How long?

As we contemplate our very hurting world and our own country experiencing such things as little children being stabbed and killed while at a happy dance class; far right wing thugs attacking the police in many towns and cities throughout the country and a man being pushed onto a railway track with a train approaching simply because he looked at someone the wrong way. We also see war in Ukraine and Gaza with a build up of hostile forces funded by Iran on the Israeli border.

I personally wonder how long it will be before the end comes and King Jesus returns as the Lion of Judah. This question was also asked by those who have been martered for the Word of God as they cried out: "O Sovereign Lord holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people who belong to this world for what they have done to us? When will you avenge our blood against these people?" and this answer was given to them. "Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters -their fellow servants of Jesus- had been martered"see Reference (1).

So therefore us living believers must also wait. But we too can cry out to our Lord and ask how long? As I wrote in a poem on a previous occasion:-

I ache to see the river that flows out from Your Throne,
And walk along it's banks with You
No longer far from home.

I need to taste that special fruit
Which grows along it's banks,
And experience the fluttering of the leaves
On the trees where I give thanks.
Then all the saints will give You praise
As we quench our thirst for You,
In Eden recreated
You will make us all brand new. See Reference (2)

We, in these last days (in my opinion) also need to point people to the only one who can save them, the Lord Jesus himself who is the Way the Truth and the Life. I can do no better than quote some of the words from this great old hymn which I came across in a recent novel I was reading:-
Behold a man in anguish bending
Marked by pain and loss,
Yonder stony hill ascending
Carrying a cross.
He is now transfixed with sorrow
In the eyes of men,
when we see the bright tomorrow
He will rise again.
Look no moore with eyes of pity
See our victory,
When we build that heavenly city
All men shall be free. See reference (3)

David Mc Neely 15 August 2024.

References:- 1. The Holy Bible New Living Translation, Rev Ch 6 Verses 10 and 11.
2. David McNeely More poems by a follower of the Potter, No 18, 7 Apr 20
Based on Rev 22 (NLT)
3. A Place Called Freedom, Ken Follett 1995, page 127. (original title and
origin unknown)

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

We know meeting someone for the first time can be intimidating and going to a new church for the first time can be nerveracking. We want to help make your first experience at Bethel a great one.

Where and When

We meet at the Chapel (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am.
For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early. As we don't have our own car park, you will have to find a spot in one of the many public car parks around town. Don't worry, there is always loads of parking as it's Sunday morning and its.a very short walk.
When you arrive, you will be greeted by one of our welcomers at the door, who will show you where to sit and provide you with a "Contact Us" sheet should you want to us to contact you after the service.

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 church hall.

We see our services on a Sunday like a family get together. We like to laugh and have fun. Life can sometimes be very challenging, whether you are young or old; it helps to have support and a place to belong; so on Sundays we do just that.

What you can expect on a Sunday morning at Bethel is:

A warm, friendly community of people
To be welcomed and included.
To be supported.
To be given a chance.
To sometimes laugh and sometimes cry.
To be challenged and also to have fun.
To experience the presence of God in us and in creation.
To sing, because music is probably the best way we have of expressing our emotions and gratefulness to God.
A love for the Bible and the truths in it.

Bethel04

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Sunday Club (4 -11 years)
Young people (11+ years) They have a group meeting one week and the next join in the service in the Chapel.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, a song or two songs, notices and an all age reflection. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. We suggest that on your first visit, you go along with your child to drop them off and meet the leaders, before returning to the Chapel.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Home 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:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Youth Group
Foodbank
Renew Wellbeing Cafe

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Phil Hibbert
Pastor

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.