Our Journey as a Church

In 2006 our church in the Algarve was born when thirty eight people met together...

Those 38 people undertook to form a new Anglican Church and invited Rev Eric Britt to be its first priest in charge. Eric accepted and was supported in his ministry team by Lay Reader Jackie Nevill and Paul Luckman, who was in training at that time. A few weeks later All Saints were blessed with somewhere to worship when we were invited to use the premises at ASCA (Associação Social e Cultural de Almancil), by the then President of ASCA, Sr Hermes Alberto.

Following the first Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) in Jerusalem in June 2008. Terry & Jo Blackman met with Archbishop Kolini of Rwanda, Archbishop Acrofi of Ghana and Bishop Frank of the Church of England South Africa who signed a unique Concordat providing Episcopal Oversight to All Saints giving us legitimate status as an Anglican Church and which also enabled us to register with the Portuguese authorities.  We were now part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion. Bishop John Ellison was appointed as Episcopal Delegate a few years later by Archbishop Kolini and his guidance and leadership were invaluable.

In 2008 an evening service started in Lagoa at the Convento de São José, as a need for services further west was recognised. Jackie Nevill and Paul Luckman continued with their studies. Jackie being ordained Deacon in 2007 and Priest in 2008. Both these ordinations took place in Kigali, Rwanda by Archbishop Kolini.  Paul was ordained Deacon in 2008 and Priest in 2009 at Lagoa by Bishop Martin Morrison.

Rev Eric & Sue Britt were succeeded, after an interregnum, by Father Joe & Beth Wingo in May 2009 who arrived from Tampa, USA, together with baby Lilly. It was lovely to have a young family in our midst. When Father Joe returned to the USA we were without a priest in charge, but in 2011 Rev Jackie and Fr Paul rose to the challenge and a morning service started in Lagoa and our two congregations were born, in Lagoa and Almancil.  We meet together to worship for united services as well as at more informal social events and meetings which help us to keep in touch. 

In the absence of a resident priest for Almancil and after several years of being served by many locums at Almancil, who became our friends including Rev John Calvert who was with us for an extended period, Almancil congregation were very pleased in 2018 to welcome Rev Mike Clarkson to take the services at Almancil.  Over the years our Ministry Team grew: Terry Moore, Kurt Pardon and Maurice Holmes were admitted as Lay Readers and other lay people have followed a preaching course.

Our friendship with Rwanda continued to grow, with Rev Jackie spending time working there after she retired from All Saints, and other members of our church family having visited on several occasions.  Archbishop Kolini was succeeded by Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje and the current Archbishop Laurent Mbanda continued to support All Saints.

Following the death of Bishop John Ellison in 2019, in 2020 Archbishop Laurent Mbanda appointed Bishop Andy Lines, missionary bishop for GAFCON UK and Europe, as his episcopal delegate to All Saints.

In January 2022 the time was right for the Lagoa congregation to become an independent church. Also in 2022 the new GAFCON Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE) has given us the opportunity to have episcopal oversight nearer to home which was not available when our church was formed in 2006. We are very grateful to our brothers and sisters in Rwanda for the support they have given us over many years and we intend to continue our links with them into the future. 

The years of the Covid pandemic have taught us a great deal. We learnt how to continue to worship as a congregation by the miracle of Zoom – a new way of “doing church”. When we could meet face to face again, we were invited to use a beautiful new location for our worship which we have since christened “The Church in the Park”.

New blessings have been brought to us in the shape of new members. Enlightened and enthusiastic Locum Ministers have further opened our eyes to new ways of working together to spread the Gospel. With this reality and through prayer and discernment, the Church Council, in consultation with the congregation, has determined to continue this forward movement, prepare for the future and change the name of the Church to: 

Christ The King

A statement of faith
Christ above everything

Our Journey Together Continues...

Christ The King has a dedicated core of willing, resident church members who keep Christ The King alive and active. Being part of an expat community means that we enjoy having lots of part time members of our family who come and go through the year, as well as visitors who find us during their holidays. 

The Christ The King family have always enjoyed lots of different activities during the year which usually combine fun, faith and fellowship, and sometimes fundraising thrown in!  We always try to find ways to engage the local Portugese community in our activities which include Christmas & Summer Fairs, Golf Tournaments, Skittles, Boule, Picnics, Treasure Hunts, Fashion Shows, Meals, Parties, Quiet Days, Retreats, Music, Bible Studies & Discussions, Children’s Missions, Teddy Bear Services and other Special Services.

We have a willing band of 'Church Mice' who meet together for crafting sessions making cards and items to sell. There are several musicians amongst our members and Christ The King has always had a good reputation for Sunday morning worship. Over the years there have been a music group, choirs and dedicated worship leaders.

We can’t stand still, we know there are things we do well, but we also need to look to the areas where there are new challenges to face.

Looking to the future, let us be attentive to where God is leading us, looking on the past with thanksgiving, praying that God will guide us and lead us forward into the future... He has a plan.