The Church of the Good Shepherd (COGS) was built in 1913. The church was almost demolished in 1940 when all buildings on the Shoreham Beach front were knocked down in order to stall a potential German landing. The officer in charge of the demolition found a group of soldiers praying in the church and recognised its spiritual importance and decided against demolition.
Situated between the Widewater Lagoon Nature Reserve and Shoreham Beach nature reserve, only metres from the English Channel COGS is wonderfully positioned, though fully exposed to the extreme elements of a costal location. Due to wind and rain the memorial wall needs restoration that involves removal and replacement of the existing rendering and pebble dash. This wall is where the local war memorial is situated, commemorating 12 men from Shoreham Beach who died in the first world war, and seven men who died in the second world war. We would like to restore the memorial, which is weather beaten, as part of our work.
Today, COGS is not only a church but is an important community facility, widely used by a number of organisations on Shoreham Beach. On Sundays we often have up to a hundred members and visitors attending two or three services.
The church is open every day for visitors from 09.00 until 17.00 and our visitors book has numerous references to the peace found within the church and it being perfect for prayer and meditation.
If you can help with a donation it will help us to preserve an important historical building, community space and spiritual home for many local people.