Moving mountains with a mustard seed A church leader shares his fundraising journey Mersea Island in Essex looks out over the estuary of the River Blackwater. One of its claims to fame is that it is the UK’s most easterly inhabited island. Connected to the mainland via a causeway, it is unique, beautiful and much loved by its residents and the many visitors who come to enjoy it. In the heart of West Mersea, nestled among a network of narrow lanes and tiny cottages, a remarkable story that began nearly a century ago continues to unfold. A local fellowship, rooted in prayer, is still seeking God’s guidance for the path ahead. The Old City Hall, located on The Lane near the waterfront, was established in 1931 by two devout Christian women as a gathering place for a women’s fellowship. In 1940, stewardship of the hall and its growing congregation was 22
entrusted to the French family. Today, Andrew French, leader of Old City Hall Christian Fellowship, shares the continuing story.
View of narrow lane that church sits on