A redundant Catholic church building is becoming home for a Grace Baptist church.
Formerly the St Michael of Tours Catholic Church in Lydd, on Romney Marsh in Kent, it has been bought by Living Hope Bible Church, a small church serving the towns of Lydd and New Romney.
Living Hope Bible Church was established by a small group of Christians nearly ten years ago, and constituted as a church in 2011. They met in a number of places, including an industrial building, until they hired a village hall in nearby Hythe in 2013, which became home for Sunday worship for seven years. The church joined the Association of Grace Baptist Churches (SE) in 2018, and have been encouraged by their help and advice.
In 2017, the Catholic church building had come up for sale, with an asking price of over £400,000. This attracted the church’s attention, but was way beyond their means. Included in the price was a significant plot of land, and the successful buyer was a developer, keen to build several homes.
In 2020 the pandemic meant Living Hope had to move online and, even when lockdown eased, the village hall remained closed. However, joint-pastor Alan Clark says: ‘The Lord has been at work, and added a new young family to us in that time. Having come to the Lord, the parents have now asked to be baptised and to become church members. We have also started both a men’s and a ladies’ meeting. We have also been praying that the Lord would show us how to move forward – and show us He has!’
In 2020, the developer put the church building up for sale as it stood. Living Hope had been given the proceeds of a house sale, so they knew how much they could offer. They asked God that if it was His will to go ahead, this would match the asking price, and it did! The sale is due to complete as en goes to press, and after a few weeks’ building work they hope to open on Whit Sunday, 23 May. Alan says: ‘By God’s grace this empty but impressive church building will soon be a place where this small church will be presenting the true gospel and teaching Scripture verse by verse from the pulpit.’ For more information, visit: livinghopebiblechurch.org.uk
