LEEDS, ENGLAND — Church of England parishes are to form new congregations aimed at reaching unchurched young adults and students in several parts of the country.

A series of grants to help fund the projects has been awarded as part of the Church of England’s programme of Renewal and Reform.

St Augustine’s church in Leeds in the North of England is set to launch a new Sunday afternoon church to reach out to many unchurched students in their parish.

Tens of thousands of students and young people who may never have been to church before are to be reached thanks to a Church of England £9 million funding programme for mission projects across the country.

In the north of England St Augustine’s is set to plant a new Sunday afternoon church in the student area of Hyde Park in Leeds.

Their student pastor Tim Riman explains how they aim to reach this unchurched generation.

We are going to be cultivating and growing a new community of student disciples. As people come into our community an opportunity to experience and be part of church. And so for us that means we’re going to have to explore what does it look like to have a church full of students that have almost no experience of the Christian faith before they join us. And so for us it’s a really exciting challenge to go how do we create this community that is welcoming for those who’ve never been part of a church before during their whole lives.

And as the Church of England funds several other mission projects like these it’s hoped many young lives will be impacted for the Gospel.

Read more news on Youth Ministry and Local Missions on Missions Box.