Charlton Church needs Champions!
Did you know?
Churches have to generate their own income and pay for everything they use, fund repair work and improvements, care for their musical instruments, cover their own utility bills, and even pay in part for their priest.
Last year it cost £132 per day - £927 per week - to keep Charlton Church open.
Mounting costs that everyone is experiencing are putting Charlton Church’s finances under extreme pressure. Currently our expenditure is outstripping our income. We work very hard throughout the year to raise funds in different ways, to keep this remarkable church, ‘the cathedral of Dover’, open and serving the community, but now we must be honest with you:
WE NEED YOUR HELP
What is your view of Charlton Church? Would you mind if its doors were closed, if it disappeared from Dover? We believe that many people value Charlton Church, for a range of reasons. For the regular church-goers, Charlton Church is primarily their place of worship, but we know that it means different things to different people.
What is Charlton Church to you?
For many it is part of the landscape, a feature of Dover, a beautiful church for weddings, a remarkable piece of architecture, a green to walk the dog in, a place remembered from childhood, a space for reflection and peace, a superb concert venue.
What does Charlton Church do for the community?
Behind the scenes much work goes on. Central to the Christian mission of Charlton Church is a desire to serve the community by throwing open the doors to all, giving hospitality, providing social and cultural occasions, supporting the homeless and the poor, bringing people out of loneliness. Charlton Church offers a warmly supportive community of its own, where every individual is valued.
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Four church services a week and two monthly services specifically for children.
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Members of Charlton Church work as Dover Street Pastors, assisting the homeless on the streets of Dover at night.
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We welcome and assist anyone in need who attends the church or church hall.
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Due to its size, the church is regularly used by primary and secondary schools for their services and concerts.
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Thanks to its grandeur and beauty, Charlton Church is an excellent venue for baptisms and weddings.
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Twice a year its doors are thrown wide for community open days and Christmas fayres.
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Its beautiful acoustic and spaciousness make it perfect for concerts of different kinds which are put on during the year, ranging from popular to classical, including Charlton Fine Arts that offers affordable, high-quality classical concerts to Dover.
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The Church Hall is a great asset to the local community as well: all are invited to regular social events there, such as lunches, Bingo, American Suppers and Quizzes.
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The Church Hall is a ‘warm space’ where free lunches and film shows are provided in season.
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It is a meeting place for local clubs, including Brownies & Guides, AA and the Dover Youth Orchestra.
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It is a frequently hired out for children's parties.
We cannot keep Charlton Church open and sustain our work without your generous offering of your time, talents and finance. If you value Charlton Church and would like to see it stay at the heart of the community, please help by making a donation. All amounts, whether large or small, will make a difference and be very much appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your essential financial support.
