New leadership team takes over at growing east London church

24/09/10

On Wednesday night Ric Thorpe was installed as the priest in charge of All Hallows Bromley by Bow. The licensing service was carried out at the church by the Bishop of London.

The same ceremony saw Cris Rogers made associate vicar of the church and his wife Beki Rogers, also an ordained priest, become the assistant curate.

The church has been without a settled leadership since 2003 and has seen its congregation dwindle. This new leadership team hope to build the churches congregation, create a vibrant family friendly church and reach out to the local community.

Their ambitious plans will begin by looking at the community in which the church sits to see what is needed and what the church can offer. In particular, they plan to expand the church's already successful work with children and young people. Other plans include everything from English language classes, to debt counseling and working with the mental health group that already uses the church.

Cris Rogers explains:

"We want to see the Church the centre of the community again. For so long the Church has failed to represent its founding member Jesus and his passion for the poor. We want to see All Hallows alive with life, loving the streets around the Church.

"Often the Church has become only about the Sunday event, but we want to see the Church engaging with the whole of the community Monday to Saturday."