Development Day 2026

Leading Your Church Into Growth: The Next Step

Bookings are now open for this year’s Development Day on Saturday 3 October. This will again take place at St Thomas Crookes, doors open at 9am for a 9.30am start. Bishop Pete will open the day by speaking on a Bible passage and we will welcome back Bishop Rhiannon King as our keynote speaker.

The aim of the day is to build on the start made at Diocesan Conference on how we might lead our churches into growth. In particular, we will be able to open up this event to many more lay people. Workshops will cover all the main LyCiG themes, but we also hope to offer things on how LyCiG relates to our Mission Action Planning and how to run a ‘LyCiG local’ course. Archdeacon David will lead a workshop on how LyCiG worked out in practice in his previous parish.

Each of the sessions covering the key steps of LyCiG will be videoed for reference but it would be worth groups from churches coordinating their bookings to attend as many of these as possible. If one person books in a group, please could you give us all the names. This makes it easier for individuals to check their workshop bookings on the day, if they have forgotten them. We want to emphasise that the workshops will offer a taster of each of the LyCiG steps; the time available is much shorter than on a typical LyCiG conference, but this will still provide a helpful way into the resources.

Please note: as usual, initially we will limit bookings to five people per church. If space remains available, we will offer additional spaces in the final fortnight.

We continue to offer an online option, but with a slightly reduced number of workshop options this year. Onsite, there will be a useful range of stalls offering information and resources.

Workshops

Morning – Online

Implementing a continual rhythm of growth: the 5Ps (step 3)
Speaker: Bishop Rhiannon King
Exploring ways in which we can move purposefully from maintenance to mission

LyCiG in my parish
Speaker: Archdeacon David Gerrard
From theory to practice: how did we make use of LyCiG principles in my last parish?

Morning – Onsite

Implementing a continual rhythm of growth: the 5Ps (step 3)
Speaker: Bishop Rhiannon King
Exploring ways in which we can move purposefully from maintenance to mission

Developing engaging worship (step 4)
Speaker: Fr Grant Naylor
Giving thought to small changes can enrich the worship experience of our services, whatever our tradition.

Inviting and welcoming our community (step 2)
Speaker: Revd Sarah Maughan
How to build stronger links with our local community and to make them feel welcome

How LyCiG relates to Mission Action Planning
Speaker: Revd Canon Harry Steele
Sheffield Diocese has invested a lot in Mission Action Planning in recent years; how can LyCiG dovetail with this and build on it?

Afternoon – Onsite

Creating a pathway for explorers to become witnesses (step 6)
Speaker: Bishop Rhiannon King
Description: Every church needs stepping stones to help people take the next step at each stage of their spiritual journey

Evangelism: being effective witnesses (step 5)
Speaker: Revd Sarah Maughan
If we do not share our faith, how can the church grow? Yet many Christians seem reluctant. Come to discover some helpful approaches to free us up to be good news.

How to run a LyCiG local
Speaker: Revd Canon Harry Steele
Description: Introducing a small group resource to help your church turn inspiration into definite plans.

LyCiG in my parish
Speaker: Ven David Gerrard
From theory to practice: how did we make use of LyCiG principles in my last parish?

Afternoon – Online

Creating a pathway for explorers to become witnesses (step 6)
Speaker: Bishop Rhiannon King
Every church needs stepping stones to help people take the next step at each stage of their spiritual journey

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