As some of you may know, members of our church are involved in the work of Eden Gate - a Christian charity serving some of the most marginalised people in our city: those who are homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. It is a charity very close to our hearts and they have a very exciting new project which has the opportunity to set the tone for future homelessness support in the UK!

Eden Gate are currently in the process of launching a new Skills Training Centre in the heart of the city, to support individuals in gaining practical skills, confidence, and opportunities for a more stable future.

In light of this, we are hosting a Volunteer Recruitment Evening on 28th May at 7pm at the Hill Street, Salvation Army. This event will be an opportunity for people to hear about the vision of the centre, tour the current centre, and explore how they can get involved in a meaningful and practical way.

We look forward to seeing some of you at the volunteers evening!

Doctrine is returning!

From the 2nd June to the 30th June, we will begin a new doctrine course for five weeks.

We will be continuing our study of God and his perfections – this time focusing on God‘s communicable perfections (those attributes of God we were made to resemble) such as his wisdom and knowledge, love, mercy and grace.

Whether you've been to a doctrine course before or this would be your first time, everyone is welcome!

As we study the doctrine of God we want to grow in our understanding – however little that may be – and seek to be in greater awe of God and know him deeper. Expect this course to be both hugely encouraging and mind-stretching!

Sign up here!

On Sunday 7th June, we will be holding our next baptism service at Christchurch!

This is a wonderful occasion where we have the privilege of hearing people's personal testimonies of the power of Jesus at work in their lives. As they are baptised with water, we celebrate the beautiful symbol that baptism is of dying to ourselves and our sinful desires and being raised to new life in Christ!

If you are interested in getting baptised or you would like to have your questions about baptism answered by one of our elders, fill out the form here!  

Meet Andrej Ivanov, the pastor of ICF Church Kyiv.

In the latest episode of We Are Christchurch, Lewis sat down for a conversation with Andrej as they discuss life in Ukraine and how we as a church family can serve and be praying for them.

Give it a listen below!

On Monday 10th May at 7:30pm, members of our church will gather together to thank God for his faithfulness and to boldly approach his throne to lay our requests before him.

Whether you have something specific you'd like to come and pray for, or whether you'd just like to join in praying with other members of your church family, we'd be delighted to see you!

If you can't come along but would really appreciate prayer for a particular situation, please submit a prayer request here. We will make sure to bring that thing before the Lord in prayer together.

Come along to free-to-play board games event at Brickworks this Wednesday evening!

Expect a huge range of games, great coffee and cake, and extreme competitiveness!

Join us from 7pm-9:30pm tomorrow! See you there!

We have lots of evening events in May!

Interested in learning more about spiritual gifts in the church?
Are you currently a community group leader or would like to become one?
Are you a man aged 18-50 looking to grow in servant-hearted leadership?
Do you want to gather to pray with other brothers and sisters in Christ?

 We have some really exciting events coming up in May! We hope to see you at some of them!

Links to sign up to certain events are attached below!

6th May: Board Games Evening
10th May: Community Group Leaders Meeting 
11th May: Prayer Meeting
14th May: CAP Money Course 
15th May: Teens & Senior Teens Social
17th May: LEAD 
19th May: Spiritual Gifts and the Gathered Church 
21st May: Legacy
21st May: CAP Money Course
30th May: Women’s Ministry Book Study 

If you are a man aged 18-50, join us on 
Sunday 17th May from 7:30pm-9:30pm!


LEAD is a course designed for men to grow in the grace of the Lord and fellowship together as we learn the principles of servant-leadership.

Our hope is this will serve the church, and you for years to come. Click here to sign-up!

Join us for a free-to-play board games event at Brickworks next Wednesday! All ages  welcome!

There will be a large selection of games but please bring your own game to play with others if you would like. The café will be serving up food and drink throughout the evening.

Come by yourself or bring your friends along and see you there!

What does it mean to be spirit-filled church? And what ought it look like to live out the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament?

Join us on Tuesday 19th May at 7:30pm for a practical insight into eagerly desiring the spiritual gifts for upbuilding of the church.

Sign up here!  

Are you currently leading a community group or are you perhaps considering becoming one? If so, this event is for you!

On Sunday 10th May, from 7:30-9:30pm, we will hold a Community Group Leaders Training evening where we eat together, learn from each other, and receive training on how to lead a group well.

Register to attend here!

Money coaching is a free service designed to empower you with the knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to better manage your finances.
The course, developed by CAP, draws on 30 years of experience helping thousands of people take control of their finances.

At 10am-12pm on Thursday 14th May and Thursday 21st May at 10am-12pm, Linda Richley and Tiff Schmidt will be holding a two week money coaching course.

This course is for anyone – from seasoned budgeting experts to those struggling to get to grips with their spending.

Sign up here! 

This Saturday is the next part of our 'Side by Side' book study in 'Side by Side'!

So that we can gage numbers for tables and how many pastries to order, if you would like to attend this weekend, please sign up here! 

We'll be looking at chapters 5-8 and talking through the questions in the document below if you would like to have a read of them beforehand.

See you lovely ladies there!

"Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It can be really difficult to make prayer a regular part of our lives - so many other things can get in the way and distract us from talking to our Heavenly Father.

Praying with others can be a really helpful way of making us stop, pause, and fix our eyes on Jesus, especially when the rest of life feels chaotic and overwhelming.

Would you join us next Monday at 7:30pm for one hour as we bring our requests before God and thank him for his grace and mercy in our lives? We would love to see you there!

If you are unable to make it but would really appreciate prayer for a particular situation, you can submit a prayer request here and we will make sure to pray for you. 

Later this week, Lewis is recording a We Are Christchurch podcast episode responding to questions about our "Human" series, specifically on the most recent sermons about gender, sexuality and death.

Whether you'd like to have something clarified from the sermons, you'd like to ask a practical question about how to apply it to daily life, or any other question you may have,  you can send them anonymously via the link here. 

The next meeting of our Women's Ministry book study will be this Saturday 28th March from 9:30-11:30am, where we will continue to look at Ed Welch's book 'Side-by-Side' over coffee and pastries.

We'll be looking at chapters 2, 3 and 4 together so please read these beforehand if you have time.

If you weren't able to attend the first session, you are more than welcome to join us this weekend or at any point further into the book study!

Families are warmly invited to join us for a fun and creative LEGO Easter Trail on Thursday, 2nd April, 1:00–3:00 pm at Christchurch Centre. SIGN UP HERE!

This family-friendly event will begin with a very short video retelling the Easter story told using LEGO. Afterwards, families will take part in a LEGO-themed trail, where the story of Easter will be explored in a little more detail at different stations.
 
Children will also have the chance to get creative with LEGO along the way, and there may even be a small treat for those who complete the trail!
 
How it works:
Entry will be staggered at different time slots between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.
(This helps us manage room sizes and make sure everyone has space to enjoy the activities.) The trail is expected to take less than an hour, depending on how much LEGO building your children enjoy!
 
Important information:
- Aimed at primary school-aged children.
- An adult must accompany children.
- Places must be booked in advance as this is a timed-entry event.
- If you would like to attend with another family, you can add guests to your booking.
Please make sure you include all adults and children in your group who will be completing the trail, so we know the numbers.
 
Why not invite your friends along too? It’s a great opportunity for families to have fun together and hear the wonderful good news of Easter.

We look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon of LEGO, creativity, and the Easter story!

Lindsey

There’s no recording on Spotify, so here’s Matt singing of the hope of resurrection all in Christ share; one day, the church will stand in glory and and reign with the Son.

Hallelujah! Come Lord!

On Mother's Day, Hannah Churcher prayed a wonderful prayer over mothers. Take the time to read through this heartfelt prayer again and echo it in your hearts.

Heavenly Father, we come today in worship and gratitude. We thank you that You are the Creator and sustainer of all things, and that it’s from You that all good gifts are given. We thank You that as we think about mothers today, we know that all that we see in the best of mothers is a small reflection of You. That You are the God of compassion, of self-sacrifice, who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who hears our cries, tends to our deepest needs, and delights over us.

Father, we know that in a world fractured by the fall, today is a day that brings mixed emotions to many people. We pray for those for whom today is a painful reminder of what is lost.

We pray for the pain of those who are grieving a mother who is gone or a mother relationship they never had. Would they know Your unending love for them.

We pray for those who are longing for a child, and today is another reminder of desperate longings yet unmet. We pray that You would meet them tenderly in their waiting.

We pray for those who feel the immense loss of a child who is no longer with them. Lord, we pray that You would be especially close to the brokenhearted. Would they know You as the One who comes near, Who will redeem all that is lost, Who will restore the years of grief, and Who walks with them towards that day where tears will be dried, and joy will be everlasting.

Lord, we pray for all those that are mothering today. Whether they are mothering children in their homes, or are mothering those You have placed in their paths, Lord would You bless the labours of their hands and hearts.

Lord as they pour themselves out physically and emotionally, would they know Your sustaining grace. That You are the One who poured Yourself out for them, and that they do not labour in vain, or alone.

We pray that as they seek to do their best to mother well in a world that offers many voices, that the voice they would hold onto would be Your Word of life. That they would find comfort in Your truth, endurance in Your promises, and joy in Your blessings.

We pray for mothers in a season of struggle, of loneliness and anxiety and relentless self giving. Would You minister to them. Just as You saw Hagar mothering alone in the wilderness, would they know that You see them, and would You be their source who supplies their daily needs for energy, for hope, and for choosing love, even when it’s hard, day after day.

Lord, we pray for mothers whatever their stage of life. Whether they are in the busyness of a young family, or are mothering from afar, would they be leaning on You, trusting Your loving heart and Your never-ending goodness for them and for their children, and would You sustain them with peace and the reminder that You are the One who knit these children together, and Your promises for them and for those who mother will not fail.

And Lord we pray that You would bring joy and fruit to the work of the hands of the mothers here. Lord, would they would know that Your heart is for the least, and that as they seek daily to love and care, they are giving a glimpse of You. We pray that You would give them Your eyes to see their children as You do, and Your wisdom to know how to care well for the individual souls they nurture. Would they point their children to You, would they know blessing and reward, and would they be encouraged by the love of the church family. Would we as a church care well for mothers, and in so doing, would we shine together as Your lights in the world. Lord, thank You that You hear our prayers.

This Thursday, a community of church members and people from the wider community who are over 60 meet together at Christchurch to enjoy friendship, care and connection. This is Legacy.

This week will be Easter-themed! We will enjoy a delicious meal together, hear an Easter message from Bob, and enjoy friendship and conversation with one another.

Even if you are not involved with Legacy, please keep Thursday in your prayers. Be praying for Bob as he shares the gospel with the group, pray that people would hear and respond, that we would see many saved and come to have a personal relationship with Jesus, their Saviour.

The Way Course gets underway this evening!

In six short sessions at Brickworks Coffee shop, Simon will take attendees through the book of Luke, tracing the story of Jesus and showing them what journeying into life with Jesus looks like.

You still have time to invite a friend or family member and book your place on the course. Sign up here!

We're plunging back into the story of Joshua this Tuesday evening!

Beginning in Joshua chapter 5, we will continue to learn more from the life of Joshua and the God that he serves. We will endeavour to cover chapters 5-7 so please read these passages before attending.

It's not too late to sign up! Book your spot here.

There is still so much happening this month at Christchurch!

11th - Church Members Meeting
16th - Prayer meeting
17th - The Way Course
17th - Joshua Bible Study
19th - Legacy
24th - Joshua Bible Study
28th - Women’s Ministry Book Study
30th - Prayer meeting
31st - The Way Course
31st - Joshua Bible Study

Could you attend a Bible study for the first time?
Could you invite a friend to do The Way Course with you?
Could it be your first time joining a prayer meeting?

We pray that attending even just one of our events this month will be such a blessing to you ! Visit our website or the app to find all our events listed in our church calendar.

If you are a member of Christchurch, join us this Wednesday evening for a church update!

We will be discuss lots of exciting church news, including updates about current work and future plans for the church.

See you there!

(If you are not a member, you can learn more about becoming a member here. )