New life springing up in Well City Church, Stockwell

When Lois Tackie-Oblie was first approached to consider leading a church plant in Stockwell, south London, the timing of the move didn’t feel right. A curate at KXC (King’s Cross Church), she felt she still had more of a journey to complete before planting a new community in a new location.

‘But when I took a step back and prayed about it, I did start to see that the Lord had been preparing me in ways that I hadn’t been wholly aware of at the time, to step into that space and partnership,’ recalls Lois. ‘I probably have more of a missionary leaning. I think that’s something that has always excited me. I feel like God has called me to be a missionary in different ways and times. I think in some ways this plant has continued to be an unexpected journey.’

That journey to planting Well City Church began with an invitation from the PCC and congregation of St Michael’s Church and the Diocese of Southwark, to the team of KXC in the Diocese of London. A worshipping community with a high-Anglican tradition, the congregation were passionate about reaching more people in their 20s and 30s.

‘When I think back to my first meetings with St. Michael’s and their PCC, I was really struck by their warmth, and the strength of their desire to collaborate,’ recalls Lois. ‘Obviously, there were questions, there were things to be worked out, and it’s still a dynamic relationship. But the thing that really hit me was their clear desire to reach new people, to see God’s kingdom break out in this area, and the humility of that community to actually say, “We don’t have loads of people in their 20s and 30s who come to this church, and maybe there are other people that could do that and help do”. It felt like we were on the same page there, and I think that felt really exciting.’

Lois moved to London in 2014, and wasn’t intimately familiar with the area of St Michael’s when conversations first began. Stockwell sits in south London, Vauxhall and the Thames to its north, and Brixton to its south. It’s one of the most diverse areas of London, home to Afrocaribbean and African communities, and its ‘Little Portugal’ area playing host to a huge number of Portuguese-speaking people from both Portugal and Brazil. As Lois became more familiar with the area, her affection for it grew.

‘When I first moved to London, I knew Stockwell for the interchange between the Victoria Line and the Northern Line [of the London Underground]. I think that’s probably what many Londoners know it for, a place of “getting me to where I need to get to”. But it’s a place of deep community and diversity, with this sprinkling of young professionals and people from rural life who’ve moved into the city. It represents the best aspects of London, it’s a melting pot of all these different walks of life. It reflects the breadth of the Kingdom of God.’

Since its launch in September 2024, the community of Well City Church has grown and thrived, drawing from the diversity of Stockwell’s 20s and 30s community.

‘Our core congregation is around 60 to 70,’ says Lois. ‘The encouraging thing about our community is that we have close to that number serving, involved in the life of the church and in the midweek with our small groups. That’s been really encouraging.’

The community gathers for a 4pm service on Sundays, with Hub small groups meeting throughout the week. Additional activities include a prisons ministry with the chaplaincy team of nearby Brixton Prison, a weekly Zoom prayer gathering, and monthly prayer walks of the area. The renewed life of the church amongst this age group is starting to see people walk in off the street, with Lois excited to share a story that illustrates the heart of Well City Church’s vision – to be a well of life for the sake of the city.

‘A few months back there was a woman that we met who would often pass by the church when heading to work. As this woman was passing through, she met a lady who’s part of both the St Michael’s and Well City congregations, when she was cleaning the church. Our congregation member invited her to come on a Sunday.

‘A slight quirk of how we worship together is that we gather in one section of the church in a circle. Some people love it, others find it quite confronting, but it’s something that we’ve decided to pursue. One of the big questions has often been, “Is it unwelcoming if you’re someone who doesn’t know Jesus to come into that? Is that intimidating?” Well, when this woman came to a service, one of our members felt the Lord prompt her – she spotted this woman in the congregation out in the pews, not up at the front in the circle. And so she walked over to her – she didn’t know her story, she just recognised this woman was here for the first time, and invited her to come up and stand with her.

‘She joined her in the circle and engaged with it, then afterwards, she explained it was her first time in church. She was overwhelmed that she had encountered something of the spirit there. But I think she was really moved that someone had come to seek her out, and bring her in.

‘So many of the congregation then chatted to her and made her feel so welcome. I got the chance to speak to her, and she mentioned that she’d come from a background of faith, her mum was someone who had been praying for her, but she’d been doing her own thing. But she said, “Now I think I understand what this is, and I think I really want to pursue exploring Jesus”.

‘I think it was one of those moments that gave us a little insight into that vision being lived out, of someone who God is drawing in, whose mother is praying for her. Not only was she able to encounter something of God in that moment, and spark that desire to explore more of who he is, but our Well City Church community was being that well of worship, a community that welcomed. And that congregation member who walked out to her, I think it just gave me a real excitement and a confidence for the future, that as and when more and more people get drawn in, this is a group of people who will actually be ready to welcome others in and point them to Jesus. I think it was that moment of recognising God has made us ready to do this! So send them in, Jesus!’

Over a year on from planting, Lois continues to be reminded by lessons and wisdom she gained from the CCX Plant Course. She and a team from KXC took part in the two-month course as part of a learning community of church planting teams, undergoing coaching and training on shaping the first years of a church plant.

‘The thing that’s stuck with me from the Plant Course are those words that people spoke to us,’ says Lois. ‘It was amazing to be around the people who were teaching, bringing such a wealth of wisdom – some of the things they’ve said have been grounding for me in what can be a tricky journey to navigate.

‘But also, I think that group of people who were on the Plant Course with me. Some of them I’ve seen since we concluded the course. It was such a unique opportunity to be with people who are along the same journey as you, and to pray for them. I felt so inspired, and so excited by what God is doing in London.

‘At its worst, the planting journey can be quite isolating. Being alongside others who are also on that journey, it was that reminder that God is at work doing amazing things across this nation. We’re not alone in what we’re doing, even though we might be doing it as individuals. We’re part of this great kingdom story, and for me, that was so very helpful.’