Churches recognised for reaching out in new and innovative ways

Christ Church Healey with their award

Christ Church Healey and the Antioch Network, which runs Good News Community Church Rochdale, have been recognised for reaching out to the community in new and innovative ways.

The local churches were two of nine to receive Church for Different World digital awards from the Bishops of Bolton and Middleton on 19 October. This is the first time that the Church for a Different World awards, now in their sixth year, have had a digital focus.

Christ Church Healey established livestream capability during lockdown using OBS for editing and Twitch.tv for hosting. They involved congregation members in creating content and took onboard feedback to improve their offering. They continue to invest in different technologies and are keen to share their learning with other churches (through videos and written reports), focusing on ease of use and digital evangelism.

The Antioch Network has been praised for their “excellent” website which showcases the various churches, rather than each church having its own website. They also offer the REAP church planting course online, attracting an international audience and free training to future church planters.

They continue to develop the digital platforms to connect with wider audience. Church plants took place during lockdown in Rochdale. 

The Bishop of Middleton, Mark Davies, said: “We are proud of the way churches have adapted and developed new skills, while remaining true to their priorities of growing, nurturing and serving. 

“We hope that by sharing their ideas with one another, our churches will be encouraged to try new things that have been shown to work well in different contexts.”