How Father Paul managed this when many other churches were closed is still a bit of a mystery, perhaps one of the many mysteries of God relating to this church. The chapel itself is beautiful, set in an old convent that even has a few old menhirs in the grounds too. The site is a lovely place to walk around and soak up the atmosphere – it really is a special place to visit and worship.

The service is a traditional Anglican service with readings, singing hymns, prayers and communion. What is particularly good about the service in this church is the emphasis on the positive aspects of God, Jesus, the Bible and the worship. In a nutshell, that is, we are now all under the Grace of God thanks to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins and transgressions.

The congregation is an eclectic mix of the international community here in the Algarve, of permanent residents, visitors and locals. There is a core of regular friendly attendees that are mainly British and Irish, and then visitors from all parts of the globe that manage to find their way to the church. You could almost call the congregation transient, given the differing nationalities from the British Isles, Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia that can be present at any one time.

After the service, there is a chance to meet the attendees in the convent grounds and then for drinks afterwards at a local coffee shop. This gives the opportunity to share experiences of Portugal, find out what is going on and generally to have good company and conversation. Many new firm friendships have been struck up in these settings.

Based on the fellowship of this church, there is at least one couple that bought a place in the area so they could worship at All Saints. This has happened all over the Algarve, where people have looked to settle in a particular area based on the experiences of a church they came to as visitors.

The congregation at All Saints also support a variety of local charities. For example, there is a food collection on the first Sunday of each month where non-perishable food is brought into church and then passed to the Câmara for onward distribution to needy local families. Something else of interest is a healing service that takes place on the last Sunday of each month.

So if you are looking for a church, deciding on a church, are a bit lonely or just visiting, this is a lovely place to come to in a friendly, gentle, nonthreatening and uplifting environment.

Website, https://www.allsaintsalgarve.org

info@allsaintsalgarve.org

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/allsaintslagoa

Parking, Beside the Church, large car park