English Church Fights Council Notice Limiting Its Street Preaching in Colchester
Bread of Life Community Church says the order is really about its preaching on hell. More than 27,000 people have signed a petition asking the council to drop it.
COLCHESTER, England —
An Essex church that preaches every week in Colchester's city centre is in court challenging a council notice that bans it from using amplification during its outreach. The church says the real dispute is over what it preaches, including the Bible's teaching on judgment and hell.
Bread of Life Community Church, based in nearby Clacton-on-Sea and led by Pastor Stephen Clayden, sends preachers into Colchester to sing hymns, hand out Bibles and preach. Colchester City Council issued the church a Community Protection Warning in November 2025, followed by a Community Protection Notice, according to Christian Today and the Daily Gazette. Decision magazine reported that the notice bans amplification and loudspeakers and “intimidating behavior,” and that breaking it is a criminal offense.
Christian Concern, whose Christian Legal Centre is backing the church, said council wardens claimed that the church's preaching about hell would cause harassment, alarm and distress. The group calls the use of such a notice against a whole congregation, rather than one person, unprecedented. “We have preached the Bible lawfully and peacefully in Colchester for six years. We have harmed no one,” Clayden told the Daily Gazette.
Supporters delivered a petition with more than 27,000 signatures to the council's chief executive, Pamela Donnelly, on Oct. 14, Christian Daily International reported. The petition says the church has always recorded and livestreamed its preaching and that no evidence of harassment has been shown. “Powers intended to tackle genuine anti-social behaviour must not be used to silence lawful Christian outreach,” said Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre.
A council spokesperson told Christian Today the council “received multiple complaints over a period of time” about conduct that alarmed and distressed members of the public. The spokesperson said officers spoke with those involved before the warning and the notice were issued, and that the council would not comment further until the case is heard again.
The church's appeal had a first hearing at Colchester Magistrates' Court on May 1. Christian Today reported that a further hearing was due Oct. 22 at Basildon Magistrates' Court, and Decision magazine had earlier reported a two-day appeal set for Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Watchman News could not find a published report of the outcome of the Oct. 22 hearing.
The case is one of several involving street preachers in Britain. Decision magazine reported that Pastor Steve Maile of Watford was arrested in March, and that Pastor Dia Moodley of Bristol was arrested last November after a street sermon.
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