Connecting with Churches at the Manchester Diocesan Clergy Conference

Greater Together Manchester was delighted to attend this year's Manchester Diocesan Clergy Conference at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, where we had the opportunity to meet with clergy and lay leaders from across the Diocese of Manchester.

Our team members, Vic and Harry, spent the conference manning our exhibition stand, sharing information about the wide range of ways Greater Together Manchester supports churches and communities across Greater Manchester and Rossendale.

The conference was a fantastic opportunity to talk about our work helping churches put faith into action through social justice initiatives. We spoke to delegates about how we can support churches to respond to the needs of their local communities, whether that's tackling poverty, reducing social isolation, supporting people experiencing homelessness or welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum.

There was particular interest in our Places of Welcome network, which helps churches and community venues create warm, welcoming spaces where people can find friendship, conversation and a sense of belonging. We also shared information about our Refugee Lodgings Programme, which is helping provide safe, supportive homes for refugees as they begin to rebuild their lives in Greater Manchester.

The conference also gave us the chance to introduce clergy and lay leaders to our Supporting Refugees Community of Practice. This growing network brings together churches and organisations that want to strengthen their support for refugees and people seeking asylum, providing opportunities to share learning, good practice and practical resources while encouraging collaboration across the Diocese.

It was wonderful to meet so many people who are passionate about serving their communities and exploring new ways their churches can make a difference. We enjoyed a number of encouraging conversations and look forward to continuing to work alongside churches across the Diocese as they seek to bring hope, justice and compassion to their local communities.

A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand to chat. If you weren't able to attend the conference but would like to find out more about how Greater Together Manchester can support your church or community project, we'd love to hear from you.

Massive thank you to the Benefact Trust for supporting our work with churches across the Diocese of Manchester.