We hope you all find us welcoming. We are all unique, have experienced different life journeys and therefore we are already a diverse community. Members of the congregation have different heritages, have life-experience of disability and who identify themselves as being part of a marginalised or disadvantaged social group.

We have to admit that in the past the Church of England has not been perceived to be welcoming by some people. For example, it has overlooked the calling and gifts of youngsters, disabled people, LGBTQ and marginalised groups. The Church of England is determined to do better in the future and St George’s Church wants to be part of that change! Our liturgy has been chosen to be inclusive and theologically grounded in the incarnation: God with us. If there are any reasonable adjustments that we can make to help you access what’s on offer, please let a member of the leadership team know.

Youngsters

Let the little children come to me and do not stop them.

Luke 18:16

We believe that children and young people can follow Jesus and be full members of the church, and that discipleship is possible at any age. They are integral to our churches, and we make sure there are no obstacles preventing them from getting involved.

Disability

Many disabled people cite the attitudes, environment and barriers to participation as being the most disabling factors in their lives. Yes, they may live with an impairment but it can be the society they live in, or the organisation they work for, that disables them. A person with a mobility impairment may be liberated by having a wheelchair but completely disabled by lack of access to a meeting by the stairs that are its only access.

St George’s is part of the Church of England and we want to be an enabling rather than a disabling church. Increasingly, we are asking the question, “How can we enable disabled people to be at the heart of our communities, explore their vocation and realise their gifts?”

LGBTQ

St George’s is accepting and supportive of LGBTQ members and rights. In 2000, the Church of England permitted for transgender priests to continue serving as vicars. In 2014, the Anglican church appointed an openly transgender, and lesbian, vicar as a minor canon and in 2015, the Church of England introduced a proposal to offer naming ceremonies for transgender members. At St George’s, you can participate and get involved if you identify as being LBGTQ. LBGTQ issues are already represented in the PCC and we are hopeful for continued positive change.

The Church of England has already had services for people who have been through a significant personal transition of one kind or another’ which could be used to mark gender change.

William Nye Secretary General of the Archbishop’s Council of the Church of England

We know that LBGTQ issues continue to be debated in the Church of England. Here’s the Archbishop of Canterbury being interviewed about sexuality, LGBTQ and transgender.