The Liverpool Story

Beechers Brook, the Canal Turn, The Chair: all famous jumps at Aintree, home to the best known race in the world and the venue for the launch of Giving in Grace in March 2005. Just under 700 delegates filled the conference at Aintree Racecourse to (over!) capacity. For the Diocese of Liverpool one of the biggest hurdles identified in a Diocesan review conducted in 2001 was money. A shortage of financial resources was one of the chief constraints on ministry and mission. Among the many, wide ranging proposals in the Review was a major diocesan giving initiative and from this Giving in Grace was born.

Giving in Grace was to be focused clearly upon resourcing ministry and mission in the local church. In that sense it was not a diocesan initiative as such but resources provided for parish use. The case statement which functions as the foundational document of each parish programme focuses exclusively on the ministry of the local church not the financial circumstances of the Diocese. Of course, the improved financial health of a parish contributes enormously to the parish share system but the focus was in the local church.

Giving in Grace was conceived from the outset as an ongoing lay led initiative in the local church. This was underlined by the key role played by a team of deanery advisors promoting Giving in Grace in churches in their area and giving hands on support as churches began planning. Also crucial was the unfailing support of the two bishops of the diocese, David and James. Both spoke powerfully of their own personal commitment to Christian stewardship at the conference.

To read more about the background to Giving in Grace see The Liverpool Story.

Following the launch conference, the initial results reported by parishes who undertook Giving in Grace were very positive. As time has gone by, the ground work done in these churches has been built upon and continues to grow. Updates to the Liverpool Story will be progressively added to this page as links in the right-hand panel.