The aims of the Learning Community are summarised in these three ways:

Renewal

• Churches experiencing fresh encounters with God,

• confident in the work of the Holy Spirit among them,

• and filled with hope and inspiration for the future.

  
  Reimagining

• God’s people confident in their call to serve Jesus not just in the church but in all the spheres of everyday life,

• churches led by teams bound together by friendship and common purpose,

• clergy equipped and confident to exercise a ministry of oversight

  gifts and calling.

  
  Resourcing

• Churches engage with ReSource’s three core courses: Saints Alive, Alive in Christ and Your SHAPE for God’s Service, using them locally as appropriate.

• They also follow the eight key steps of ReSource’s Reimagining Ministry programme, enabling a transition to a pattern of shared ministry rooted in dependence on Christ and friendship with one another.

• Clergy and lay leaders have the opportunity of one-to-one support through ReSource’s Alongside Scheme

• Our network of ReSource Ministers offer tailored support to local churches, leading ‘Sanctuary Days’, retreats or other events

• The Learning Community guides churches through this two year period of renewal and reimagining, providing advice and facilitating mutual support and accountability.

Who can join the Learning Community, and when?

The initial residential in February 2026 is for a small group of key clergy and lay leaders from a benefice or group of churches. Thereafter, we ask you to form a wider team including other potential lay leaders, who will join from the first single-day gathering in spring 2026. This whole group will attend the second residential in April 2027. We recognise that not all churches within a benefice or group may yet be ready to participate fully, so the wider team does not need to have every church in a group represented. 

How much does it cost?

ReSource has received grant funding which enables us to invite up to ten benefices to participate free of charge. This is available to churches in the following dioceses: Birmingham, Chester, Coventry, Derby, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, Peterborough and Worcester. 

The full cost of the Learning Community, including food and accommodation at the residential gatherings, is £450 for each ordained or ‘core leader’ (who attend both overnight gatherings), and £300 for each of the ‘local leaders’ (who attend the day-gatherings and just the second overnight gathering). The five single-day gatherings will be hosted regionally, perhaps at a venue provided by one of the churches involved, and we would expect churches to organise and share the costs of catering and local travel for these days.

The grant funding we have received enables us typically to cover the cost of three core leaders, and a further three local leaders from each benefice or group, with some flexibility. A group of more than six participants would need to make some donation towards the cost of additional places. 

The Learning Community is led by Revd Dr David Heywood, with additional input from other ReSource staff, ReSource Ministers and Alongside Companions.

If you are interested in joining the Learning Community, please email David on david@resourcingrenewal.org to register your interest, and you can discuss the size of your group and associated costs with him.

The Trustees of ReSource have created a bursary fund for churches who are otherwise unable to raise the suggested level of donations to join the Learning Community. Please contact us if you would like to find out more about this support.