Photo: Rev Adam Pyrke with newly baptised members of the church
In the heart of Strood, St. Francis Church is more than a place of worship - it’s a growing hub of connection, creativity, and transformation.
Led by the Rev Adam Pyrke and Pioneer Minister Giovanni Parrales - whose role was funded by a Strategic Development Fund grant from the National Church - they have, alongside their church team, been working hard to focus the church on one clear mission: to make Christ known in every area of life.
This has meant ensuring the events and activities the church offers truly meet the different needs of their community, allowing relationships to be nurtured - sometimes where they didn’t exist before.
Watch a short film where Rev Adam Pyrke talks about the transformation taking place at St Francis
Café Francis: Where community comes alive
The once underused church café, for example, was reimagined in 2023 as Café Francis, with a new kitchen funded by the Chatham Maritime Trust.
Under the loving care of volunteers Debbie and Sue, it has become a bustling community space filled with conversation, companionship—and truly excellent cakes. But it’s far more than tea and treats.
For many people, Café Francis is a lifeline, offering welcome, warmth, and even the first steps towards faith. People like Mick, who first came to the café for a friendly chat.
He then joined the church’s Alpha course – a relaxed space to ask honest questions about Christianity - and went on to be baptised.
Adam says:
“The café has come alive. It’s a place where lives are truly changed."
Alongside this, St. Francis is putting faith into action through initiatives like the Medway Winter Coat Drive, Macmillan Coffee Morning, and Welcome to Medway.
These events offer warmth, food, signposting, and companionship to hundreds of local people, says Adam:
“Radical hospitality is our call. These aren’t just events, they’re acts of love that reflect the heart of Jesus.”
Photo: The Rev Adam Pyrke and Gio Parrales
Faith for the whole family
There has been a strong emphasis on connecting with young people and families too. At St Francis’ Messy Church session, families are brought together through creativity, celebration, and connection with God.
Designed especially for those outside the traditional church setting, it offers a joyful space where children and parents can explore faith together.
“Faith should be a family journey,” says Adam, “Messy Church gives non-churched families a way to meet Jesus that feels natural and joyful.”
The church has also taken time to nurture its connection with the local community schools. From parent cafés and assemblies to classroom involvement, the partnerships between St. Francis and the two non-church schools are now thriving.
Two after-school clubs in particular - Muddy Fingers gardening club and the Bible Craft Club - now welcome over 35 children each week across two schools.
As Gio reflects:
“These clubs are often a child’s first encounter with the Christian faith, but presented in a fun, relational, and thought-provoking way.”
He adds:
“It took time to build trust,” he adds, “but now schools see we’re here to support, not impose. We’re seeing hearts open as we show up with joy and love.”
Raising leaders, multiplying impact
Much care and attention is also being given to supporting people within the church to explore their own sense of calling, says Adam:
“When people discover their calling, it multiplies blessing—not just in our church, but far beyond.”
Over the last few years, several members of the congregation have been mentored and encouraged, and have now taken on leadership roles within the church.
For Janet, this involved completing a diocesan course to be a lay preacher, meaning she is now able to occasionally preach during services.
Photo: Janet receives her permission to be an occasional lay preacher
Louisa, another lay preacher at the church, has further been appointed a lay chaplain at St. George’s School, Gravesend, where 1,500 students were reached with the gospel at Easter.
Meanwhile, Iain, the church’s Missional Licensed Lay Minister (MLLM) is pioneering a deanery-wide role that sees him supporting churches, leading worship, preaching, and sharing the gospel beyond St. Francis.
Worship, growth, and transformation
All these endeavours, says Adam, are bearing fruit:
“Worship on a Sunday is vibrant and growing, with new families attending and adults being baptised. We’re also finding that these commitments are leading to deeper discipleship through Bible study groups, like Infusion, our midweek prayer and formation gathering.”
And it’s not just the community being revitalised, but the building too, with a recent renovation project – including a new church floor - making the space warmer, more accessible, and more welcoming:
“We wanted the church to reflect the life inside the building, now it does.”
Looking to the future, Gio says that St. Francis is seeking funding to train and release new leaders - lay and ordained, young and old - who can carry the gospel across Strood and beyond.
“We want a generation who not only know the story of Jesus but live it out in their everyday lives, and for St. Francis to continue to be more than a church, but a home, a mission base, and a beacon of hope in Jesus Christ.”