Funding awarded to support science engagement in St Matthew’s Church, Walsall
St Matthew’s Church in Walsall has been awarded a grant of £9,850 to deliver Embodied Faith: How Does God Meet Us in Body? The project explores how Christian worship and prayer are experienced through the body and how science and faith can enrich one another.
St Matthew’s Church is one of fifteen churches and Christian organisations in the UK to receive funding from Scientists in Congregations, a grant programme run by Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science, for 2026-27. Recipients include a cathedral, a community farm, and a Methodist art project. (Full list below.)
Embodied Faith will bring together St Matthew’s Church, the University of Wolverhampton, and the wider Walsall community through a living lab session, a public interactive event at church, and informal outreach talks in community venues. The project will explore physiological responses to practices such as prayer, worship, and reflection, while creating space for open discussion about scientific vocation, wellbeing, and Christian faith. The project will run across 2026-27, with opportunities for congregation members, scientists, students, neighbouring churches, and the wider public to take part.
The co-directors, Rev. Preb. Jim Trood and Dr. Alex Dallaway, said “We are delighted to receive this award for Embodied Faith. This project will help us affirm the scientists and healthcare professionals within our congregation, explore how prayer and worship engage the whole person, and create fresh opportunities for conversation between church, university, and community. We hope it will strengthen Christian witness and encourage others to see that science and faith are not in conflict, but can enrich one another.”.
David Wilkinson, ECLAS Project Director, said: “We are proud to make this significant investment into advancing the science-faith dialogue in the UK. These projects, which represent a wide range of topics, faith traditions, and geographic reach, will become exemplars to other churches and theological colleges who want to weave engagement with science and scientists into their mission and ministry.”
For further information, please contact either of the co-directors:
Dr. Alexander Dallaway
Senior Lecturer at University of Wolverhampton
Email: alex.dallaway@wlv.ac.uk
Rev. Preb. Jim Trood
Rector, St Matthew’s Church, Walsall
Email: rector@stmatthewswalsall.co.uk
About St Matthew’s Church
St Matthew’s Church is a growing Anglican church in the centre of Walsall, serving a diverse urban community through worship, pastoral care, discipleship, and community engagement. Its congregation comprises a wide range of ages, cultures, and backgrounds, which is reflected in the diverse services, events and activities offered. The church is committed to thoughtful Christian engagement with contemporary issues and has strong ecumenical links across Walsall and the Black Country.
For further information please visit www.stmatthewswalsall.co.uk.
About ECLAS
ECLAS has awarded 96 Scientists in Congregations grants since 2016.
ECLAS is an ecumenical project based at St John’s College, Durham University, in partnership with the University of York and the Church of England. ECLAS also has hubs in India, Kenya, Poland, and Singapore. Its driving research question is: ‘How does context give challenges and opportunities for equipping Christian leadership in an age of science?’
ECLAS, and its Scientists in Congregations grants, are funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
Full details of the awarded projects are available at www.eclasproject.org.
Scientists in Congregations awardees and projects, 2026-27:
● GoHealth (£8,295). Spiritual Intelligence in Practice: Breath Prayers
● St Matthew’s Church, Walsall (£9,850). Embodied Faith: How Does God Meet us in Body?
● Farnham Churches Network (£4,750). Caring for Planet Earth: Science and Christian Responses to Climate Change.
● Christleton Parish Church (£7,700). The Role of Science in the Coming of God’s Kingdom.
● St Nic’s Church, Durham (£10,000). Enduring Call, Changing Climate.
● Shieldfield Art Works (10,328). Creating Fallow.
● King’s Church, Warrington (£8,000). Escape Room
● St George’s Church, Hyde (£8,562). The Science Club.
● Carlisle Cathedral (£9,850). Land, Landscape and Faith.
● Jubilee Farm, Co. Antrim (£9,546). Eating Creation: Exploring the Relationship Between Food, Health and the Environment.
● Youthscape with Christians in Science (£5,000). Wonder, Wow, Worship @Satellites 2026.
● The Projection Studio (£9,600). Without a Voice, They Speak.
● Lanchester Methodist Church (£3,260). The Mustard Seed Microscope.
● St Olave, Hart Street, London (£8,000). Fire and Faith: Exploring Science and Theology Through the Great Fire of London.
● Church of Ireland (£2,071.20). How Can You Be a Scientist and a Christian?
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Our Safeguarding Coordinator is Barbara Parker and can be contacted by emailing safeguarding@stmatthewswalsall.co.uk.
Alternatively you can contact the rector, Rev. Jim Trood, on 07939 587208, or the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor, Neil Spiring, on 01543 306147 or neil.spiring@lichfield.anglican.org.
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St Matthew’s Walsall is part of The Diocese of Lichfield in The Church of England, and is a member of The National Churches Trust.
