Around 2,700 attend mass baptisms on Bournemouth beach
The joint initiative of southern English evangelical churches goes on, with more than 130 people being baptised during two consecutive Sunday services.
BOURNEMOUTH (UK) · 30 JUNE 2026 · 15:15 CET
Around 2,700 people gathered on Bournemouth beach to attend the baptisms of over 130 people in two ceremonies held over the last two Sundays of June.
The beach baptisms were hosted by 14 churches that belong to the BCP Church Collective, an alliance of local churches across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole district in South West England.
Most of those baptised had been preparing for the ceremony through their churches, but some made a spontaneous decision on the day.
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"In a time of such uncertainty, with so much bad news around, the beach baptisms are a sign of great hope for everyone. Many are finding new life through faith in Jesus", underlined Tim Matthews, senior leader at Lovechurch, one of the BCP Collective churches.
After the services, many stayed on for a picnic on the beach. “It’s the kind of unity you can often find at Christian festivals, but it may actually be more impactful because you are literally having a sandwich for a couple of hours with people who are in your town and love Jesus, but you have never really met them before”, said the organisers.
Significant growth
This is a significant increase from last summer, when five churches baptised 92 people in a single morning, with more than 1,300 people gathering to watch, and BBC South recorded a two-minute report on the spot.
This year, the BBC has once again reported on baptisms at the beach on its news website.
Ten years journey
“These baptisms represent, for us locally as evangelical leaders, a journey that we have been on for eight to ten years”, pointed out Peter Baker, senior pastor of Lansdowne church, one of the organising churches.
All started as a monthly gathering for church leaders, “as a context for prayer, fellowship, honesty and ministry among us” and it began to “go deeper as trust grew” between them.
Together with the leaders of Bournemouth Community Church and Lovechurch, they decided to “focus on not just being together as leaders, but bringing our churches together around the gospel, around mission”, Baker told the UK Evangelical Alliance (EAUK).
For the Lansdowne church pastor, “the key is growing a group of leaders who love each other, give each other space, and yet support each other. A unity group shouldn’t be an advertising board for all the events you’re doing that you want others to support. Rather, prayer, fellowship and building relationships are the foundation”.
Public faith
According to a report recently published by the EAUK, most UK Evangelical Christians are confident to share their faith in public with atheists, agnostics or members of other religions, whether they are family members, friends or co-workers.
However, 40% of the respondents stated that “over the past five years, it has become somewhat harder to publicly practise your beliefs”. Eight per cent go further and say it has been “much harder”.
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