About Us

The "Owners"

In order to relate to the Black Country as a sub-region and, for instance to the Black Country Consortium, the churches struggle with their own boundaries.

The Black Country is part only of:

  • The Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham
  • The Heart of England Baptist Association
  • The West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church
  • The Midlands Division of the Salvation Army
  • Central England Quakers

For other denominations, parts of the Black Country are within:

  • The Birmingham Diocese of the Church of England (the Warley Deanery)
  • The Lichfield Diocese of the Church of England
  • The Worcester Diocese of the Church of England
  • The Birmingham District of the Methodist Church
  • The Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District of the Methodist Church

Each of these areas is represented "round the table" of Black Country Churches Engaged, and joined by an Orthodox representative, a leader of the black majority churches, and representatives of The Net.

The endorsement of the aims and objects of BCCE was made on 11th May, 2000.  Shown in the photgraph taken at Wednesbury are (L-R) the Rev Bill Snelson, Major Ron Smith, the Rev Brian Nicholls, the Rev Elizabeth Welch, the Rev Frank Lewis, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, the Rev Peter Curry, the Rt Rev Mark Santer, Mr Gilbert Rowley, the Rt Rev Peter Selby, the Rt Rev Michael Bourke, and Mr Mike Topliss.

   Photo.  Rev Bob Powell

The Officers

The President, who chairs the Church Leaders' Meeting and represents the Church Leaders on the Enabling Group is the Rt Rev Monsignor Canon Patrick McKinney.

The Enabling Group Chair is the Revd Andrew Mann-Ray      

The Honorary Treasurer is Mr David Beswick

The Industrial Mission Officer : The Revd Bill Mash is the Team Leader of the Black Country Urban Industrial Mission. 

The Black Country's Ecumenical Mission Officer is the Rev. Philip Webb: he is employed for 20 hours each week to work with both BCCE & CLASP ("Black Country Churches Engaged", & "Churches Linked Across Staffordshire and the Potteries")

This re-envisaged post seeks to focus ecumenical work on encouraging and supporting Mission initiatives amongst the denominations and so heighten the ecumenical opportunities for co-operation at all levels.  Before takin gup this work Philip was the County Ecumenical Development Officer for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.  He is a Baptist Minister and has held pastorates in Bristol, St Albans and Maidstone and has also served as an Executive Officer in the Baptist Union's Department of Ministry. He and his wife Jane (who is the minister of Swadlincote Baptist Church, near Burton upon Trent)  live in Chellaston, south of Derby.

The Rev Philip Webb

Philip says: "throughout my time as an ecumenical officer it has been my joy and privilege to work and worship with Christians of all traditions, to learn from them, to commend them to their brothers and sisters in Christ, and to help them in their local mission. Ecumenism always means learning about each other, but that is not an end in itself. For me ecumenism is always mission-shaped. We come together primarily to be more effective in doing all that God calls his Church to be and do in today's world."

He adds, "I am very much enjoying working with new friends across this fascinating area  as we explore God's exciting opportunities together. Do get in touch!"