A BIGGER Table...

15/07/2022

It was so great last weekend to welcome Rev. Hayley (the President of Baptist's Together thank you very much!) to Bethel last Sunday. She shared with real passion and insight on her great theme of Building a Bigger Table. (If you missed it you can catch up here).
Hayley1
After she had ministered we had two opportunities to respond:

There was a live podcast in the evening where Hayley, Mark Fairweather-Tall (SWBA Regional Minister... thank you very much again!!) and myself tried to explore more deeply what this might mean, and it was great to have people engaging both on site and online with this big theme. (If you missed that you can catch up here).
But in the morning, we wanted to allow space for a more immediate response by simply sharing with the people around us what we felt God had been sharing, both to us an individuals but also as a church family - these were then written onto paper plates!

I'm sharing them here as a reminder of Hayley's call, and because I don't want to lose all that was shared in response. What I'd love to invite you to do is:

Read through them slowly, listening deeply to what's being said
Make each one a prayer for you and for our church, inviting God to move in you and through you
If there is one or two (or more!) that really resonate with you, to share that with us - either me (Jon!) or someone from the leadership team
Equally, if it prompts any further questions or concerns, please do share those too so that we can listen to those too.

And so, in no particular order - here's what people shared:

So what about you?
What is God saying to you?

Empty Vessel (A Prayer by Martin Luther)

Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it.
I am weak in faith; Strengthen Thou me.
I am cold in love; Warm me and make me fervent that my love may go out to my neighbour.
I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust Thee altogether.
O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in Thee.
In Thee I have sealed the treasures of all I have.
I am poor; Thou art rich and didst come to be merciful to the poor.
I am a sinner; Thou art upright.
With me there is an abundance of sin; In thee is the fullness of righteousness.
Therefore, I will remain with Thee of who I can receive but to whom I may not give.
Amen.

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.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

Where and When

The church is open for activities throughout the week but if you are just seeking us out it is likely that you will want to come and be a part of our Sunday worship which is core to what we are about.
We meet in the main church building (details here) at 10:30 each week. See our calendar to find out plans for the next few weeks.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer and church lounge.

Our Sunday Services

Sunday morning services are structured but informal. They include a mix of both contemporary and traditional worship songs and hymns, prayers, readings from the Bible and a sermon that unpacks this. Occasionally we will also have specific updates about ways that God has been working through and in people and activities. Once a month we celebrate communion as part of the service. The last Sunday of the month is usually an Altogether Service when all ages are all together in one place for a more relaxed and activity based time of worship.

We aim to finish at about 11.45 to Midday when we serve free tea, coffee and cold drinks. This is a great opportunity to get to meet people.

Sunday Evening services, either in person or online, tend to be shorter and more reflective and are an opportunity to dig a little deeper into our relationship with God.

What about the children and youth?

We have a great programme for children of all ages, for more information about what happens please visit our Children and Youth page.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

It is often in smaller gatherings that we can really get to know other people. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some in the afternoon and some in the evening either in the church, in peoples’ homes or online .
If you are interested in joining a Small Group, let us know and we can put you in touch with the small group coordinator who will be more than happy to find a group that is convenient for you and introduce you to the group leader.

Get Involved

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the life of our church. If you'd like to find out more, please let us know.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to discuss anything before you visit the church, get in touch and we can arrange a time to chat with you.

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