Inspiring Ipswich was supported by £2.7 million Strategic Development Funding and nearly £1 million DBF funding, and was operational between 2019 – 2025.
The project was initiated to realise the Diocesan-wide vision of ‘Growing in God’ within the Ipswich deanery: to see existing churches and new worshipping communities growing in number, growing younger, growing in faith and growing in influence.
2019 Funding Application Executive summary | PDF
2019 Brochure | PDF
Project Goals
| To help make contact with 15,000 new people across the town |
| To help 7,500 people explore faith |
| To help 1,500 to worship with us at least monthly |
| To help start 25 new worshipping communities |
Project Outcomes
We are incredibly thankful to God and for the hard work of everyone in Ipswich who has played their part towards so much amazing fruit across the town. The deanery has a fresh focus on mission, evangelism and prayer and as a result:
| Many of our churches are growing |
| New people are coming to faith through contextual outreach, including Alpha, Messy Church and new congregations. |
| We now have 50+ new worshipping communities |
| There is a growing culture of disciples making disciples and exploring vocations |
Outcome in graphs | PDF
Faithful and Fruitful – A Celebration of Inspiring Ipswich
We were delighted to be joined by Bishop Joanne, Bishop Rhiannon and Bishop Graeme, along with around 170 people from the Deanery and Diocese, for our Faithful and Fruitful Celebration on 8 November 2025. We heard lots of amazing and powerful stories from individuals and churches about how God has been at work in our town - and thanked the many people who have been involved in so many ways - including loving and serving their communities, offering new ways for people to engage with church and helping everyone grow deeper in their Christian faith.
We look back with gratitude at what was sown, celebrate all that has grown, and affirm that the fruitfulness of this season carries the seeds for the next chapter of growth. Please continue to pray for Archdeacon Sam, the Deanery Leadership Team and everyone serving in ordained and lay leadership, as Ipswich Archdeaconry enters the next season.
Our Learning
The learning from the two SDF-funded projects has been integrated into the continuing work within our own Diocese, as well as being shared with several other Dioceses, a variety of networks in the UK and even as far as New Zealand and the US.
- CPAS 'Lead On' article: Ten Tips for a Mission-Minded Deanery.pdf (November 2023) | PDF
- End-of-project external evaluation by Brendan Research | PDF
What’s next?
There are a few areas where the direct investment from Inspiring Ipswich is continuing:
- Two Pioneers will continue developing new worshipping communities in Pinewood and the Spring Churches Benefice (previously Waterfront Churches) to the end of 2026
- Associate vicars for developing new worshipping communities at St Margaret's Church and Ipswich Minster will continue until the end of 2027
- A two-year post to develop youth ministry at St Thomas' Church will continue to the end of 2027
We will continue to reflect on the learning from the investments and initiatives over recent years, and we are entering a phase of consultation and prayerful discernment for future projects.
Further information
If you are interested to understand more about Inspiring Ipswich and our wider learning, please email:
Lucy De Las Casas | Director of Development
Karen Macfadyen | Strategic Programme Manager
