The Costa Blanca English Church – An exciting new project!
Firstly, thank you for stopping by and showing an interest in the Costa Blanca English Church. We are a new group starting out and finding our feet but we are based firmly in Christ and his love. I am Rev. Steven and am delighted you have found us. In this article I will explain a little more about me, the Church and what I want to achieve. Who knows, you may find your new spiritual home with us at the Costa Blanca English Church.
About Rev. Steven
You can find out more about my background by clicking the “about the Costa Blanca English Church” page if you want to see the embarrassing childhood pictures! But whilst that page talks about the history, I want to talk about the now and why I chose to launch something (albeit a small informal level for the time being until we get some bums on seats) new and different on the Costa Blanca.
The Costa Blanca English Church – What we want to achieve
The Costa Blanca is home to a lot of people from other countries with foreigners making up almost 28% of the population of Alicante, thats around half a million people. A massive amount will either be native English speakers of speak English as a second language.
The “mainstream” dominant religion is of course the Catholic Church but many don´t identify as Catholic and there are already a small number of established churches and groups dotted around the Costa Blanca but we wanted to make the Costa Blanca English Church something a little different because at the moment we don´t have a church (it´s like an ice-cream man with no van!). Seriously though we can easily find one or multiple locations but we want to start by building a community, periodic meetings, online meetings too and see where it leads.
Perhaps we will get huge interest, register as an independent religious organisation in our own right and have branches up and down the Costa Blanca or perhaps we will remain small and intimate. Perhaps future area leaders will come out of the woodwork and further rocket our growth but for now we are a small group looking for interested people to register their interest with us to help us build a real community, not just a church.
Paws not Profits
The Costa Blanca English Church are certainly not a “for profit” organisation nor do we intent to do so. Any donations that the congregation wish to give, we will ask them to support a local animal shelter (also looking for nominations for our chosen animal shelter). In the same way, Rev. Steven does not charge (for the time being at least until it becomes unavoidable) for his services for things like wedding celebrations, funerals, baptisms and so on.
Registration
As Rev. Steven is Ordained through the ULC Ministries he has the legal right under the Spanish freedom of religion rules to carry out his work in Spain. We are not part of the mainstream church (we are a humble loving Christian group but an independent one). If things take off and we out grow the “informal group” status then we will register the Costa Blanca English Church with the authorities as a religious association but for now we are small, kind and waiting to meet you with open arms.
Let´s Chat!
We are so grateful to you for reading this far and we would love to speak with you about the Costa Blanca English Church and perhaps get together for a coffee and a nice bit of cake!
You can contact the Costa Blanca English Church here and we will get back to you as fast as possible.
Costa Blanca English Church FAQ
What is the Anglican Church in Spain and are you part of it?
The Anglican Church (CofE) does have a network of English Speaking churches throughout Spain and wider Europe but we are not part of the Anglican church nor the Catholic or any other “mainstream” church
What Religion is the Costa Blanca English Church
Put simply – Christian. We believe in the teachings of Jesus. If we carry out services that are a hybrid (mix) of traditions you may see in a more old fashioned service with some more contemporary touches and above all, love and a welcoming environment for all. This is why we want to start with small informal groups of a handful of people per location and build from there.
Do you accept everyone to the church regardless of their gender, race or sexuality?
Of course and it saddens me that this is a question that many people feel they have to ask. We are all God´s children and made perfectly in his eyes and so we all have the same rights to worship and be accepted into a Church group.
Where exactly does the Costa Blanca English Church currently meet, and what are the meeting times?
We don´t yet have set meetings, they are more ad-hoc and on demand. We really are just setting out so if we find a few people in an area want to meet regularly then we will organise that. This is why we would be grateful for you to drop us a line or call to register at least your initial interest (and of course to have a chat!).
How can I participate in online meetings, and what platform do you use for these gatherings?
This is something we will be launching because the Costa Blanca is a pretty big place so if our numbers are spread out we may look at doing online meetings and services from the comfort of your own home (in addition to the other meetings) for those who want to participate.
We will use a platform like Zoom or Google Meet for this type of service
What is the ULC Ministries, and how does Rev. Steven’s ordination through them work within the Spanish legal system?
ULC Ministries (Universal Life Church Ministries) is an organization that provides ordination services to individuals who wish to become ministers. It’s known for its inclusive approach, allowing people from various backgrounds to become ordained ministers relatively quickly through their online process.
In Spain, the legal situation works as follows: Spain’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and the article mentions that under these “Spanish freedom of religion rules,” Rev. Steven has the legal right to carry out his ministerial work in Spain. This means he can perform religious services like weddings (with civil registration), funerals, and baptisms.
Are there any specific animal shelters you’re currently supporting, and how can I contribute to these causes?
We would love to hear your nominations as we want to have one that every member feels is special and deserving (well, they all are we know). We feel helping animals is close to the hearts of many Expats and so think that it would be a good things to do.
I have another question that it not answered here.
That´s no problem. Just click the link earlier in the article to get in touch with the Costa Blanca English Church and we will be very hay to answer your questions personally.