News Stories
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6 Oct. 2025
Family-friendly Barn Church is launched
Dozens of worshippers have started to come to ‘Barn Church’ – a new style of church service aimed at those living in the Meon Valley. They meet every Sunday morning in the Soberton guide hut for coffee and pastries, worship, discussion, prayer and family-friendly activities. It’s one of several new congregations launched this Autumn across our diocese Read more
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14 July 2025
New vicar aims to grow congregations
Bishop Jonathan has appointed the Rev Fran Carabott to be the new vicar of Cosham and Wymering – with a brief to grow the congregations at both churches. Fran has a track record of church-planting, leading the group that created the new congregation at St Margaret’s Church in Southsea and ensuring its buildings were used to engage local families. He’ll begin his new role in September. Read more
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23 April 2025
New minister will unveil ‘Barn Church’ this autumn
Bishop Jonathan has appointed the Rev Emma Andersen to a new role within the Meon Valley parishes. She’ll take charge of a new venture – Barn Church – which aims to offer an alternative worshipping community for those who live in the villages in this part of Hampshire Read more
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24 March 2025
Harbour stalwart to lead Copnor congregations
Bishop Jonathan has appointed the Rev Katherine Message to be a new team vicar for Harbour Church in Portsmouth. She’s currently serving the church as curate and has been involved with their congregations since it started in 2016. Her new role will see her have specific responsibility for its congregations at St Alban’s Church in Copnor. Read more
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24 Feb. 2025
Project aims to plant two generations of church
An ambitious project aims to plant a church in Fareham – that then plants a second church. A new mission priest will lead a group of worshippers from St John’s Church in Fareham to plant a contemporary congregation in the town centre church of St Peter and St Paul. In time, that congregation will also plant a new church within the brand new development at Welborne. Read more
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26 Jan. 2025
New Lead for Revitalise to support parish mission
The Rev Andrew Axon has been appointed as our diocese’s Lead for Revitalise, to help us to implement our diocese’s strategy. Read more
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8 Jan. 2025
Cairns launched with clergy and lay leaders
Bishop Jonathan and senior staff gathered together clergy and lay leaders from some of the ‘Cairns’ formed as part of our diocese’s vision and strategy. The Cairns were officially launched with tea and cake at Harbour Church. Read more
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13 Dec. 2024
Youth worker to build new worshipping community
A new project will see a youthwork pioneer working within a school community to create a new worshipping community. The innovative project brings together St Francis Church in Leigh Park and Park Community School. Read more
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28 Nov. 2024
Paulsgrove project aims to create new congregations
Some of the strategic funding we’ve received from the national Church of England will go towards a new project in Paulsgrove. We’ll employ a new priest who’ll help to set up four brand new congregations connected to St Michael’s Church. Read more
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2 Nov. 2024
Major investment will help diocese to rejuvenate
The national Church of England has endorsed our diocese’s strategic plans for the next five years, offering an investment of more than £1m a year towards our projects. The diocese’s vision and strategy aims to rejuvenate our diocese by a programme that includes reviving our leadership to inspire mission, revitalising our parishes to create pathways to discipleship and renewing our diocese with church plants and new worshipping communities. Read more