TWO of the founders of the first Open Table community in Liverpool were re-commissioned as lay leaders in the Diocese of Liverpool last Saturday.

Local Missional Leadership is one way of valuing the importance of many different roles in the life of the church, not just those who are ordained (Clergy) or licenced (Readers) in the Church of England.

The Diocese of Liverpool has been commissioning Local Missional Leaders for more than five years. Different dioceses (regional areas) in the Church of England may do this in different ways, or call it by another name.

Warren Hartley and Kieran Bohan were first commissioned as Local Missional Leaders for three years in 2016 at St Bride’s Liverpool, in recognition of their ministry with LGBTQIA+ Christians in the first Open Table community, By this time Open Table communities had emerged in Warrington, Manchester and north Wales, with more to come. Warren’s focus was to lead the Liverpool community and encourage others in leadership, while Kieran’s focus was on supporting the emerging network of communities, especially to develop more communities within the diocese.

Kieran and Warren were recommissioned for a further two years separately in 2019, in recognition of how their roles had evolved. Kieran’s recommissioning that year took place within the context of a special event attended by representatives of nine of the sixteen Open Table communities that were active by then. At the event, called ‘Stories Around An Open Table’, Kieran shared the story of the growth of Open Table from one to many communities, launched the Vision, Mission and Values of the growing network, and shared a newly-written Open Table prayer, to encourage people to pray for this growing ministry.

This new commission is for a further year, in recognition of the good work they have achieved, but also of the need for them to bring forth other leaders to support this ministry and sustain it when they are no longer in those roles.

The re-commissioning this year was led by the Bishop of Warrington at Liverpool Cathedral, where Warren and Kieran received their new commission alongside others engaged in pioneering ministries elsewhere in the diocese.

During the commissioning service, the Bishop of Warrington asked the LMLs, including Warren and Kieran:

To which the LMLs replied:

Then the Bishop prayed:

This prayer seems fitting, not only for Warren’s ministry with the Liverpool community, and Kieran’s with the growing network, but also for all our leaders and volunteers across the country. So let’s offer this prayer for all who already serve Open Table communities in England and Wales, and those who are discerning whether they are called to host or support a community in future.

Amen!