With increasing amounts of homelessness and poverty, Chelsea Green represents one of the most underserved neighbourhoods in London, ON.
West London Alliance, an established church in the area, had been dreaming about planting for years⏤since the 80s, in fact. Then, when Jude St. John became the pastor of WLA in 2017 he developed a vision to plant two new churches within the decade. It has taken longer to get to this place than many people may have imagined, but the launch of Jacqueline Street in Chelsea Green represents a long season of preparation.
London Chinese Alliance Church used to meet in a building on Jacqueline Street, but over time decided to start gathering in the WLA building. With that building now vacant, the elders began to pray more seriously about what it might look like to plant a new church in this new space.
In their search for a pastor to oversee this new work, New Ventures Apprentice Rhys Plant came to mind. Rhys has long had a heart for mission: after university, he had his wife Natalie had hoped to pursue full-time international missions work in a low-income area in Scotland but things changed. Now, though Rhys and his family were set to move abroad, he sees a connection to the type of work he would have done internationally. Rhys and his family hope to move to Chelsea Green as they continue to pastor this new work in the coming months.
Jacqueline Street Alliance will launch on Easter 2022 with a vision to share the good news of Jesus and make His name great in the community of Chelsea Green and the world.
Learn more and pray for this New Venture: Jacqueline Street.