For Churches
Find support for your Church or New Worshipping Community
Towards the renewal of faithFaith 1. Belief and trust in someone or something. 2. Acceptance of particular religious teachings.
Faith in the North is an invitation for churches across the region to recommit themselves to the service of God and his plans for the North. To help us in our own calling to be Northern ‘saints’, Faith in the North wants:
- to celebrate the many stories, past and present, showing God at work across the Province
- to stimulate growth in discipleship and prayer
- to encourage and deliver church planting and revitalisation.
We are providing support and developing resources which will be available as a long-term legacy.
Becoming a PilgrimPilgrim 1. In the New Testament and Christian thought, someone engaged in the Christian journey through life towards heaven. 2. Someone who journeys to holy places (such as biblical sites or shrines of the saints) to seek God's help, to give thanks, or as an act of penance Place
Any church, in any context, can become a ‘Pilgrim Place’ – that is a welcoming, peaceful, safe space which offers time to relax and reflect.
Working with partners, Faith in the North is developing a new set of easy-to-use resources. These encourage visitors to explore church buildings and other sites, to engage with the stories they tell, and so enhance their own journey through life.
Northern GospelGospel (Greek evangelion, Old English godspel 'good news') 1. The central message of the Christian faith concerning salvation. 2. Title given to the four New Testament books which describe the life of Christ i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 3. A reading taken from one of the four Gospels which has the place of honour in the Eucharist
In partnership with Hope Together, Faith in the North is working to produce a printed and digital version of the Gospel of Luke for 2027, which will have northern photography and stories from people across the North of England.
Drawing inspiration from the Lindisfarne GospelsLindisfarne Gospels A richly illuminated and decorated book of Gospels produced 696-698 by the monk Eadfrith on the Holy Island, Lindisfarne in Northumbria, in honour of St Cuthbert. The manuscript is in the British Library, (Cotton MS Nero D iv)., the Gospel seeks to celebrate stories of faith and offer an invitation to explore the good news of Christ. The hope is to give out thousands of these next year to those seeking the hope of the good news, working in partnership with church leaders across the North.
Find out more about how you can get a hold of copies to give away, and how you can be involved by watching an information webinar.
Being a Pilgrim Course
In 2027, we are delighted to launch Being a Pilgrim, a new course for churches, small groups and individuals who want to explore what it means to journey with God and discover how pilgrimage can shape our everyday lives.
Being a Pilgrim is a five-week course designed primarily for small groups. Each session includes a video, a leader’s guide and discussion questions to help participants reflect, share and learn together.
Every video features a Bible reading, a short reflection from one of the course hosts, and an interview with a special guest, offering practical insights and personal experiences of pilgrimage.
The five sessions explore the following themes:
- Life as a Journey
- Taking Time Away: The Importance of Special Places
- The Inner Journey
- Making a Pilgrimage
- Helping Others Grow as Pilgrims
Further information, including the course release date and details on how to access the materials, will be available soon. To stay up to date with the latest news and developments, visit faithinthenorth.org and sign up for our newsletter.
Find out more about Church planting
Faith in the North reflects God’s calling to the first Northern Saints – that is, to pray, tell the story of God, and to plant new ChristianChristian Name originally given to disciples of Jesus by outsiders and gradually adopted by the Early Church to designate all members of the church. communities where people can find God’s love.
Exploring the Lord’s Prayer
Faith in the North hopes to encourage and resources churches across the North of England to explore the Lord’s Prayer as a way to live and also as a pathway for people to explore the Christian Faith.
This might be through accessing high quality resources, joining with Thy Kingdom Come in the lead up to PentecostPentecost Also called Whit Sunday. Seventh Sunday after Easter. The Jewish Feast of Weeks (harvest). Day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples (Acts 2). or coming to a Lord’s Prayer Tour evening near you.
Resources
Faith in the North is gathering and sharing downloadable and printed resources for churches to use with congregations, schools, local communities, and visitors in the years leading up to (and beyond) the 2027 anniversary. These will also support planting new congregations.
- creative engagement with people of all ages, in worshipWorship 1. Doing homage and giving honour and respect to God. The Bible includes a wide range of physical expression in worship, including bowing down, lifting hands, dancing, processions and singing. The main day on which Christians gather for communal worship is Sunday (the day when Christ is believed to have risen from the dead). 2. Christian liturgy including sung material and prayers of thanksgiving and praise., group study, quiet days, and anniversary celebrations
- building relationships with schools, communities, local history groups, and tourism authorities
- creating pilgrim routes between and within churches
- providing trails and prayer cards for visitors
Why ‘Faith in the North’?
2027 will see the 1400th anniversary of the baptism in YorkYork 1. A Roman city and early centre of Christianity. 2. Diocese and province under the leadership of the Archbishop of York. by BishopBishop Bishops exercised pastoral care over a diocese and authority to confirm and ordain Paulinus of King Edwin, the first king of NorthumbriaNorthumbria Northumbria was an early medieval Anglian kingdom in what is now Northern England and South Scotland. to profess the Christian faith. Wide-ranging consultation across the Northern Province has clearly shown that celebrating this key moment in the story of the Church offers a unique opportunity to use our rich spiritual inheritance in missionMission 1. A group of people sent out to share religious faith. 2. The task of sharing faith. today.
Sign up to our Newsletter
Stay in Touch
Keep up to date with all the latest resources when they are added to the hub