Commission on Ministry
Church Growth Conference: A Season of Hope and Renewal
The Church Growth Conferences held in Belfast and Dublin over the last fortnight brought together clergy and lay people from across the Church of Ireland to pause, listen, and rediscover confidence in God’s call to grow His Church.
Under the theme “Growing God’s Church: Rooted in His Word, Responding to His Call”, each conference was framed by worship, grounding the day in prayer and attentiveness to God’s leading.
The keynote address by Revd Canon Alastair Graham emphasised that church growth is God’s work before it is ours, rooted in Scripture and in the reign of God. Acknowledging the challenges of contemporary society, he pointed to hopeful signs of renewed spiritual searching, particularly among younger generations, and encouraged the Church to resist narratives of decline. Christians should live as ‘faith bearers’, shaped by God’s Word, grounded in prayer and worship, practising generous hospitality, and willing to go beyond church walls with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Participants also took part in practical seminars, offering shared learning and ideas for parish life. The seminar topics were:
Growth through Evangelism
Growth through Stewardship
Growth through Prayer
Worship and Church Music
Leading you your context
Community Engagement
The Bible. Read, Mark, Learn
Buildings: not a burden but a resource for mission and church growth, including practical advice on permissions from RB
Communication: in the church and community
Each conference concluded with worship led by internationally renowned singer and songwriter Dana, accompanied by her husband Damien Scallon. Reflecting on the gatherings, Bishop David McClay, Chair of the Commission on Ministry, spoke of encouragement for sustainable and outward‑looking church communities.
As the gatherings came to an end, there was a shared sense that something meaningful had been affirmed rather than finished. The insights, encouragement, and shared worship now move back into parish life, where faith is lived daily and God’s work of growth continues, often in unseen but faithful ways.
To read more on the events of the two Growth conferences see the articles by Lynn Glanville, Diocesan Communications Officer for Dublin here and here.
