Our united resources are called for to minister to the needs of a broken and divided world: to bring hope.
Our History
Together for the Common Good started with an idea in 2011. We began by exploring how people across the churches were playing their part for the wellbeing of society and how different traditions working together could make them more effective. We created resources and held events. As more people and organisations got involved, T4CG evolved organically and we developed Common Good Thinking. We became a charity in 2017. This is how our journey started.
We are inspired by an unlikely partnership between church leaders in Liverpool a generation ago. In a time of division and political instability, an Anglican bishop, a Catholic archbishop and Free Church leaders set aside their differences and worked together for the good of the city. Alongside communities, they contributed to the renewal of civic pride. While our own times demand new approaches, we find in their story of unity an inspiration, now not just for church leaders but for everyone.

our inspiration

working together
Once blighted by serious sectarianism, from the 1970s Liverpool became a model of ecumenical collaboration. The city was proud of its church leaders as they trailblazed a partnership of shared purpose for the good of the city. Free Church leaders from the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the Baptist Union and the Salvation Army worked alongside their Anglican and Catholic partners to strengthen community and bridge divides.

UNITY FOR THE CITY
As spokeman for the Merseyside Free Churches from 1987, the Methodist Dr John Newton depicted the vision of the Merseyside churches with beautiful clarity: “My hope and prayer is that, as Christians draw closer together, so they will work more effectively as one in their mission and service to God’s children. Our united resources are called for to minister to the needs of a broken and divided world: to bring hope to the poor, the homeless, the unemployed, those who have lost faith or never had it." The churches working together in service of the community was Newton’s dream.
