Christchurch celebrates 40 years of ministry

Christchurch was founded in 1974 by husband and wife team, Pastors Sam and Marie Grant.

The church held two special services at their Oakfield Drive premises last Sunday to mark the occasion.

Christchurch has had a long standing presence in the borough, having moved to its original North Road premises in 1979. It continued to grow steadily until in the late 1990s, when it purchased a new site at Oakfield Drive.

Construction of the new premises started in June 1999, with the building officially opened by Marie Grant the following year.

The church has since flourished at the heart of the communities of Glenfield, Dunluskin, Castlemara and Oakland.

The current congregation is made up of over 70 subscribing families, with an average of 200 visiting weekly for services.

Speaking after the day of celebrations, Pastor Sam Grant said: “We had a morning service with the singing group Simple Faith, who have just returned from the USA after making a CD. Alderman May Beattie presented our children’s singing group with new t-shirts, and during the evening service, we had singing and dancing from the children’s choir and Sunday School.”

The service included a special announcement from Pastor Grant’s son, Jonathan.

“Jonathan told the congregation that the loan we had taken out to build the current church has now been paid back in full, a year earlier than anticipated, so that was great news,” added Pastor Grant. “I’m very proud of everything we have achieved as a congregation.”