Here stands the Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic. Its story is one of resilience and community. The Christ Apostolic Church Great Britain Headquarters is part of a worldwide family. This branch started in 1979 by immigrants. They were mainly from Nigeria. These immigrants were Christ Apostolic Church members. They wanted to share their experience of God in their new country.
Let’s journey back to November 22 2015. A fire engulfed the main sanctuary. The interior was destroyed. The church was unable to use the sanctuary. They met in the next-door church hall. They started fundraising to restore the building.
Pastor Emmanuel Tukasi took over leadership on October 9 2020. This was during Covid. He faced the challenge of rebuilding. The church had been undergoing a period of change. The fire had destroyed much of the building.
Apart from removing the debris the building remained unused until 2021. Then the restoration started. Everything was rebuilt from scratch. This included under the floors. Only the four walls remained.
The church had a hall beside the building. It was previously used for social events. It was also used for children’s ministry. The church used the hall for Sunday services. This helped retain parishioners. It allowed the church to continue at the site.
Stewardship helped the church. They provided assistance with funding. Other financial institutions did not respond. Stewardship looked beyond Covid. This was encouraging. The interest rate offered was also the best.
The funds helped the insurance provider release funds. Donations from members also helped. They contributed overwhelmingly. They could see the project was fully funded.
The first service back in the building was on December 18 2022. Rising costs in materials and living delayed the project. There were also issues with the electrical supply contractor. But the project architect and contractor deemed it safe.
Now the building is back. Members who previously used online streaming are returning. The community is approaching the church. They want to use it for weddings and funerals. They also want to use it for other group activities.
The pastor’s vision is to meet the community’s needs. He wants people to see this place as a venue. A venue where they can fellowship with God’s people. He envisions young people seeing this place as home. A home where they can express their experience of God. He wants the community to see the church as part of their history.
The Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic stands as a testament to faith. It shows the strength of community. It is a place where people can connect with God and each other. Its doors are open. Its arms are welcoming.