AN ambitious project aims to plant two generations of church plants in and around Fareham over the next few years.

A group of worshippers from St John’s Church, Fareham, will kick-start a new contemporary congregation in St Peter and St Paul Church in the town centre – with a vision to then plant a further church within the new housing development at nearby Welborne.

The project, supported by grant funding from the national Church, aims to create a new, vibrant congregation of more than 300 adults and children at St Peter and St Paul over the next five years – while also cherishing its existing traditional congregation. The plans include the employment of an operations manager, worship leader and a children and families leader there, as well as the refurbishment of the 800-year-old building.

Our diocese will appoint a visionary church-planter to lead the group from St John’s, who will gather the church-planting team and launch a series of mission initiatives in the town. Traditional worship for the existing congregation will also be supported and resourced, with a Eucharist in the church's historic Lady Chapel each Sunday.

And as the brand new town of Welborne is created to the north of the M27, worshippers from the church’s new congregation will help to plant a second church there, perhaps from 2027. The 6,000-home development will gradually be created over the next few decades.

The plans are being overseen by experienced church-planter the Rev Henry Kendal, who became vicar of St John’s, Fareham, last year with a brief to lead the project.

He said: “Fareham is a vibrant town, full of young families, and we want to have a flagship presence in the 800-year-old church in the town centre. We have significant funding, to employ a team of people and to refurbish its buildings – retaining its historic aspects and making it fit for modern worship.

“The new mission priest will spend six to nine months gathering a team from St John’s and also others locally who want to be part of this exciting venture. This priest will effectively be creating a brand new congregation at St Peter and St Paul, and will play a large part in shaping what that looks like – with myself and others in support.

“Then there’s a great opportunity to be part of a second church plant in a few years. Welborne will initially be a garden village to the north of the development area, with its own village hall. We want to have a presence there from the start, to serve the first households that move in. In time, we may then want to create a church in Welborne town centre itself, as it takes shape..

“I’m really excited by this whole project, and working alongside a new colleague. I want to emphasise that this person won’t be assisting me but will be the lead planter. They’ll come with a coherent vision and with experience of growing churches before.”