“What is really special about Multiply workshops is that they are full of ordinary people, from towns, villages, seaside resorts and urban estates,” says Multiply’s Associate Team Leader, Dr Ben Walker.
30 church leaders and team members from all across the Diocese – York, Middlesbrough, Selby, Hull and more – gathered at Hull Minster Parish Centre in September for the second Workshop, to share their passion for seeing a myriad of different parishes connect better with local people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
The prospect of starting something new as a church was opened up in a day beginning with sharing childhood fears (spiders, the dark, dogs, Prime Ministers etc) and discussing the ways we learn to face them.
“We are so scared actually to start something new that we shrink away from starting or even doing anything,” explains Ben.
“So we moved on to explore what has gone well in the past with reaching younger adults, and we discussed the realities now and were honest with each other about where we were struggling and where we thought maybe there were signs of life.”
“What is a New Worshipping Community and why might starting one be an effective way to reach people – and what stories are emerging out there that show what’s possible? How can we take time to dream about possibilities?”
With lots of practical advice along the way and ending in prayer together, the workshops are about more than simply learning how to do mission in a way specific to younger adults – more about meeting with people who care as much as you do about where the church is going, who it is reaching and why the demographics are so skewed towards the over 50s.
