Shoreham Churches Together

Shoreham Churches Together is part of the national movement Churches Together in Britain and Ireland which aims to improve co-operation between different Christian denominations. Different areas' Churches Together operate in different ways, sharing some services each year during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and often coming together at some point over Easter to offer a shared witness to the gathered community.

In Shoreham, the following churches are part of this group:-

Church of the Good Shepherd, Shoreham Beach

St Giles and St Julian's, Kingston Buci - Anglican

St Mary de Haura (Shoreham New) and St Nicolas (Shoreham Old) - Anglican

St Peter's Roman Catholic Church

Shoreham Baptist Church

Shoreham Free Church

Shoreham Methodist Church

The ministers of these churches currently meet each month to discuss what we can do together and to share our news. Open meetings are also held twice a year to which all members of the participating churches are warmly invited. Currently co-operation in planning worship occurs at Easter on Good Friday, on Sea Sunday and for Holocaust Memorial Day and for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Subscriptions from Member Churches fund shared advertising of Christmas and Easter Services. At present, when a month has 5 Sundays, there is a Combined Service at 4pm in one of the member churches to which all are welcome.

Following a period when the Executive of the Shoreham Churches Together comprised only the ordained ministers of each church, involvement of Lay Representatives from each church was resumed in the Summer of 2010. The  2 lay members representing COGS in the oversight and governance of the group are Joy Daintree and Ange Lamper. The next meeting of this Executive Body will be held on Thursday 16th September, and the Annual Open Meeting, to which all members of the churches are welcome will be held in the Church of the Good Shepherd Hall on Thursday 7th October at 7.30pm.

It is hoped that in future, greater co-operation between member churches can be organised over activities and actions offering God's care to the world. At present, a small group has started meeting to look at Bereavement Support across Shoreham and it is hoped that a combined service could offer a range of different ways of supporting people through the bereavement process. Other suggestions include offering a shared Christianity Explored course, and organising a joint 'Stall' at Beach Dreams.