At the Heart of It: ChurchWorks supports the Christian Community Hub Movement launch

It’s always good to be at the start of something new. Last week, around 70 people from across the UK came to Birmingham for the launch of the Christian Community Hub Movement. This formal Movement is new, but the actual work believers have been doing up and down the country has been going for decades. That is, providing a place for people to find community and access a wide range of support services.

I remember sitting at one table where we discussed what the definition of a “hub” really is. I was surprised by the number of different answers. But for me, that was the beauty of it. A “hub” is this amorphous, versatile, adaptable thing - tailorable and unique to the community it’s in. And it’s not uncommon for churches to have the most wide-ranging, deep relationships with people within their communities. To take hub literally, we’re talking about the centre, core, or heart of something. I think that’s a pretty good definition: being in the middle of things, open to everyone, and offering something of real value to the people coming in.

We started off with some prayer and worship, which was a good way to re-centre after travelling. Some people came all the way from Liverpool, Yorkshire, and Norwich - a testament to how much the event meant. Nigel Adams (Transforming Notts Together) gave a powerful keynote speech on how God called him to explore and develop Christian community hubs across the UK. It was a still, small voice, but an unignorable one. He also thanked everyone for the amazing work they’re doing in their individual communities, from knit and knatter coffee mornings to debt advice, and food pantries to healing rooms. 

Then came the workshops. ChurchWorks’ very own Alisha Palmer gave a fantastic presentation to roughly 25 people, exploring opportunities for churches to partner with their local services, highlighting our Family Hubs Toolkit and Social Prescribing how-to-guide resources.  Between the workshop and the stall we had set up throughout the day, there was plenty of interest. It was a great chance to let churches know about our ChurchWorks Summit in February 2026.

‍

After some lunch and networking, we had our final seminars. It was brilliant hearing from Mike Farley (Lead Community Connector, Lincoln City) about how churches have formed a tight relationship with the NHS there to deliver services, particularly to those most in need. Mike spoke about the need for patience, the danger of being overambitious in going for contracts, and how churches are often uniquely placed to build relationships, in a way the NHS often isn’t. It was also really interesting to hear about the partnerships churches have made with Lincoln Bishop University (formerly Bishop Grosseteste) to evaluate, in detail, the social value achieved and money saved by the NHS through their work.

So what are my reflections on the Christian Community Hub Movement launch? I have quite a few, to be honest. 

Firstly, there was huge passion in the room! People were immensely proud of, and dedicated to, the specific ways they were loving and serving their communities through the hubs they were providing. And there were some touching testimonies shared of people who came knowing no one, and over time, developed life-changing friendships, became more well, and sometimes even encountered Jesus. 

I think the ecumenism of the room also struck me. There were denominations from across the theological spectrum present. Jesus says the world will know you follow me because of how you love one another (he says this to the disciples and the context is how Christians treat their own brothers and sisters). Seeing such unity in the room over a common cause was a joy. 

And finally, I think the event made me feel like anything is possible. The commissioning relationship churches in Lincoln have formed with the NHS (after years of conversations, and weeks of praying and fasting) were quite astonishing. Statutory and spiritual can work together. It was great to be at the heart of those conversations in Birmingham, just like Christian community hubs are at the heart of the areas they serve. 

‍

Aaron James

‍

—

If you are interested in exploring how you might partner with local services, here are the resources we shared during our workshop! We encourage you to use and share them with others!

Social Prescribing: 

Click here to view our How-To Guide for Faith Leaders and our How-To Guide for Social Prescribing Link Workers. These how-to guides accompany a report produced by ChurchWorks and Theos exploring the role and challenges of churches and faith groups in social prescribing. 

Family Hubs:

Click here to view our Family Hubs toolkit: A practical, inspiring guide to help churches and local authorities collaborate and create life-changing support for families.

Finally, we would love to invite you to the ChurchWorks Summit. On Friday 27th February 2026 we will be hosting a flagship event, bringing together senior church leaders, government ministers, public sector representatives, and charity leaders to explore how faith and policy can work together for the social good. This one-day event will showcase successful church-government partnerships, highlight practical solutions to social challenges, and create opportunities for deeper collaboration. Click here to get your tickets and find out more.

You can keep up with future ChurchWorks events and projects by signing up to our monthly mailing list here.