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Good morning from @hrballiance #BigUpdate from uplifting @stjohnswaterloo Vicar @gilesgoddard starts the day by talking about the transformation of the church including sustainability adaptations. A vision to engage local people & the arts & create a beautiful worship space. 
We are hearing about @stjohnswaterloo journey to becoming a corporate venue - historic religious buildings have a real interest for those wanting to book spaces. @Heritage_NGOs had our Heritage Day 2022 at the wonderful @ccspits for instance who are a popular event destination
https://twitter.com/heritage_lizzie/status/1502374435289976838
Next up is @ATS_Heritage talking about how digital interpretation tools in churches can increase visitor engagement & improve experiences.
As a family we’ve had great experiences of this done well at @Heritage_NGOs member @StPaulsLondon - really engaging & interactive content, well pitched.
https://twitter.com/heritage_lizzie/status/1320781405098545153
Great to see hybrid delivery working well as we are joined from Wales by Alex Glanville of the @ChurchinWales in conversation with @sarajcrofts - thinking about churches in low congregation areas & considering community uses to sustain the buildings & activities. #BigUpdate
Before the break @CofE_Churchcare Director @ejngee looking forward to working with everyone as she settles into new role. Sets out some of the Church of England’s current priorities to support churches. A shout out from Emily to the amazing women who preceded her in the role.
Emily @ejngee also talks about the @CofE_Churchcare work & journey on climate change & Net Zero targets including the new route map churchofengland.org/about/environm… #BigUpdate
Next up Paula Griffiths - reflecting on her time @DCMS @CofE_Churchcare & @churchofengland & places of worship in the planning & protection system. #BigUpdate
From her time at @HistoricEngland - “a church seeking a viable future must be open to its community”. The uniqueness of buildings should be understood in thinking about the future…
Our venue today @stjohnswaterloo is a great example of this.
https://twitter.com/heritage_lizzie/status/1592611056266117120
.@CofE_Churchcare “You can sense immediately whether a church is used, prayed in & loved” @churchofengland “changes to a church building will only work if the congregation is onboard”. Needs voluntary & willing commitment from congregation. Coherent vision, flexible, holistic.
“The best can be the enemy of the good” Village community need to be on board. PCCs desperately need help & support. Learning through changing places in relation to historic religious buildings. Partnerships are key. #BigUpdate
Next up at @hrballiance #BigUpdate our @Heritage_NGOs member @NatChurchTrust Engagement Manager Sarah Crossland on training videos & resources and supporting practical skills & digital literacy nationalchurchestrust.org/training
We are watching the engaging short video from @NatChurchTrust on the importance of copyright. There are also multiple free resources on copyright from @NKorn & #HeritageDigital @Heritage_NGOs programme here: charitydigital.org.uk/all-resources/…
Finally this morning @RevAndrewRumsey with a delightfully lyrical address on the place of church buildings in our cultural landscape. The church at Imber open only 20 days a year brings in a remarkable 15k visitors. imbervillage.co.uk
With the change in the nature of workplaces, the nature of the villages is changing once again. Priority - securing a hopeful future for church buildings & communities that support them. New funding landscape to navigate. A sense of place at heart of new @HeritageFundUK strategy.
The @NatChurchTrust #HouseofGood report important piece in this houseofgood.nationalchurchestrust.org
Reference also from @RevAndrewRumsey to the importance of the amendment @Heritage_NGOs is supporting with @hrballiance @CofE_Churchcare & others to the #LevellingUpandRegenerationBill hrballiance.org.uk/consultations-…
Our church buildings should teach us patience about the future. Cycles of subsistence & change. Seasons of jubilee & productivity. Regenerative fallow periods of churches in the past - what can we learn from this? How can @CofE_Churchcare support this? @RevAndrewRumsey #BigUpdate
3rd part of work is about “telling the story”. Blend of deep belonging, secular use, spirituality, family… all come together to capture the imagination. There’s a trend in nature writing around blending of various facets of place. Collaboration to retain local particularity…
Trying to discern with us an ecosystem for churches around future hope & a kingdom that is to come - a nostalgia for the future rather than a nostalgia for a lost past. Feel I’ve just listened to the @RobGMacfarlane of the Church landscape. Really inspiring stuff @RevAndrewRumsey
We’re back at @hrballiance #BigUpdate with a canter through member updates. @HistoricEngland on the heritage stimulus fund & other positive investments; Pipe up for Pipe Organs: pipe-up.org.uk (4 a week are being destroyed - they are rescuing/rehoming E.g. London Bridge)
… @CheribimApp on their remote sensing pilot on temperature/humidity & how buildings are performing. Aim to cover 100 churches +
Next David Knight @CofE_Churchcare on heritage crime. Pointing to resources on their website & @Ecclesiastical guidance to security & care.
Adam from @GlosDioc on conservation of table tombs - one of the largest collections in the country. Every year a few dozen are being conserved. Managed to create a culture of conservation leadership in communities around these assets. #BigUpdate
Judith from Cambridge - a volunteer at All Saints Jesus Lane @TheCCT talking about programme of music, exhibitions & other activities to bring people into the church alongside care for vulnerable heritage in the church. visitchurches.org.uk/visit/church-l…
Lucy from @HeritageFundUK on the new 10 year strategy heritagefund.org.uk/about/heritage…
Next @Gough_Janet on @EsgobaethBangor Stones Shout Out programme around 5 key churches bangor.eglwysyngnghymru.org.uk/llefarcerrig/
Next is @BevBotting1 from Oxford Diocese on church attendance post-Covid & it’s implications. Thinking about welcome & congregations of the future & how buildings are an integral part of this. Post Covid - need both to get the people back & new people for volunteering future.
Families are the group most affected & haven’t returned as quickly. More elderly returned for community. Varied between sorts & sizes of churches, very very small rural churches saw some of the best returns. Those who offered church at home via zoom etc… kept varied congregation
Those who offered wider range of services were back over 100%. A supply rather than demand problem? Are there therefore creative ways this can move forward? Numbers relate to the relative number of services. Things like Messy church catered for families & removal will discourage.
Some key points for consideration
Churches have a really important role also in tackling poverty & social inequality. From warm homework clubs, to food banks. Churches can be hopeful, welcoming, warm places for wider communities - this will also help us sustain buildings into the future. oxford.anglican.org/post-covid-19-…
Sophie Andreae of @catholicEW on the sumptuous report ‘Living Stones’ on major works to Roman Catholic Churches cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
Finally this 3rd session. Diana Evans of @HistoricEngland in conversation with @sarajcrofts on @TheBEFS Places of Worship Forum & the Scottish picture. #BigUpdate
At present this is a single topic group looking at finding new futures for places of worship in jeopardy.
Good to add the @Heritage_NGOs perspective on the road from here to the election and beyond as we near the end of the @hrballiance #BigUpdate day
https://twitter.com/heritage_ngos/status/1668997572386586626
Great to finish up the @hrballiance day with the wonderful @heritageopenday team. “Historic Religious buildings are the sometimes hidden superpower of the heritage sector” with 23% Heritage Open Days as faith sites. Get involved here: heritageopendays.org.uk
A final word from Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust working with @UniOfYork on digital apprentices & the importance of upskilling in this space, audience knowledge & appropriate platforms. Project with students. Creation of resources/trails, better visuals, tags -confidence built
An excellent day - congratulations to the @hrballiance team & all the excellent speakers. Good to see many sector colleagues. Lots of food for thought.
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