04.03.2026

April Conferences to Support and Encourage Church Growth

Growing God’s Church: Rooted in His Word, Responding to His Call

Insights and experiences to help parishes to grow around the island will be shared at two significant events from the Church of Ireland’s Commission on Ministry next month for leaders in all areas of ministry.

The Church Growth Conferences will take place in two venues:

• Stormont Hotel, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, on Saturday, 18th April 2026
• Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin, on Saturday, 25th April 2026

Each conference will run from 8am to 6pm (including registration, lunch and coffee breaks), and bookings can be made here through Eventbrite:

• Belfast – www.bit.ly/belfast18apr at £11.55
• Dublin – www.bit.ly/dublin25apr at €11.70

The Commission hopes to welcome around 150 participants at each venue, and warmly encourages every parish to consider sending representatives to one of these gatherings.

Introducing the initiative, Bishop David McClay, as Chair of the Commission for Ministry, said: “Throughout the life of the Church, God has continued to call His people to trust Him afresh, to listen attentively to His Word, and to step forward in faith. The Scriptures remind us that growth and renewal are always God’s work, born not of human strength alone but of prayerful dependence on Him. As the Church of Ireland continues its witness in our own time, we do so with confidence in God’s faithfulness and leading.

“When we look back across the history of the Church of Ireland, we see a story marked by seasons of challenge, faithfulness, and renewal. Again and again, God has stirred new life among His people, calling them to renewed confidence in the Gospel and a fresh commitment to His mission. It is with this sense of continuity and hope that we invite you to take part in a Church Growth Conference this spring.”

Conference Programme:

The conferences will open and close with worship, intentionally framing the day in prayer, praise, and dependence on God. Through plenary addresses, each gathering will reflect together on:

• the biblical call to bear fruit and grow as God’s people;
• the witness of renewal within the Church of Ireland through the generations; and
• the vital role of children’s and youth ministry in shaping the church of tomorrow.

The keynote address will be delivered by Revd Canon Michael Alastair Graham, formerly Rector of Mullingar in the Dioceses of Meath and Kildare.

Seminars will explore nine key areas of parish life:

1. Growth through Evangelism
2. Growth through Stewardship
3. Growth through Prayer
4. Worship and Church Music
5. Leading in your context
6. Community engagement
7. The Bible – Read, Mark, Learn
8. Buildings: not a burden but a resource for mission and church growth
9. Communication: in the church and community

These sessions are intended to offer encouragement, practical tools, and space for reflection on how God may be calling each parish to respond in its own context.