Revd Daniel Thompson, Rector at Icknield, said, “Pastoral care can be complicated at the best of times due to the size of our benefice as we are spread across 4 parishes, but with the onset of the pandemic, we were mindful of those who might fall between the gaps due to isolation and illness.
“Several volunteers began working with us to offer ‘in person’ support (in line with Government guidelines), and they were incredible throughout the lockdowns, but we wanted to empower them and help them grow in confidence in the often-delicate area of bereavement support.
“Cruse offers excellent training, but at £600, it was beyond our budget, and we didn’t want to ask people to pay for it themselves as they had already done so much. Thankfully, the Development Fund has allowed us to pursue the training without having to draw on other funds, and we will be able to support 10 volunteers through their training.
“This will be beneficial in a number of ways, including helping the community to reconnect after a period of turmoil and trauma and allow us as a church to engage more with our community, not just the congregations of the parishes. The grant really will allow us to open up a raft of possibilities that previously were impossible.”
The amount of money available to parishes and benefices in the diocese of Oxford is c.£1million per year over the next three years. Grant applications must support local projects that are missionally creative, reflect where God is at work in the community and encourage wider learning across the diocese.
Janet Rogers, Programme Manager, said of this cohort of applications, “We know that there is some incredible work going on across the diocese, in both large and small parishes, and we would encourage anyone with bold, innovative ideas, to apply.
“The two examples from Oxfordshire show that we support a range of projects, from the very large, to the small, and demonstrate that no matter the size, the Development Fund really can make a difference – whether that be helping to provide improved audio-visual facilities in churches or expanding social action projects such as meal provision and domestic abuse support, to developing youth-focused ministry – if you have an idea, we’d love to hear about it and support you on your journey.
“A full list of projects we have supported can be found on our website, as well as useful guidance on how to apply.”
The Development Fund is open to all parishes/benefices in the Diocese of Oxford but is likely to be most helpful to those with limited financial resources to invest in missional activity. We know that even modest grants can make a significant difference in such parishes.
Applications for the next round of funding is now open and closes on 30 April 2021.