A minister is praying that a new bakery and cafe in a disused church will serve as its saviour while benefitting the community.

The Rev John Western is opening Bread of Life, a new business in the former Strood Evangelical Church in Strood and is hoping his 'Chr-iced buns' will win back the congregation too.

Dad-of-two John is combining his passion for baking with his day time job as an accredited minister of more than 20 years.

The shop in Darnley Road, with newly-refurbished flat now home to John and wife Lorraine, was gifted to the South East Baptist Association (SEBA) in the 1950s by a mystery benefactor living in the area.

It was betrothed on the condition that it was used as an asset for the community and it will now see the new chapter in its existence begin next Saturday, November 12.

As The Christian Mission, it continued to serve as a successful place of worship for several decades. But in latter years, when it was renamed Strood Evangelical Church, congregations began to dwindle and SEBA decided to close it in 2019.

John, 58, is now hoping to share his daily bread with his customers and new neighbours. He said: "It had become a burden to maintain and there were not the resources.

"In the end there were just a couple of women who attended."

At the time, John was working in Essex where he had developed his culinary skills from baking bread for two hungry young sons when they came home from school to giving lessons at his church and a cafe.

Lorraine, 55, bought him courses for Christmas and he learned how to set up his own micro bakery producing six types of artisan loaves and wrote a course called Bread of Life.

He said: "I found people were drawn in to it and connecting with each other. It was an enjoyable way of relaxing and attracting people who would not normally come into a church."

During a meeting with his regional minister, he mentioned that he thought they should be "doing church a different way".

And days later in a conversation at a national conference, it emerged from a senior Kent cleric about the redundant property in Strood.

He said: "It was perfect timing. It was obvious if it was opened up again as a church it would go the same way.

"About 95% of people don't go to church. The place had to have a purpose. So what better than a place to come for a coffee, a bun and loaf of bread?

"The aim is to see if a church emerges among unchurch people."

John was appointed as project manager in April 2020. but legal issues, lockdown and ensuring that his business plan matched the wishes of the original benefactor delayed the opening.

He said: "The building had not been maintained and there was dry rot.

"To get it into a reasonable condition has cost £300,000. I obtained £50,000 in grants and SEBA has provided funds. And we have had individual donations. One person gave us £7,000.

"It is a not-for-profit business. We aim to break even and any proceeds over will go back to SEBA's charitable arm."

John is introducing a "suspended system" whereby people who can afford it pay extra for those who don't have enough money.

He said: "Not all the good people of Strood can afford £2.50 for a cappuccino."

The cafe will be open between 9am and 5pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive.

Thursday will be John's dedicated baking-to-order day where customers will be able to collect a loaf between 5.30pm and 8.30pm and the cafe will also be open during this period.

John is keen to make the community aware of his new venture and with that in mind he's running the New York Marathon on Sunday wearing a Bread of Life T-shirt.

A seasoned runner, having competed in 16 races across the world, he said: "I want people to know what we are doing here.

"I'm very enthusiastic about combining my hobby with my ministry. But at the same time it's a bit scary, because I have never done anything like this before."

John will not be taking traditional services with sermons and hymns but may be holding study groups around a table in the coffee shop.

Since moving to Medway in 2020, John and Lorraine, who is head of careers at a London university, have been living in temporary accommodation in Borstal.

John has been keeping a close eye on the progress of the work and has held pop-up shops on the pavement outside to get to know his new neighbours.

The couple have two sons, James, 27 and Nathan, 25.