for this Ward, Upper Lune Valley, and as a member of the Tunstall Melling and Leck PCC …. As is patently and painfully obvious, attendance at CofE churches, and others, has been on a downward trend for decades …… I very much hope that this Ignite Project offers a major contribution to reversing these trends. I support it wholeheartedly.”
(Councillor Ross Hunter MA, councillor for the Upper Lune Valley on Lancaster City Council)
“I am pleased to confirm my support for this proposal. Your bid clearly addresses the challenges associated with rural isolation for children and young people across the communities served by the Deanery …. This type of provision is particularly valuable in dispersed rural communities, and I am encouraged see such a proactive and purposeful initiative being taken.”
(Nicola Davison, Executive Headteacher, Lune Valley Federation of Leck St Peter’s and Hornby St Margaret’s Church of England Schools)
For more information : https://www.bdeducation.org.uk/ignite-project-2/
If you have an interest in young people and supporting this project please email “[email protected]” and we will put you in touch with a local contact.
