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The dad who was crushed to death by a falling sign at a Christian festival in West Sussex has been pictured for the first time.

Robert Guanco, 41, was killed when a wooden sign welcoming people to the Big Church Festival tipped over on Friday.

He was the pastor at Jesus Living Water Church in Eastbourne, which described him as a ‘blessing to so many people whose lives he touched’ in a social media post yesterday.

The post continued: ‘There are many things we may never fully understand, and our hearts may struggle to make sense of what has happened.

‘Yet, even in our deepest sorrow, we continue to trust in the sovereignty of God.’

A GoFundMe page, set up for his wife, daughter and wider family, has now raised more than £1,500.

Six other people were injured in the incident, with four taken to hospital.

The festival’s organisers said they were ‘devastated’, and announced the event would be brought to an early close.

A post on Instagram said: ‘First and foremost, all of our thoughts are with those who have been affected, their families and friends, and everyone who witnessed what happened.’

Big Church Festival, which first took place in 2009, describes itself as the UK’s biggest Christian festival.

Among the headliners was gospel singer CeCe Winans, who wrote on her Facebook page: ‘Our prayers are with everyone impacted by what happened at Big Church Festival in England.

‘We pray for the families of those injured and the lost. We pray for the event staff. We pray for the emergency crews who responded.

‘We look to a future where we will come together with you again, but today we ask that you all join with us as we pray.’

Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullaly said she was ‘sad and shocked’ about the incident.

She said: ‘I pray for his family, friends and loved ones as they grieve. I pray for those receiving treatment, and the healthcare workers looking after them.

‘And I pray too for the other festival-goers, staff and event organisers as they come to terms with these tragic events.’

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A Christian church has been reported after an online sermon shows a reverend describing Judaism as a ‘demonic cult’, before adding that ‘absolute r****ds’ turn to Islam.

The Emmanuel Free Church of England in Morecambe, which is a registered charity, claimed Judaism was a ‘false religion’ in a sermon led by Reverend Brett Murphy.

He even quotes US Christian nationalist Doug Wilson, saying: ‘When the jews are bad, they’re very, very bad.’

Murphy’s church is due to host a ‘Make Great Britain Christian Again’ conference this month. He has previously referred to the gay pride flag as the ‘sodomite flag’ and urged for the end of gay couples being able to adopt children.

In 2023, Murphy resigned from the Church of England, who he now calls heretics, after making derogatory comments about a senior leader who came out as transgender.

Murphy has also made hateful comments towards Muslims. In a video from July on the Project Britannia YouTube Channel, he says we need to ‘stop these hordes of heathen Muhammadans coming into our country. Of course we do. We’re being invaded by an army of heathens who want to kill us’.

He adds: ‘You get so many of these absolute retards turned to Islam, because they’re desperate.’

The National Secular Society (NSS) has reported the church to the Charity Commission, as the group are currently able to receive tax benefits under ‘the advancement of religion’.

Examples of this include running food banks, providing community services and assisting in international aid, which ‘many churches still do’ according to the National Secular Society.

But the charities and churches are free to interpret ‘the advancement of religion’ and how this benefits the public as they wish.

Alejandro Sanchez, from the NSS, told Metro: ‘The virulent homophobia and social division espoused by Mr Murphy is completely incompatible with Emmanuel Free Church’s legal obligation to act for the public benefit. The public purse should not be bankrolling this repugnant rhetoric.

‘This is the latest in a long line of religious charities promoting antisemitism and homophobia. Charity law must be urgently reformed to ensure no organisation can exploit the sector to promote hate and division.’

Metro has contacted Brett Murphy for comment.

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: ‘We are currently assessing concerns raised about Emmanuel Free Church of England, Morecambe, which will determine any appropriate action or response.’

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A Christian charity in the UK has said it’s a ‘problem boys don’t rape girls anymore’ and claims instead that children are being ‘homosexualised’.

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Daniel Centre Church in Slough, Berkshire, has linked homosexuality to paedophilia and bestiality in one of its sermons online.

It is registered as a charity with its purpose being ‘the advancement of religion’, meaning the taxpayer subsidises the group’s activity ‘for the public benefit’.

One video uploaded to the charity’s YouTube channel is titled ‘AWAKE TO CHILDREN MINISTRY (against demonic Sexual-Objectifications of Children)’ and preached by ‘Pastor Praise’ in 2022.

She says the ‘homosexualisation of children will be deadly’, repeatedly raising supposed examples of paedophilia perpetrated by gay men, which will then cause children to be attracted to the same sex.

She said: ‘The problem of rape right now in the world of our children is the fact that boys no longer rape girls. More boys now rape boys.’

Mountain of Fire and Miracles has a number of branches across the UK. In 2017, a centre in Liverpool was found to practice gay conversion therapy sessions, which included intense prayer and starvation.

And in a 2022 Facebook post, pastor Raphael Olushola Peters for the church in Belfast likened homosexuality to ‘offering children as sacrifices’.

‘Taxpayer money should not be subsidising this repugnant rhetoric’

National Secular Society spokesperson Alejandro Sanchez said: ‘The vicious homophobia promoted by MFM Daniel is completely incompatible with its legal obligation to act for the public benefit.

‘Taxpayer money should not be subsidising this repugnant rhetoric.

‘But MFM Daniel is just the latest in a litany of charities registered under “the advancement of religion” espousing virulent homophobia. The Charity Commission cannot continue to issue mere “advice and guidance” – the regulatory equivalent of a slap on the wrist.’

A Charity Commission spokesperson said: ‘Concerns have been raised with us about video content linked to MFM Daniel Centre Church and we are assessing this to determine any role for the Commission as charity regulator.’

Last month, Metro reported a church in Reading had told women ‘they have no authority over their bodies’.

Wellspring Ministry filmed their sermons showing chair of trustees Bienvenue Hombessa telling married women ‘the devil will come’ if they deny their husbands sex.

They were again registered as a charity under the ‘advancement of religion’, which is meant to include running food banks, providing community services and assisting in international aid.

Alejandro Sanchez, from the National Secular Society, told Metro: ‘Charities must demonstrate they provide a genuine public benefit.

‘But guidelines are vague on what constitutes a public benefit, particularly in relation to religious activities.

‘There is still an assumption in the charity system that religion is inherently beneficial.

‘Some religious charities promote divisive, extremist or otherwise harmful ideas and practices that other kinds of charities would not be able to promote.

‘By promoting homophobic or misogynistic views rooted in scripture, religious charities are indeed ‘advancing religion’ – at least as they interpret it.’

Metro has contacted Mountain of Fire and Miracles International and the Charity Commission for comment.

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A vicar faces being defrocked after going on a drunken drive with his bishop’s official £50,000 car.

Father Sion Hughes Carew’s chaotic driving spree saw him slam into a parked car and reverse into a garden wall, before being arrested in front of his own parishioners.

The crash wrote off a £2,000 Skoda Octavia, which belonged to Brian Meagher, 78.

Brian is the boyfriend of actress Heather Bell, who has played Clarrie Grundy on the Radio 4 soap opera The Archers since 1979.

Ms Bell, 81, has seen the funny side, joking: ‘It’s the story of the actress and the bishop!’

The vicar, 40, is understood to have spent a Friday evening last month drinking with the Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway at the bishop’s palace.

The pair had become friends after Bishop Conway had given Father Hughes Carew his first church in February.

The jovial evening ended with a drunken Father Hughes Carew driving off – apparently barefoot – in the bishop’s official car, a year-old Kia Sportage.

Half a mile from Lincoln Cathedral, and a five minute walk from his vicarage, the Kia hit a parked Skoda Octavia twice.

Father Hughes Carew then continued up a steep hill and after appearing to stall, went backwards into a garden wall and railings.

The commotion, which unfolded at 11pm, saw residents rush out of their homes to see what was going on.

At Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on October 30, Father Hughes Carew admitted driving the bishop’s car while almost three times the alcohol limit.

The priest was banned from driving for two years, although that could be reduced to six months upon completion of a safe-driving course.

He was also slapped with a £873 fine,and must also pay a surcharge of £349 and £85 costs.

Archers actress Ms Bell told Daily Mail that the vicar had appeared calm after the crash.

She said: ‘Brian was very upset because he hadn’t had the car long. It was a hell of an accident, but the driver seemed so calm as he walked up and down on his phone the whole time – though he must have been terrified of the consequences.’

Partner Mr Meagher said: ‘I would say it’s no way for a vicar to behave, but it’s no way for anyone to behave.’

Parishioners at Father Hughes Carew’s churches, All Saints’ Lincoln and St Mary-le-Wigford, have been told their vicar is ill, where he actually faced diciplinary action.

The father is at risk of being stripped of holy orders.

Bishop Conway also faces questions about how an evening with a local vicar ended up in his official car being taken for a drunken spin.

A spokesman for the Diocese of Lincoln said: ‘A formal disciplinary process is under way for the Reverend Sion Hughes Carew.

‘The Bishop of Lincoln had no knowledge of the car being taken and did not give permission.’ Bishop Conway was criticised last November in the Makin Review into the abuse of young men by lay preacher John Smyth that led to the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The bishop was found to have failed, in his previous role as Bishop of Ely, to ensure authorities knew enough about Smyth’s abuse to bring him to justice.

Father Hughes Carew has been asked to comment.

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