OUR HISTORY

Centre Church is the new name for, what was, a combination of two churches; Mid Sussex Christian Centre (MSCC) in Burgess Hill and Church on the Rock in Brighton. Over the last 9 years, our now former Pastor, Tyler and his wife Donna, who originally pioneered Church on the Rock, took on the leadership of MSCC, bringing together the two fellowships under one collective leadership structure. As a result, we now meet together in Burgess Hill, with a ‘re-brand’ as Centre Church; a church with Jesus at its Centre. 

Church on the Rock

The Church on the Rock story began back in 2006 when Tyler, Donna and their two children moved to the UK from Canada and pioneered a new church in Brighton. The church looked to reflect the truth of who God is and reach the world around them. It was a church that welcomed all people and encouraged them to find acceptance, healing, and purpose in a relationship with Christ and other Christians. In addition to this, the church aimed to be a ‘sending church’ that initiated and supported other church plants throughout the UK and Europe.

MSCC

The MSCC story goes back much further. MSCC was formed in 1976 (originally as Burgess Hill Pentecostal Church). Their property, which is now the Centre Church Burgess Hill campus, was originally dedicated for Christian worship in 1829. An additional hall, which now serves as the main hall for Sunday Services, was completed in 1923 with an adjoining reception area and balcony being added by 1980.

MSCC has its roots with the founding co-pastors, the late Jean-Jaques Zbinden and John Wildrianne, who had a vision to see a Pentecostal church established in Burgess Hill. Both these men, and their wives, were involved with the work of the International Bible Training Institute, a Pentecostal Bible school that itself has a long history of ministry in the area.

MSCC’s core values were the belief that they were called to serve the community of Mid-Sussex with the Christian gospel message. As such, the church became a centre for Christian worship and activity throughout the week, not just on a Sunday.

Centre Church - The Future

We, as Centre Church, are actively seeking God for the future. We are a church that have a missionary outlook, who love God, and love people. Jesus is the centre of all we are and all we do, so, we look to declare that love to people in practical ways.

We have pioneered and planted a church in Ukraine, pastored by Hugh Mason, and have reestablished a community church in Brighton with the mission to connect with the surrounding community, reflect the truth of God, and encourage people to find acceptance, healing, and purpose in a relationship with Christ.

Tyler and Donna made the decision to return to their hometown in Canada in April 2022, with Tyler given the position as Lead Pastor in a church where he grew up. This church is currently very much in need and we believe the addition of Tyler as their pastor will help bring unity, a sturdy footing and direction in all that God has for them. We, as Centre Church, commend Tyler and Donna’s faithfulness and effort in bringing stability to Centre Church and propelling us, as a community of believers, forward in all that God has for us. 

511 Kidz - Holiday Clubs

Every year we run a variety of Holiday Clubs that span a few days. These events usually have an underlining theme, with games, crafts, and a variety of other activities to match. It’s a fun-filled time for all involved – even the leaders. 

We do have a maximum capacity when running our Holiday Clubs, so we ask all those who are interested to sign-up and purchase a ticket for their child. The cost of ticket helps cover the cost of running the club. 

Check out our “Upcoming Events” section to see when we are holding our next holiday club.