Mission field: Clapham
Courland Grove is a Grace Baptist Church in a run-down part of inner London. Our congregation is mainly some of the poorest members of society: single parents, the mentally disadvantaged and unemployed.
Among these needy folk are some with extreme problems: alcoholics, schizophrenics, drug addicts and the psychologically disturbed. Many members lack either a paid job or a normal family background. Many are damaged by broken relationship situations.
The blessings
Yet within this environment, the Lord is working. Many of these people have a genuine love for the Lord Jesus and are keen to be baptised. While many of our churches are struggling to maintain numbers, we have plenty of friends as described above who keep dropping in off the streets. The membership is 55 and about 80 attend on Sundays. How do we account for this blessing? By the goodness of Almighty God; the faithfulness of our pastor, Paul Reed, who has laboured here for over 20 years; the church trying to respond to the actual needs of the locality.