Welcome to Christ Church Manston LEEDS. A member church of the Free Church of England founded in 1875. The Free Church of England was one of the denominations that arose out of a small group of Church of England ministers losing their licences to preach in their churches because they saw the need to travel outside of their parish bounderies to preach the gospel of salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone, received by faith alone, to the glory of God alone. Well known men like the Wesleys and George Whitfield were among them.  In time these men were supported from the private means of the "Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion" which also was partly responsible for sending preachers to the United States where a sister church arose.

 

 The denomination started out on its own in 1875 in order to restore a form of  episcopal (government with assistance from bishops), though differing from the C of E in that bishops in the FCE share leadership as seniour and more experienced Presbyters, but on a par with their fellow Presbyters, all of whom are accountable to the annual gathering of delegates from all the churches whose decisions are the final authority in the denomination.

 

"Thus the constitution of the Free Church of England is seen to be peculiar to itself, we believe. Strictly speaking, it is neither Episcopal, Presbyterian nor Congregational; but a fusion of all of them - a threefold administration twisted into "a threefold cord, not quickly broken," saith the wise man, "if one prevail, two shall withstand him" - a sort of English constitution in Church government, where one power is a check upon the other, but in their union a strong administration. Its Congregationalism, therefore, cannot run off into democracy, nor its Episcopacy into an oligarchy, nor its Presbyterianism over-ride either. On the contrary, the union and cooperation of the several parts give strength and permanence to the whole body, insuring order, authority and stability." (Thomas E. Thoresby minister of the Spa Fields, Islington, Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel in 1849) quoted by Bishop Benjamin Price (1st Bishop Primus) - Report of Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Assembly, or Convocation, of the Free Church of England (27-28 June, 1871) - Free Church of England Magazine and Harbinger.

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Today we are a small group of 3 churches operating in the North of England (self-titled the Evangelical Connexion of the FCE) along with four in the South that are old FCE churches but now functioning independently.

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We strive to maintain the best of the old C of E liturgy often in a modern form combined with extemporary prayers and worship drawn from hymns and songs old and new. We welcome visitors from other churches and those completely new to church life.