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Weekly Prayer Focus: Winter Gardens Baptist Church

Week 33

Back in the early twentieth century a group of ladies meeting in a front lounge became Winter Gardens Baptist Church in Canvey Island, Essex. A short time later a wooden building on stilts was erected near the sea wall and surrounded by fields and became the church’s meeting place. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that a housing estate grew up around the church meeting place, along with a CofE school and a state primary.

The Winter Gardens area has many needs, and this is reflected in the church congregation. Today the church is small in number but boldly reaching out into the community of Canvey Island. On Sunday, the church welcomed a family from our thriving toddler group to the Sunday service as they presented their children for an infant blessing.

Foodbank and Community Café give support and space for people to meet, chat and just be. Through friendship and conversation, God is making himself known.

A generous grant recently received is allowing us to renovate a small, prefabricated classroom standing in our car park behind our church meeting place, which will become part of our Community Garden space. This project came about when we asked God what he wanted us to do with what we had in our hands. We are excited how He will use this space for His glory as we partner with other professional agencies working in the community of Canvey Island.

Whilst outreach is going well, we struggle to find people able to lead and our Deacons team is just two people with limited time and resources.

Please pray for our Minister Rev Fiona Heddle and our Deacons. Pray that they will know God’s wisdom and provision.
Pray that God will raise up leaders.
Pray that God will continue to grow his disciples.
Pray for fruitfulness in our corporate and individual witness to Christ wherever he leads us.