The years have forged CFS into a distinctive church with a unique identity.
Explore the timeline and find out how CFS was formed. Warts and all!
September 2002
We started and died
With a launch party at the Arlington Rooms and events targeted at young people, we were going to be the coolest church in Southend. It was September 2o02 and we were dreaming of creating a community that included [...]
March 2003
We began eating together and God was pleased
With the plans dead and the team gone, God now had space to create something new. It was early in 2003 and we decided to have another go, inviting our friends from beyond the church to a home [...]
May 2004
Reimagining church – the first few baptisms
Understanding church as a community of Jesus' followers gave us space to reimagine its ancient traditions in modern ways. Starting with Baptisms in 2004. If there were water and faith, we were ready to baptise. But, if believer's [...]
August 2006
Tony the rough-sleeper led us out to meet God
Thanks to Tony, everything continued to change in 2006. As we wrestled with how to reshape our community increasingly for the poor and marginalised, a Christian probation worker approached us. He had a client called Tony who wanted [...]
May 2008
Resisting pressure for public worship services, we went on holiday.
As friends invited friends, CFS grew quickly and organically with new new groups starting in homes across the area. With the growing size of CFS in 2008, we found starting new groups had many strengths: it would help new [...]
September 2014
Sending Dan and Annie Dupree to work with BMS in Albania
Dan and Annie Dupree joined CFS with Dan training with us for 3 years as a student minister. Deep in the DNA of the church is to send people out to be God's agents elsewhere. After 3 great [...]