Previously known as the Elim Christian Centre, Life Church is a growing church in the heart of the city.
Following a visit to the Chelmsford Corn Exchange, by Rev Stephen Jeffreys in 1927, Elim Church was commenced from the many people who chose to become followers of Jesus. Numbers steadily grew at their first meeting place: The “Co-op Hall” in Barrack Square, and then began the search for a new home.
The first building was in Mildmay Road. Here the Pentecostal vision developed along with a desire for ministries to all ages and types of people in the community. Sunday Schools, Bible studies, home groups, youth work all began to play a part in the church’s growth. Through the years, Elim has consistently stayed faithful to its message while trying to remain in touch with the people it serves.
Today, the Elim Church is known as LifeCC and is situated in a much larger building purpose built in 1979. It houses a full-time day nursery, and the building is utilised for ministry throughout the week.
Life Church is still very much a part of the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, a worldwide denomination that was founded in the County of Monaghan in Ireland as God moved powerfully in 1915 through the work of evangelist George Jeffreys. Since then, the world-wide spread of the general Pentecostal church has grown from a few thousand at the beginning of the 20th century, to well over an estimated 450,000,000 Christians now. The name Elim is taken from Exodus 15:27 where we read that the Israelites “came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.” An Oasis in a barren land is a fitting symbol to the vision and heart of both the Elim movement and this church. We are committed to preaching a message of rest and refreshing, salvation and healing, for the body, soul and spirit in the wilderness of the world. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him,” (John 7:37-38).