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In pictures: The African Christian congregations of London

News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers sing as they offer thanksgivings during Sunday serviceSimon Dawson / Reuters
Reuters photographer Simon Dawson has been photographing African churches in London for the past year, capturing the thriving community at Sunday morning worship.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers at the New Jerusalem Parish, a celestial Christian church in LondonSimon Dawson / Reuters
In parts of the capital, Sunday morning will see worshippers making their way to churches, each with their different styles of worship. The hymns are only sung in African languages in some congregations, and only in English at others.
News imageSimn Dawson / Reuters Worshippers bless a vehicleSimn Dawson / Reuters
In a street outside one church, a pastor flicks holy water over the car of a woman who wants a blessing to ward off the risk of accidents.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Baptism at Southend-on-SeaSimon Dawson / Reuters
Dawson accompanied members of the Apostles Of Muchinjikwa Christian church to photograph a mass baptism in the sea at Southend.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers pray during Sunday service at the House of Praise church in LondonSimon Dawson / Reuters
The House of Praise congregation is one of south London's biggest and meets in a former theatre and bingo hall, which can hold several thousand people. The services, mainly attended by worshippers of Nigerian descent, are recorded on video.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Members of the youth church perform in a knife crime playSimon Dawson / Reuters
Members of the youth church perform in a knife crime play on Good Friday.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers take photos outside the House of Praise churchSimon Dawson / Reuters
Worshippers take photos outside the House of Praise church after a service.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers pray during a service at the God"s Church of Peace in LondonSimon Dawson / Reuters
According to University of Roehampton researchers, Southwark has the biggest concentration of African Christians in the world outside the continent, with an estimated 20,000 congregants attending services each Sunday.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters A worshipper reads a passage from the Bible on her smartphone during a Sunday serviceSimon Dawson / Reuters
A worshipper reads a passage from the Bible on her smartphone during a Sunday service.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Members of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church paradeSimon Dawson / Reuters
Members of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church parade through the street in Elephant and Castle, to celebrate their annual Thanksgiving .
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Young members of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim ChurchSimon Dawson / Reuters
Young members of the church take a break ahead of the parade.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers greet following a night-time Christmas Eve service at the Celestial Church of Christ in Elephant and CastleSimon Dawson / Reuters
The Celestial Church of Christ in Elephant and Castle is based in a former Church of England building just off the Old Kent Road. The Sunday service lasts for several hours.
News imageSimon Dawson / Reuters Worshippers pray during a Good Friday Lent church service at the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church in LondonSimon Dawson / Reuters
All photographs by Simon Dawson / Reuters

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