for god’s
glory
for bethnal green’s good
why here?
why now?
In the mid-1800s, the then Bishop of London instigated a plan to plant churches across Bethnal Green. These ‘commissioner's churches’ were built to serve and show Jesus to communities that were rapidly growing, struggling to make ends meet, underserved by local government and facilities, and full of individuals and families landing in East London from around the UK and from across the world.
Sound familiar?
We believe God is regathering the church in Bethnal Green on this same mission.
bethnal green comes from a 13th century name
·
originally called 'blythenhale' or 'blithehale'
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meaning 'happy corner' or 'pleasant nook'
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bethnal green comes from a 13th century name · originally called 'blythenhale' or 'blithehale' · meaning 'happy corner' or 'pleasant nook' ·
Our area
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is diverse and different
the fastest growing and most densely populated borough in the uk**
38% of residents born outside UK (nat. av. 17%)*one of the top 5 most diverse boroughs nationally **
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is getting younger
well over the national average of 20-39 yr olds*
well under the national average of 55+ yr olds*
~25% to 31% of the population are students, noticeably above the national average. -
has huge challenges
almost half of all children in the borough are living in poverty
housing expenses act as the single largest trigger for pushing thousands of families below the relative poverty line.
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needs to know Jesus
the lowest christian population in the uk proportionally**
the highest muslim population in the uk proportionally**
*approximate parish statistics via ONS custom area profiles
**Tower Hamlets statistics via Census 2021
Bethnal Green has changed drastically in recent times—but this has always been the case through the history of this area. It has always become a home to communities from around the world — those who have chosen to live here and those who have had that choice made for them. This is a borough that has been shaped and reshaped many times by different cultures, different initiatives and industries, many tragedies and many challenges. It is likely far younger than we think it is, and life is far harder for many than we can imagine.
what’s next?
Bethnal Green has the potential for anything; to be anything, to see anything, to make anything happen. It is a sleeping giant of unity seen in its heritage of justice, protest, and resistance. It is a dormant eruption of kingdom creativity, imagination, and resourcefulness seen in the threads and weaves of its garments, colour, and industry. It has seen a time in the not-too-distant past where churches had to be planted and resourced with urgency to respond to the needs of the people—and with urgency again those churches need renewed life, renewed resolve, and renewed zeal. We need people - we need you - to jump into life in East London and be part of what God is doing, and what God wants to do to bring life, renewal, and hope to this kaleidoscopic, frenetic, beautiful, and fierce area of our city. Come and join in.