St Stephen's Church, Prenton was the venue for an Everday Faith deanery event on Thursday 7th July.
Over 60 people from more than ten churches in the deaneries of Birkenhead, Wallasey and Wirral North were in attendance to learn more about how the local church can encourage people to live out their faith in everyday life.
Find and book on to your deanery event here
For Pastoral Worker, Ken Jones, the event was something of a homecoming as St Stephen's was the church in which he was confirmed. He said it was the first time he'd been back. Now a part of the church family in West Kirby, Ken said the event was "brilliant and very enjoyable" and said that he'd even met up with "a lot of old friends" from the deanery as well.
The evening began with coffee and conversation before the Revd Peter Froggatt welcomed everyone and opened in prayer.
Peter then led some discussions around "frontlines", those places in which God has placed each of us to do his work. This resulted in lots of group discussions, and feedback from the floor offered us an insight into the myriad opportunities God presents us with to share the love of Jesus in our everyday lives.
Church members sharing their "frontlines"
Archdeacon Michael Gilbertson, Chair of the Everday Faith initiative in the Diocese of Chester, provided further background, and Ruth Bull, Reader in Bredbury, shared eight different "shifts" that can encourage a culture of faith sharing in our communities.
Speaking after the event, Youth Worker, Charlotte, from St Catherine's, Tranmere said: "One of the things I want to take back is thinking more deeply about how we can pray for each member of the church family. Asking 'how can I pray for you' is such a simple question we can be asking everyone in our church family and then from there we can be encouraging each other further."
Charlotte said she had to give some thought to where her frontlines were: "I had to think about this. Going to school as part of my role is one, but also one of the things that came out of lockdown was getting to know my neighbours so that is a really big frontline for me, and I go swimming quite a bit so that's another one too."
Everyday Faith resources can be found on the website here: Everyday faith - Resources - Diocese of Chester (anglican.org)
A diocesan video used at the event introduces different people from around our diocese that are working on their frontlines to share their faith. They include Paul Okenyemi who doesn't shy away from engaging in conversation about Jesus wherever he is; Ruth McKew who says she plucked up the courage to pray for her netball captain after she was injured; Chris Branch who puts her faith to practical use through a local swap shop; and the Revd Andrew Knight who is finding ways to recognise, rejoice and resource people in his church to live out their faith in the communities of Partington and Carrington.
Future Everyday Faith deanery events
17 March: Great Budworth and Middlewich - Watch a short review
26 April: Chester and Malpas
07 July: Birkenhead, Wallasey and Wirral North
18 July: Chadkirk, Stockport, and Mottram REGISTRATION OPEN
06 September: Bowdon and Knutsford REGISTRATION OPEN
14 September: Nantwich and Congleton REGISTRATION OPEN
06 October: Frodsham and Wirral South REGISTRATION OPEN
17 October: Cheadle and Macclesfield REGISTRATION OPEN