Weekly Blog

Here our minister shares a weekly reflection
Sunday 9th January 2022
Passing through the waters of life

This Sunday the Christian calendar brings us to the start of Jesus’ ministry, as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. It means that our readings for the week have a focus on water, something so vital to our existence. It brings life, nourishment and cleansing, but it can also be a destructive force. Over the course of time it can grind down rocks, or more suddenly, it can bring massive waves and catastrophic flooding.
There is a theme running through scripture that refers to chaos as being out of control primordial waters. Creation takes place when God gives order to the chaos, and imposes boundaries on the water. The continuation of god-given and sustained life depends on these boundaries being maintained. In Psalm 29 this week we have a song of praise that highlights God’s power over the mighty waters, and in Isaiah 43 a passage that speaks of the people of Israel being safely brought through destructive waters as they are called back to Jerusalem.
No doubt, over the past couple of years it has felt like we have been passing through choppy and threatening waters. Each time when we feel like we’ve been coming safely into port, the storm has whipped up again, pushed us back out into deep water, and the anxiety and uncertainty continues. Yet, in God we have a creator who promises to keep the storm in check, and to guide those who follow him to safety.
On Wednesday evening in our prayers we came across the following meditation that seemed apt, particularly in the face of a difficult start to the year:
Many a ship has sailed from port to port
with no interference from Me,
because Strong Will has been at the wheel.

Multitudes of pleasure cruises
go merrily on their ways,
untouched by the power of My hand.
But you have put your life into My keeping,
and because you are
depending on Me for guidance and direction,
I shall give it.

Move on steadily,
and know that the waters that carry you
are the waters of My love and My kindness,
and I will keep you on the right course.
Frances J. Roberts

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

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Planning your Visit

This church welcomes you!

Who are we?

All ages, different backgrounds
A mix; visitors, new church members, some with lifetime experience
An informal church, accepting people as they are

Coming to a 10.30am Sunday service

For directions please see the directions page
Aim to turn up around 10.25 a.m. (but sometimes we’re late too!)
You’ll be met at the door by a friendly face
We are a friendly bunch, if you’re unsure of something, please ask!
Please be who you are, not someone you aren’t!
Please note that things are a bit different at the moment due to Covid restrictions but you are still assured a warm welcome! Check the latest arrangements on our 'Church during Covid 19' page

What to expect

Our aim: whether you’re looking at Christianity for the first time or have been a Christian for many years,
we want you to be encouraged and inspired by a morning with us.
We hope we will all draw closer to God as a result.

Here’s a quick summary:

We start at 10.30am with a few notices of coming events, followed by silent reflection
The service lasts until about 11.30am
Our worship blends Bible reading and prayer with traditional hymns and modern songs
Everyone can participate in the worship
The average size of our congregation on a Sunday morning is around 50 people
At 11am young people go to their own groups, there are also crèche facilities. The church implements a strong Safeguarding policy
We have a talk from the bible that is relevant and meaningful to our lives
We share the Lord’s Supper together as part of the service (first and third Sundays); we explain this as we take part
After our service tea and coffee are served; some services are followed by a lunch

What we believe

We are a Christian church and believe all can have relationship with God.
We believe this can happen because of Jesus, who invites us to follow him.

Is it just Sundays?

Absolutely not! God is with us all week long and we aim to lead lives that show it. We’re not perfect and we do make mistakes, but we want to make a positive difference in everything we do.

For those with disabilities

We aim to be an all-inclusive church and to meet the needs of all who use our building.
Our premises are accessible for those with disabilities. We have a loop for the hearing impaired.
For disabled parking or for other specific needs please contact the church office