Sunday 23rd March 


All our latest events, information and prayer needs
 
Our Vision: "We are a people being transformed by the unconditional love of God; seeking to bless our community, and longing for all to experience the hope we have in Jesus."
 

Saturday 22nd March

 
 

Sunday 23rd March


The Third Sunday of Lent

9am - Morning Worship - Unanswered prayer: the call to persistence in prayer (Psalms 13 & 88) – David Thomas

          10.05am - Prayer Meeting – in Room 4 for approx. 20 minutes

10.30am - Holy Communion – As above

          *The 10.30am service will be livestreamed via the Christ Church Bedford YouTube channel*

7pm - Sundays@Seven – Lord's Prayer 3: Lord's Prayer 3: Give us today our daily bread – Sue Marshall
 

Services in the coming week


Wednesday 26th March 
10am -  Holy Communion – followed by refreshments
8pm - Lent Course: Marriage – In church

Sunday 30th March
9am -  Holy Communion – Praying for the impossible and life changing (Gen 18:1-15, 1 Sam 1:10-11, Mat 15:21-28) David Thomas
          10.05am - Prayer Meeting – in Room 4 for approx. 20 minutes
10.30am - All Age Worship – Mothering Sunday – Michael Bishop
7pm - Sundays@Seven –  Lord's Prayer 4: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.– Mhairi Brown
 

Church Family News


Our Lent Sermons are on Prayer : -
Prayer booklet: To accompany our Lent series looking at prayer,  our curate Ben Williams has put together a booklet with different suggestions of ways of praying. This includes both traditional structured methods of prayer (such as services of Morning Prayer), as well as more reflective practices such as examen. For those feeling more creative, the booklet also contains a selection of different ways of bringing creativity into your prayer life, including using bubbles, maps, and pipe cleaners.

To download the booklet please click here

Clarry Bristow: It is with great sadness that we share the news that Clarry Bristow died on Tuesday 4th March. We mourn his passing but rejoice that he is at peace with his Saviour.

Mothering Sunday: Our service at 10.30am on Sunday 30th March will be an All-Age Service for Mothering Sunday; the 10.30am service on 6th April will be Morning Worship.

Electoral Roll: Thank you for the 190 of you who already completed an Electoral Roll form, whether the paper or electronic version. Please consider joining the Electoral Roll, a list of those who consider themselves committed members of Christ Church and as such it gives them the opportunity to have their say and also vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) on Wednesday, 30th April, 8pm.

If you wish to be entered on the new Roll, you need to apply for enrolment not later than 5th April 2025, even if you are entered on the present Roll. Paper versions of the form are available by the pigeon holes and there is a box to return completed forms, there too. Any questions? Please email on electoralroll@ccbedford.org

Safety on Sundays: For the next few weeks we are trialling making the large hall available after the 10.30am service for our children (Year 6 and under) to use. We request that no children (Year 6 and under) play upstairs.
 

Lent: Our 6-week Lent course “Relationships Matter” continues on Wednesday in church at 8pm. Our purpose is to start a conversation about what the Bible says about marriage, singleness and same sex attraction: to listen to the Bible and to how different people have interpreted it. To make sure we hear different experiences and perspectives, there will be a variety of speakers with opportunity for feedback and discussion.
 
If you missed the first session of our Lent Course, you can watch it on the Christ Church YouTube channel

Thoughts from the Vicar


Imagine for a moment that to do everything we currently do as a church equals 100.
If we break that down a little bit, it looks like this:
45 = Parish Share
30 = Staff costs
7.5 = Missional Giving
6 = Building costs
4 = Utilities like Gas/Electric
7.5 = Other costs
Total = 100
 
The amount that is coming in to pay for the 100 is 94.
Breaking that down it looks like this:
57 = Giving
14 = Recoverable Tax including Gift Aid
12 = Hall Hire
7 = Miscellaneous Income
4 = Grants
Total = 94
 
That is what 2024 looked like for us, and what 2025 will look like if nothing changes. If incomings and outgoings remain the same, we will be 6 short. 6% in real terms equates to approx. £20,000. 

Numbers alone don’t really give the true picture of what is happening. Parish Share helps with the wider mission of the church in this Diocese, hundreds of churches sharing Jesus with their communities. Staff Costs mean that we can run 5 children/youth groups on a Sunday, multiple activities during the week from toddler mornings to university work, can organise youth weekend aways, and training sessions for volunteers. It means we have someone in church 9-5 Monday through Friday. Missional giving means multiple organisations (including people we know and love very much!) in the UK and abroad are supported both financially and spiritually. Each one of these numbers refers to hundreds, if not thousands of people whose lives are touched by us, and more importantly see and hear the gospel in action. 

Please pray with me as we figure out how the 94 gets bigger. Various groups (PCC, Standing Committee, Engagement Group, Resources Group) are prayerfully thinking through this, so there is lots going on. But frankly, the more prayer the better. I've found that when I pray, God speaks; sometimes it is in gentle nudges, sometimes inspiration appears, other times doors open, and sometimes I just know what I have to do. 

So please pray, pray that the 94 would become 100. And if you have faith for it, pray that the 94 becomes 110, so we can do even more.
 

For your prayers this week


Prayer for The Third Sunday of Lent: Eternal God, whose Son went among the crowds and brought healing with his touch: help us to show his love, in your Church as we gather together, and by our lives as they are transformed into the image of Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Children's Ministry and Events

 
THIS SUNDAY AT 10.30am (23rd March):
 


 
COMING UP THIS WEEK:

 
 

COMING UP IN THE EASTER HOLIDAYS
 
 



VOLUNTEERS WANTED:


 
For more information about our regular groups please look on our website here or contact Ruth using: children@ccbedford.org or 07554 537757

Youth Ministry and Events


 




 

For more information about our regular groups please look on our website here or contact Hannah using: youth@ccbedford.org or 07384 295757

 
18-30s Ministry and Events


 
For more information contact Laura Jewell our 18-30s Pioneer at 18-30s@ccbedford.org
 

What is happening at Christ Church and beyond
 

Go4Gold Social: Friday 28th March 2pm-3.15pm. All welcome, refreshments provided, suggested donation £1pp

Men’s Social: 29th March 2025 at Bedford Blues. A great chance to meet up together and have fun.  Join us at Bedford Blues on Goldington Road on 29th March (ko 3pm).  Purchase your own ticket online at https://bedfordrugby.co.uk/tickets (cheaper) and congregate at the area between the stand and the main gate.  Meet up beforehand at The Three Cups 45 Newnham St for a pre match drink and chat from 1pm. The game is against Cornish Pirates.  Hope to see you there.  Please invite a friend to come along too. 
 
Save the date: Saturday 10th May 7-10pm Celebrate 20 years of the Malawi Orphan Fund working with the Home of Hope. A fun evening of food for the stomach and for the mind. £20 (children £5). More information and tickets from Gillian Lindley 

Save the date: Plant sale ðŸŒ»ðŸŒ±ðŸŒ·ðŸª´  24th  May 2025. Please start taking your cuttings and planting your seeds ready to sell them in May. We had a wonderful time last year so let’s make it even better this year. Thanks in advance for all your contributions.
 

2025 Men’s Weekend Away: Friday 17th - Sunday19th October staying at The Garden House in Stamford. Green brochures with booking form now available in the hub, or download here or from John Betteley.  Twin or single en-suite rooms available.  Book early.
 
+ Foodbank Extra Request: Sun cream SPF50. Particularly for children (but needed for all).
 
 

 

Hello
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.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Our 9:00am service is traditional in style and lasts about 45 minutes.

Our main Sunday family service starts at 10:30am and runs for about 75 minutes, everyone gathers together at the beginning of the service. After a short time of worship together, we divide into different teaching and worship groups as children up to school year 11 leave.

At our all-age services (60 minutes), everyone stays together for the whole service. Our weekly notice-sheet gives details of all important events happening in the near future and some guidance on topics for prayer.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are served after the service where there is plenty of time to meet new people and ask more questions. We are proud to be a certified Fair Trade Church.

Our 7:00pm Sunday evening service runs for about 75 minutes and adopts a more contemporary style with a focus on deeper worship and teaching.   

 

What happens to the kids at church?

Children

We have a fantastic programme for the kids at the Church on Sunday mornings during our 10.30am service:

Imagine -  Our weekly group for babies to 3 year olds, parents are welcome to stay with their child, if they like.  They meet in the main hall 
Wonder - Our weekly group for those in school years R-3. They meet in Rooms 2-3
Marvel - Our weekly group for those in school years 4-6. They meet in Room 5 (upstairs)
Youth - Our weekly group for those in school years 7-13. They meet in Room 7 (upstairs). Please register at the desk in the hub


The children and youth stay with their parents at the start of the service as we worship together for the first part of the morning. Someone will announce when the children and youth should go to their groups. You will need to go with your children and register them, the first time they attend. 

For more information about what is currently happening in the children's work please visit the Children's Ministry page and for the youth work please visit the Youth Ministry page.

What about accessibility?

There are parking spaces next to the church halls but for the 10:30am service a larger car park is available at Castle Newman School (south site) just a few yards along Goldington Road. We have step free access from both Denmark street and Dudley street and there is space for buggies and wheelchairs in the Hub area of the new halls. There are baby changing and accessible toilet facilities and a lift to the first floor. Our sound system incorporates a hearing loop.

Getting Connected


Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. 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 afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries: