Non-Christian millionaire helps get church going

Nicola Laver  |  UK & Ireland
Date posted:  1 Oct 2023
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Non-Christian millionaire helps get church going

Jonny Gios (photo: Jonny Gios Photography)

A growing church plant in the Lake District has been funded by a non-Christian millionaire – but pioneering without a ‘mother church’ is particularly hard work, its minister has said.

Jonny Gios leads Gateway Church, a Free Methodist evangelical church in Kendal, Cumbria. After stints as a youth worker and youth pastor, then a community worker – Jonny began the church plant with the Free Methodists in 2018 (its Articles of Religion are based on the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church).

It was made financially possible after being given a £30,000 donation from a millionaire – a non-Christian who wanted to support Jonny’s community work in Kendal following the severe flooding caused by Storm Desmond in 2015.

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