FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY: Prayer helped our church plant to flourish
by the Rev Fran Carabott, vicar, Cosham and Wymering
WE launched a brand new congregation in Cosham last September – and it is already more than five times bigger than when we started!
I was asked to plant a new contemporary congregation within St Philip’s Church in the Highbury estate in the autumn. We started with me and a team of 12 people, and we now host around 60 adults and 11 children each week.
It has been an amazing few months, and I wanted to thank God, to thank the small team who began this work, to thank the previous vicar who laid the groundwork for this to happen – and also to thank the people who live in Cosham. They have enthusiastically welcomed us and embraced what we’re trying to do.
Eight years ago, I was involved in planting a new congregation at St Margaret’s in Southsea, which has grown into a thriving church with a soft play area, café and Pantry serving the community. But I always felt the God was calling me to start a new congregation somewhere else, and felt drawn to Cosham.
We asked people at St Margaret’s and 12 wanted to join us. We began praying as we walked around the area meeting people, as well as praying regularly in the churches at Cosham and Wymering.
We hosted a Light Party in October, and 200 people joined in, mostly families with younger children. At Christmas, we knocked on people’s doors with mince pies and invited them to our carol services, which were packed. People seemed blown away to be invited in person, and six people became Christians during our carol services.
We’ve held two full-immersion baptisms, we’ve launched midweek Bible studies and Alpha Courses – and some people have just walked in off the street and asked to be involved. It seems that people are hearing about what we are doing, feeling attracted by it, and are coming in to ask questions.
The great thing is that there is still room for more people to join us, especially if you live anywhere near the Cosham area. Come and find out what difference Jesus can make to your life, and how to be part of this amazing, growing community of Christians based at St Philip’s Church.
If you think you know what church might be like already, come and see what’s it’s like here. You might find that what we have to offer is actually very different!
ST PHILIP’S CHURCH, Hawthorn Crescent, Cosham, Portsmouth PO6 2TL