Sunday @ 10am - Open Door
Welcome to Open Door
Open Door is our new act of weekly worship which we launched on Sunday 8 January 2012. In the early months of the life of Open Door we intentionally want to experiment with the style and content but if you join us as we journey together into this new venture you will experience
1. a style that is relatively informal and intentionally accessible to people who are not used to church.
2. something that is designed to be as child and young family-friendly as possible. There are groups for children and young people aged rising 3 and upwards in which children and young people enjoy teaching and activities relevant to their ages. There is also a space in the church worship area set aside for the under 3s, their parents and carers.
3. worship that is based on the Church of England’s ‘Service of the Word’. In essence this provides a framework (i.e. a Greeting, an Act of Confession, Bible Reading(s), Talk, Statement of Belief, Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, Blessing interspersed with some hymns and worship songs) but with considerable flexibility as to texts.
4. an opportunity to listen to people sharing stories of how God has been at work in their lives.
5. the chance to receive bread and wine (Holy Communion) twice a month (one of which includes children who enjoy eating bread and grapes at banqueting tables).
6. all age worship, when children are in for the whole service, occasionally (6-8 times a year). This will be planned by a specific group, chaired by Ro Willoughby, our full-time Children’s and Families’ Community Worker. The first of these will be on 29th January and the second one will be on 18th March (Mothering Sunday).
7. the opportunity to enjoy refreshments in the St Paul's Centre hall at the end of the service.
Everyone is welcome at Open Door, from newborn babies to grandparents. You don't have to bring a family with you - come and join ours.
The programme for the next few weeks is as follows:
5th February Church as a 'missional' community (with Holy Communion and children's groups)
12th February Church as a 'Jesus-centred' community (with children's groups)
19th February Church as a 'risk-taking' community (with Holy Communion and children's groups)
26th February Church as a 'biblical' community (with a children's plenary session)
4th March Church as a 'relational' community (with Holy Communion and children's groups)
11th March Church as a 'prayerful' community (with children's groups)
