LCGC started out as the Chinese Gospel Mission located in Nelson Street. When the lease on the property ended they started using St. Michael’s in the City Anglican Church. In 1977 larger premises became available to rent in Great George Square that used to be the former Far East Restaurant, which was later bought. This dilapidated building was renovated by volunteers and students. The Mission was registered as a church on February 20th 1978 and has been serving the needs of the Chinese community in addition to the Sunday activities, by providing a Cantonese Language School for children, English classes for adults and a Luncheon Club for the elderly. LCG Church’s lease expired in 2001 yet had a miraculous provision of funds to build new facilities just a few doors away, which is the current location.
Over time the church grew and nurtured the next generation of Chinese people known as BBC’s or British Born Chinese into adulthood who were fluent in English and with the British culture. This opened the possibility for the church to look beyond the needs of just the Chinese community. So since then, the church has been working in collaboration with other Christian organisations and local churches. The church has been particularly geared towards equipping international students before they return home as young professionals to reach the nations.
In 2004, we started a Mandarin Congregation, which has grown mainly through our welcome to asylum seekers and economic migrants from China and other Asian countries.
The church has also shared their pastoral team and resources to help build independent Chinese churches in Preston, Wirral and in 2013 in Bangor Wales.