‘Brighton most godless city in England, Census 2021 reveals.’ That headline in the Brighton Argus in December 2022 grabbed people’s attention. 55.2% of the city’s population ticked the ‘no religion’ box, the highest in England. Yet several churches in Brighton continue to thrive, and new churches are being planted.
In 2021 we reported on the beginnings of ‘Grace Plant Brighton.’ David and Naomi Skull moved from Guildford to gather a new church plant. They merged with New Life Church Moulsecoomb (FIEC) to form Grace Church Brighton, Julian Rebera and David becoming elders. They formed a membership in January 2022, and to date that has grown to 23.
The church has had quite a journey since then. They have met in a park, a front room, a church’s front lobby, and a conference room at Brighton University. They are now tenants of a Seventh Day Adventist church close to Grand Parade in the city centre. They still pray for a venue of their own in the Lewes Road area.
The elderly and bereaved: a growing gospel need
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