In 1999 Pat Laws and Pamela Campbell both felt strongly that there should be a church in the Manche, the nearest being at Dinard, in Brittany. A committee was formed which later became know as the ‘gang of eight.’ This included Mike Brooke, who is now our licensed Lay Reader and his wife Linda, who is one of our church warden. They began the search for the pathway which would lead them through the complicated and often confusing strict French Laws and obvious language complications, to finally become The Association of Chirst Church Coutances.

In 2002, with the help of two retired priests John Marvel and Mark Vidal-Hall, they held four services which were held in a small chapel in Lengronne. Then In 2003 an opportunity arose for them to speak to Bishop Geoffrey Rowell when he visited Dinard. This was followed by the first annual General meeting being held in January in 2004 when they were visited by Rev. Canon Anthony Wells, the then Archdeacon of France who resided in Paris.

The Growth

The next major move was when Linda Brooke managed to acquire the use of the chapel in the College Saint Germain in Coutances, where she worked. The Church was accepted by Bishop Rowell and it became a 'Congregation within the Diocese in Europe'. Services were then held once a month taken by alternately by the Revends John Marvel and Mark Vidal-Hall. However as the church was growing fast there was a desperate need for a permanent minister. It was at this time that Peter Hales a Lay Reader of 25yrs standing arrived on the scene, he felt called to Coutances and flew in once a month to take another service, the Church now had two services a month. During the Bishops visit in may of that year Peter was made Minister in charge. Peter had already formed a good relationship with Père Louise Deschamps who is the Roman Catholic Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of Coutances and Avranches, and is developing good ecumenical links with the Roman Catholic Churchin the area. In July of that year the new French Bishop of Coutances, Stanislas Lalanne was ordained. Peter with Lay Reader Mike Brook were invited along with the newly retired assistant Priest Jan and her husband who is also a Lay Reader. 

The Christ Church team at Stanislas Lalanne' Ordination 2006 

In 2007 during Bishop David's visit the Churchwardens asked if it was possible for Peter to be ordained a priest and to take over the role of Chaplain to Christ Church Coutances. As Peter had already many years ago started training for ordination but had been unable to complete the course due to unforeseen circumstances, the Bishop agreed to put Peter forward. Subsequently in 2008 Peter was accepted by the Diocesan Discernment team and later by the Bishops Advisory. He started a years course of studies. And was ordained a deacon in September 2008, and a Priest in October 2009.

The Future

Because of the dedicated hard work of so many in the Church it continues to grow and a daughter church has now being started in Vezins. Services are held twice a month to minister to those who live in the far South of the Manche and find Countances to great a distance.

Thus a small mustard seed has now grown into a large bush and with God’s blessing it will bare much fruit.