The Sanctuary started at the Pastor’s apartment in April 1994 as a house fellowship of brethren with a passion to preach the good news to the poor, bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and declare the Lord’s favour, and on the 19th June 1994, the parish was commissioned by Pastor Ade Okonrende of the then Angel Parish at the old Town Hall in Stratford to hold both meetings and services on Sunday. The church, in pursuit of its church premises, pulled its resources together and bought the permanent site at Tom Allen Centre, Grove Crescent Road, Stratford in May 1996. At the Sanctuary, God increased the church above its capacity and of course beyond the expected; however this led to the birth of other parishes: The Bethel Parish which commenced in 1997, Charity Parish in 1998, Jesus People in 1999, the Garden of Hope in Liverpool in 2002, the Sanctuary Cyprus 2003 and Holy Pilgrim Parish 2014.