Last May, CTC embarked on a pioneering partnership with St George-in-the-East \u201d\u201c the church in whose crypt we are now based.<\/p>\n
The parish was between priests and, owing to its declining congregation, the Bishop of Stepney decided to review its pattern and provision of ministry. St George\u2019s shared some of our passions \u201d\u201c being a place of prayer; working with and for its neighbours, and growing numerically \u201d\u201c but the challenge of maintenance (of a Grade I listed building with a Sunday congregation sometimes under twenty) made it hard to engage in much mission.<\/p>\n
CTC made a proposal to the parish, and to the Bishop \u201d\u201c for an experimental partnership, with a community of young people living in the Rectory helping to renew the mission of the church and the two CTC staff who are Anglican priests (The Revd Tim Clapton and me) being licensed to the parish. For the same level of resource as the diocese would usually invest in a parish (through providing a rectory and clergy stipend), St George\u2019s would get a very different pattern of ministry.<\/p>\n