The Vineyard is a worldwide association of churches with a common outlook on the way to “do church”. It started in the late ’70s amongst the surfers and hippies of California, when many young people from non-church backgrounds found healing, meaning and a new life through following Jesus.

It began in the UK in 1987, with the first Vineyard Church in South West London. Rayleigh Vineyard began in 2003 as an off-shoot from Southend Vineyard. It now has approxiamtely 100 members.

To this day, the Vineyard is pretty laid back: it’s informal, dislikes religiosity and avoids spiritual pretence. It likes to ‘do church’ out where ordinary people are and bring Jesus’s message of hope, healing and restoration for the world. There are now over 90 Vineyard churches in the UK, and more than 1,500 worldwide.

Take a look at this video to get an idea of what makes the Vineyard tick…


Vineyard USA History from Vineyard USA on Vimeo.

Vineyard Movement in the UK

Prior to 1987 there had been a number of very successful Vineyard conferences run in the UK. However, it was not until Sept 1987 that John Wimber released John & Ele Mumford to start the first Vineyard Church in the UK, the South West London Vineyard.

In March 1996 John Wimber released the UK as a national grouping of Vineyard Churhces – what is now known as Vineyard Churches UKI - in its own right and John & Ele were commissioned as National Directors of the Association of Vineyard Churches (UK). Vineyard Churches UKI continues to steadily grow; 2 in 1988; 12 in 1993; 31 in 1996;65 in 1999; 89 in 2005; 100 in 2009.

There are a further 6 proposed Vineyards around the UK, due to be started within the next year.

The Vineyard in Essex

Southend Vineyard was started in 1992 by Steve Barber (who later married and led with his wife Juliet). It began with a divine encounter with a busker under the bridge at Southend Central station and the church quickly grew from one house group to many. It currently meets in a secondary school and is run by Andy and Sam Vincett and has about 400 attendees. Southend Vineyard has planted churches in Rayleigh and Dartford.

Rayleigh Vineyard …

… was originally an off-shoot (satellite) church from Southend. However now the church has been established here, we are a church (and charitable trust) in our own right. Dave and Laura (Senior Pastors at Rayleigh) originally worked on staff at Southend. Dave currently works full time for Rayleigh Vineyard and Laura works as an art teacher in a local grammar school. They have been married for 7 years and have 2 children under 5.

Rayleigh Vineyard is the 81st Vineyard church to be planted in the UK since 1987. The church began with 5 people at a house group on the Birdy estate in Rayleigh. We expanded to more groups by the end of that year. In June 2004, we started Sunday morning meetings in the Todman Centre.In April 2005, we outgrew that venue and moved to the Rayleigh Youth Centre on the grounds of FItzwimarc School. In October 2006, we moved again to our current venue at Downhall School, Brooklyn Drive, Rayleigh SS6 9LW
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God has asked us to plant a growing church that is based on what the Bible says, that is run in a contemporary, modern style, where we worship God and communicate what Jesus talked about in a friendly manner (ie with compassion, fun, relaxed style with lots of chocolate to hand!)

Its our aim to train and equip people for life and what it throws at them. For them to be effective both in their personal lives and their lives within the church here at Rayleigh. To enjoy a better quality of life through what Jesus has taught us.

We also want to plant more churches just like Rayleigh Vineyard … only better!