Sunday 12th January 


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."
 

Sunday 12th January


Epiphany 1

9am - Morning Worship - Body of Christ: What does it mean? (Unity) 1 Cor 12:12-27 – 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 – As above
 

Services in the coming week


Wednesday 15th January
10am -  Holy Communion – followed by refreshments

Sunday 19th January
9am - Holy Communion - Body of Christ (Worship) – Michael Bishop
          10.05am - Prayer Meeting – in Room 4 for approx. 20 minutes
10.30am - Morning Worship – as above
7pm Sundays@Seven – as above - Mhairi Brown
 

Church Family News


Malawi Lunch: on Sunday 19th January after the morning services, everyone is invited to a free simple lunch to hear more about the Home of Hope in Malawi.

Funeral: Sadly George Moseley died last week, his funeral will take place at Christ Church on Monday 20th January at 1.30pm.

Baptism, Confirmation, and Children’s Admission to Communion: In the new year, we are planning on running preparation classes for children (age 7+) and young people who want to be admitted to receive Holy Communion. We are also planning on running classes for anyone who is interested in baptism (any age) and/or confirmation (12+). Please drop an email to Vikki (vicarspa@ccbedford.org) expressing an interest. More details will follow.

Coffee Rota at 10.30am: we have struggled a fair amount the last few months with the Coffee Rota, if we are to continue to have refreshments after this service, we need volunteers. Please can you email Vikki (vicarspa@ccbedford.org) if you are willing. Depending on the number of volunteers, depends on the frequency of service. We need a minimum of 25 people to be able to continue to have refreshments at the 10.30am.
 
Please consider GIVING to Christ Church in 2025: to donate to Christ Church if possible, please, use bank transfer, via standing order or one-off gift: Account name: Christ Church PCC Bedford; Sort code: 40-52-40; Account No: 00020562 Reference [your surname].

However, we now have a Payaz ® giving station. It is located at the back of church, and it can accept all major debit & credit cards and digital payments. For donations of £30 or less we can claim Gift Aid on small cash donations*, where no Gift Aid Declaration had been given. *A Small Donation is a cash, contactless or card donation of £30 or less.  A church can claim up to £8,000 in Small Donations of donated income per tax year per church.

Car parking: Thanks to Castle Newnham School, the south site school playground is open for car parking Sunday mornings (9.30am to 1pm).   To bless our neighbours, please use this or the church car park (Dudley Street) rather than parking on the narrow side streets and please always park with due care and consideration for others, not on the yellow lines.
 

Thoughts from the Vicar


Last Sunday we celebrated epiphany and thought about the gifts which the magi brought to give to Jesus (or were they for Mary and Joseph?)! Amongst the various questions this story raises, are these two;
  • What gifts do I have?
  • How do I offer them to Jesus?
This has got me thinking about how we identify our gifts and then how we offer them to God. I wonder have you ever spoken with someone you trust, someone who knows you well, and asked them – what do you think my gifts are? Have you sat down recently, over a nice cuppa tea (other beverages are available), possibly with a slice of cake, and seriously thought about this with someone? I have found doing this to be a very affirming and encouraging thing to do. And interestingly, at times others have identified things within me which I did not see myself.
 
A consequence of doing such a thing is that it can introduce some accountability. Now accountability can sound scary, but more often than not, in my experience it has been a blessing to me and helped me to grow. Accountability can help us develop our gifts and think about how we use them wisely. Which helps us to answer the above questions!
 

For your prayers this week


Prayer for Epiphany 1: Heavenly Father, at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son: may we recognize him as our Lord and know ourselves to be your beloved children; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
 
Please pray for:
  • Family and friends of Thomas Taylor who was killed this week at Bedford Bus Station.
  • LA (forest fires) and other areas which are suffering from ecological disasters.
  • Those struggling with the cold, for safety during the freezing temperatures.
  • Families and friends who are facing bereavement at this time.
 
Children's Ministry and Events
 
THIS SUNDAY AT 10.30am (12th January):
 

 

COMING UP THIS WEEK:

 
 

 
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

Don't Miss Out!

Join us on 12th January for an exciting Skills Workshop designed for any young people interested in:

  • Leading activities at youth and church events.
  • Getting involved in music, lights, and AV for church and youth.

This is your chance to try out these roles, learn new skills, and discover where you can make an impact.

📅 When: 12th January
📍 Where: Christ Church Bedford 
🎉 Open to all – no prior experience needed!

Sign up now to secure your spot!
SIGN UP HERE



Friday Night Youth restarts on 10th January and the Sunday groups on 12th January




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

 
Bishop Alan to Retire: our Diocesan Bishop has announced that he will be retiring on the 31st May. Please pray for him in his final few months. More details can be found here link 
 
Go4Gold Speaker: 2-3.15pm Friday 17th  January 2025 in the Halls; come along and hear “how it’s all going so far” from the vicar (DT). All are welcome for chat and refreshments - no booking needed, just turn up.
 
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 18th-25th January
Churches Together in Bedford have organised the following times of prayer during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025:

Saturday 18 January - 2.30pm St Joseph's Church, Midland Road

Sunday 19 January - 6pm St Andrew's Church, Kimbolton Road

Monday 20 January - 6.30pm Polish Church, Mill Street

Tuesday 21 January - 12 noon St Martin's Church, Clapham Road

Wednesday 22 January - 1.30pm Bunyan Meeting, Mill Street

Thursday 23 January - 12.45-1.15pm Bedford Quakers, Lansdowne Road.  (You are welcome to bring your lunch and share time together afterwards)

Friday 24 January - 1pm Christ Church, Goldington Road
 

Coming up later in 2025 – Bookings now open

2025 Church coach holiday Monday 2nd -Friday 6th June: open to all, staying at the Holiday Inn in Portsmouth (with a complimentary swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym).

2025 Ladies Weekend Away: Friday 26th-Sunday 28th September staying at The Garden House in Stamford. Ladies can come for the weekend or for the day on Saturday 27th for fun, food, fellowship, teaching and worship.

Brochures and booking forms for both these events are now available from The Hub, or download (CCH / LWA) or contact Rachel Bennett. Early booking will secure your place.

 
Bedford Foodbank: The most needed food items at the moment are: Tin openers, pot noodles,  cup-a-soup, fruit juice (long-life), tinned meat (200g), tuna, sweetcorn and fruit, jelly, coffee and long-life milk.

If you wish to donate toiletries to Bedford Foodbank, our current needs are: toilet rolls, disposable razors, shaving foam/gel, sanitary wear, household cleaning sprays and washing up liquid. Many thanks for your generosity.
 

 

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: