Meet our new Social Action Lead Officer

We asked Kate a few questions as she settles into the new role:

What are your aims for this new role as Together Liverpool’s Social Action Lead Officer?

I am so excited about joining the team at Together Liverpool and championing social action across the diocese.

I am keen to support churches in developing dynamic, relevant and effective social action plans as they think about reaching outside the four walls of the church building. This requires thinking creatively about strengths and needs in their community, and how can we celebrate what God is already doing and join in with it! Our Network of Kindness initiative is about increasing social action work – finding creative ways to be able to reach the lost, the lonely and the least.

We are aware of massive need for social action perhaps more so now than ever as we emerge out of Covid.

My heart is that churches don’t simply pick up where they left off last year but seek out new opportunities and challenges post Covid, and I’m excited about helping people join the dots to celebrate and grow creative expressions of mission.

My work is also about networking and supporting collaboration across our deaneries and parishes, connecting the work that is going on to support communities, amplifying it, letting sparks happen and helping it to grow and flourish to see a transformation across the diocese.

How will you work with churches?

In the first instance I’m starting to meet with churches to talk with them about all types of social action, from helping address loneliness and isolation or food and financial insecurity to climate change and modern slavery.

I’m excited to take church leadership teams through a listening process, not just vicars, but anybody who is passionate about seeing God’s kingdom come, to listen to their heart and passions and also the hearts and passions and needs of the community.

Church leadership teams know their communities best, so my role is then about helping equip and support them with the tools, resources, funds, networking etc so they can journey to be where they feel God is calling them to.

Can you tell us a bit about your experience and what has led you to Together Liverpool?

I trained at London School of Theology and have been in local church leadership for the past 20 years. I am married to Liam and we live in Anfield with our four teenagers. We moved to Liverpool four years ago after leading a Baptist Church in the Cotswolds for ten years. I am a children’s ministry consultant and during the pandemic I have been writing curriculum so that families can work at home. I also work alongside the Emmaus Charity supporting church ministry and leadership teams..

What have you learned and what motivates you to social action work?

I am inspired by the Rule of Life and the values this embodies, and I believe God calls us all to unique, individual passions.

I am motivated to support the growth of a bigger church, making a bigger difference in our communities and spreading God’s love, to see God’s Kingdom come in the Diocese of Liverpool. To see people flourish and to help people along their journey.

Whatever we establish needs to be sustainable. Collaboration in the long run is more successful, more fruitful and sustainable which is why I am so excited about the Network of Kindness initiative.

The solution isn’t handouts. It is about encouraging the Kingdom of God to come into people’s lives in the fullest way!