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An atheist congregation set up in London to “celebrate life without God” is launching over 30 new meetings around the world.

The Sunday Assembly was started last year by stand-up comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, who said they “wanted to do something like church but without God”.

Those who attend the gatherings aim to “celebrate life” while encouraging those living alone or with little close family to have an active role in their community.

About 300 members attended the first meeting, in an Islington church. Since then gatherings have been held in Conway Hall, near Holborn, on the first and third Sunday of the month.

The scheme has continued to grow in popularity and there are now 28 groups across the world. On September 28, another 33 groups will be launched in a number of locations — including seven more groups in the UK, 16 in the US, two in Canada and others in France, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Sanderson Jones, CEO and co-founder, said: “When we first started the Sunday Assembly, we didn’t expect it to become a global movement.

“But with new people and new ideas, we discovered how to evolve this gathering into an international movement of people who want to live better, help often and wonder more.”

Linda Woodhead, professor of sociology of religion at the University of Lancaster, said: “The Sunday Assembly is proving that communities still matter to many people, even if they don’t want to go to church.

“It’s a bold experiment in a whole new way of being a congregation.”