Eastbourne Vicar to Speak at National Event on Church Growth
The Vicar of St Mary the Virgin Church, Eastbourne, the Revd Mother Arwen Folkes, will be among the speakers at a new one-day event hosted by the Church Times exploring signs of renewal and revival in the life of the Church.
The conference, Springtime for the Church of England: Where are we seeing growth?, is a new one-day event hosted by the Church Times exploring signs of renewal and revival in the life of the Church.
Mother Arwen will contribute to a panel discussion titled “Growing a sacramental church in a seaside town”, drawing on her experience of ministry and mission in Eastbourne. She said: “What we are seeing at St Mary’s is not a programme-led revival, but a quiet but tangible rediscovery of the church as a place of welcome, meaning, and encounter with God. It is confident, warm, and unapologetically sacramental and I look forward to sharing our experience with the wider church.”
Other speakers include Dr Belle Tindall-Riley (Centre for Cultural Witness), the Revd Dr David Goodhew (St Barnabas, Middlesbrough), and the Revd Dr Jonathan Kimber (Chaplain of King’s College, Cambridge). The day will conclude with a reflection from the Rt Revd Dr Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury.
Event organiser Madeleine Davies, Senior Writer at the Church Times, said the day will be “a chance to look beyond decline narratives and listen to first-hand stories of growth in local contexts — whether that’s through mission, sacramental renewal, or neighbourly care.”
It takes place on Saturday 31 January 2026 at St John’s, Waterloo (London SE1 8TY), bringing together theologians, clergy, and practitioners from across the traditions of the Church. It will explore the findings of the Bible Society’s Quiet Revival report, which revealed surprising new evidence of church growth across England and Wales, particularly among younger adults.
Tickets are open to the public and available through the Church Times website:
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/springtime-for-the-church-of-england-where-are-we-seeing-growth