Standing tall with the Gospel
One Elim church is determined to lift its profile spiritually and physically
The City Gates are a place of
welcome, access and entrance;
a church should be all of these
things. That’s how City Gates
Christian Centre, an Elim church
in Ilford, East London, came by its
unusual name.
So does it live up to it? Well, with
around 1,100 people attending one of
the four services every Sunday, and Derbyshire is chair of this organisa- commit to working 18 hours a month
a multitude of midweek activities and tion, which works to rehabilitate young on the school premises – cooking,
initiatives, it clearly must be doing drug users – including running Wilker- cleaning, helping in the classroom or
something right! son House, a nine-bed hostel for male around the site.
addicts.
Pastor Stephen Derbyshire has been Closer to home, building plans are
Senior Pastor at City Gates for 14 There is also a vibrant youth ministry, on the agenda too. The church has
years. ‘What’s at the heart of City called Blueprint, which includes youth completely outgrown its current facili-
Gates? Our strapline is “empowering clubs, worship, dance and drama ties. ‘We have three buildings in the
people to make a difference”. We live groups for those already in the church town centre and there’s something
it out through different community and those outside. going on in every building every night
projects, and through small groups. of the week, whether youth, training or
There are community classes in Eng- counselling, or whatever.’
‘Our vision is to be influential within the lish as a Second Language (ESOL),
town. We would like to have someone a parents’ and toddlers’ group, a Sat- After years of planning battles and
present at every committee; we really urday coffee shop, a children’s choir, serious disappointments, the church
do want to be the salt and the light in men’s groups, women’s groups, and is now hoping that new plans for a £6
this area. We do have a high profile; a range of activities on the Broad- million redevelopment of their present
you won’t get very far in the town and mead estate, described as ‘one of the site – over 14 floors – will soon be
not know who City Gates are.’ poorest estates in the country’. approved.
It’s not surprising. Not only is the And it doesn’t stop there; the City ‘We believe that God wants us to be
church physically present on a prime Gates brand of ‘making a difference’ a church with influence, and to be a
site in Ilford’s town centre, but also it has recently gone international! The church with influence we’ve got to
makes itself known through a host of City Gates Academy, a school in a be in the town centre, so that’s what
ministries, both supporting and devel- slum area in the Philippines, opened a we’re doing. We have been tempted
oping church members, and reaching year ago and currently has 60 pupils to look elsewhere, but it wouldn’t be
out into the community around them. from very poor families. The parents right. We’ve got to follow this one
These include a strong link with Teen don’t have to pay fees, but, in an in- through.’
Challenge East London – Stephen novative touch, instead they have to
www.elim.org.uk 11
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