The Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication (CCX) is entering a new phase of its life as it becomes a charitable company on 1 April 2023. While this marks an important change in its entity, its purpose remains the same: To help the Church reach new people, in new and renewed ways.
The new charity has appointed trustees including Bishop of Islington, the Rt Revd Dr Ric Thorpe, who will continue to lead the work of the CCX team.
Bishop Ric has had a remit for church planting in the London Diocese since 2012 when the previous Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, appointed him as Adviser for Church Planting. Since becoming Bishop of Islington in 2015, this work has continued and grown, both within the diocese and increasingly across the Church of England and the wider Church to support the mission of church planting. The work is shaped within the Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication (CCX) – formerly the Centre for Church Planting and Growth.
Bishop Pete Broadbent, the former Bishop of Willesden, will chair the new CCX board of trustees. Also serving as trustees will be Archdeacon Sally Gaze, a specialist in rural mission, Jacquie Driver, Chief Operating Officer at SAINT Church, Mark Wood (CBE), former chair of the NSPCC and Bishop Tedroy Powell, National Presiding Bishop of the Church of God of Prophecy.
As CCX’s work has developed both nationally and internationally, becoming a separate charity is both appropriate and exciting at this time.
Bishop Ric said:
‘This is an exciting step for CCX, as we look to serve the wider Church more effectively and one which reflects the growth and influence of the centre. I’m so thankful to the Bishop of London, Bishop Sarah, for enabling this change and to Bishop Pete Broadbent for agreeing to chair the board of trustees. As a charity, we are now positioned to support the Church in its mission to this nation and beyond to the nations of the world.’
The move to charity status means that CCX will no longer be operationally a part of the London Diocese from 1 April 2023. Bishop Ric continues to be a member of the London College of Bishops and CCX will continue as a major partner in delivering key areas of the Diocese’s 2030 vision, specifically the Creative Growth Ambition, through a service level agreement.
As well as being a resource in the London Diocese, nationally CCX has become involved in supporting diocesan strategies, working with Resource Churches throughout the country, in parish revitalisations and, under the Myriad initiative, in the development of lay-led communities.
CCX works with and beyond the Church of England, offering training and strategic facilitation in a wide variety of contexts and across all denominations. Bishop Ric has been invited to advise and work with leaders and episcopal teams in most parts of the country and in this way CCX is also working with communities and leaders beyond the UK context.
The change to charitable company status was proposed and approved by the London Diocesan Bishop’s Council on 9 November 2022. This included agreement in principle to the work of CCX to be transferred to the new charity, subject to due diligence and satisfaction that all other arrangements were in place including consultation with CCX staff and TUPE for staff previously employed by the London Diocesan fund.
As a result of the consultation, CCX staff who were previously employed by the Diocese will transfer their employment to the charity on 1 April 2023