Church of England investing £27 million to revive Christian faith in the UK

The Church of England is taking a big step to reinvigorate the Christian faith across the country.

It is allocating £27 million for the creation of new Christian communities, specifically in coastal areas, market towns and urban housing areas. 

In total, over a hundred new churches will be set up using money from the Church of England's Strategic Development fund as part of the Church's Renewal and Reform program. 

In Kent, nine new worshiping communities are going to be set up in coastal towns including Herne Bay, Sittingbourne, and Maidstone.

These new Christian communities will follow the model set by the 'Ignite' church in Margate, Kent.  The Ignite project is a cafe-style church that has been run by St. Paul's Church in the town for the last 10 years. It specifically tries to reach the town's marginalized and deprived communities.

Then in Plymouth, in the south-west of England, three new churches will focus on people living in some of the town's urban estates.  And in Swindon, a church is going to be set up in an old railway works building that will target those under the age of 40 who have no current connection with a church.

Some of the funds will go towards setting up new churches in market towns and supporting already existing projects in other parts of the country.

Leicester Diocese is receiving £5.3 million in funds to support six existing larger churches or teams as they develop 50 new churches or worshiping communities in the area.

In Manchester and Peterborough Dioceses, some of the funds will go towards church work with children and young people.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the funds "demonstrate our commitment to following Jesus to the places of greatest need in our society."

"These projects are wonderful examples of how churches are seeking to be faithful to God – and faithful to their communities in love and mission," he sad.

"Through their innovation, they signal a growing determination in the Church to share the good news of Jesus Christ in ways that make sense for those in our most deprived communities."