Photo: A baptism takes place at St Mary's Island.
In the heart of Gillingham High Street and on the welcoming community of St Mary’s Island, a shared commitment to outreach and providing opportunity to explore faith, is uniting the two churches and enriching their communities.
Situated on the High Street, St Mark’s is a church where all are welcome, from students and young families to those seeking a new spiritual home.
Throughout the week, the building is buzzing with activity including a Parents and Toddlers group, a Dementia Café, the Medway Foodbank, and Peace and Hope - a Saturday home group for adults with learning difficulties.
Every Tuesday morning, St Mark’s opens its doors for 'Open Church', where visitors can come for tea, coffee, warm conversation, and to simply discover what’s happening inside this friendly, family-centred Anglican church.
Across the water, St Mary’s Island Church gathers for worship in the school hall every Sunday morning. Their mission is simple: “Creating spaces for our community to encounter Jesus.”
Photo: Activities are prepared at St Mary's Island for Little Fishes Messy Church - a session for children accompanied by their care givers to enjoy crafts, singing, games, learning about God and sharing a meal
This vision comes alive through their lay-led services, where members of all ages—including children participate fully. Young ones often share what they’ve learned, bringing joy, energy, and authenticity to worship.
While the ministries of St Mark’s Gillingham and St Mary’s Island may differ in style and setting, they are driven by one Spirit-filled purpose: to love God, serve their communities, and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
The Alpha Course – an interactive series of sessions enabling people to explore the basic beliefs of Christianity - has become one of the most powerful bridges between the two congregations.
As the Rev Catharina Olsson Gisleskog, Vicar of the Benefice of Gillingham St Mark with St Mary’s Island, says:
“Whether someone is exploring Christianity for the first time or rediscovering their faith after many years, Alpha provides a safe and welcoming space to ask questions and deepen understanding."
Photo: Children prepare the baptismal font at St Mark's Gillingham
She explains that many of those recently baptised began or strengthened their journey through Alpha.
“For St Mark’s and St Mary’s Island, celebrations like these are more than events; they are signs of a living, growing church where people of all ages are discovering faith, committing to follow Jesus, and finding a home among God’s people.
"Every testimony, every conversation, every moment of prayer reminds us that God is very much at work in Medway.”
Reflecting on what makes the partnership so strong, Catharina says:
"What happens at St Mary’s Island strengthens St Mark’s, and what happens at St Mark’s blesses St Mary’s Island.
"Alpha has helped knit our stories together and we celebrate each other’s breakthroughs as if they were our own.”
She adds:
"With the recent joyful celebration of baptisms at both churches, we are reminded once again of the power of community, the beauty of shared faith, and the ongoing growth God is bringing to His people in Medway."