Welcome Church

Woking Community Grocery – The Official Opening

/ Steve Petch / 1 Comment

This morning I had the joy of attending the official opening of the Woking Community Grocery, based in our Church Gate building. We’ve been working towards this moment, in partnership with The Message Trust, for a few years, so today was a cause for real celebration.

Alongside many from Welcome Church, there was a great gathering of community and business leaders. Representatives attended from The Message Trust, Woking Borough Council, Surrey County Council, BBC Radio Surrey, Woking Mosque, and a number of local businesses and charities. These included Nomad Foods (who have stocked our freezers with their Birds Eye brand), Porky Whites (providing sausages), and Boz’s Fruit and Veg (our fruit and veg supplier).

We were also joined by representatives from Jobcentre Plus, The Lighthouse, Barnardo’s Family Centre, Woking Chamber of Commerce, Ilford Community Grocery, and many other valued supporters. It was especially good to welcome the Mayor, Cllr Amanda Boote, the Leader of the Council, Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, and our local MP, Will Forster, who continues to be a great encouragement to us.

We’ve been featured several times today on BBC Radio Surrey and also made it onto the BBC News website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgrel6e6evo

There were four short speeches:

  • Dub, our Outreach Pastor, shared the heart behind the project and the journey to get here
  • Will Forster MP spoke warmly about the work we do as a church to support those in need
  • Darren Green, our Grocery Manager, shared his passion for the project (he spoke brilliantly)
  • Juliea Morris, Team Manager from Barnardo’s Woking Family Centre, spoke about some families already benefiting and the impact being seen after just one week

After this, Will Forster cut the ribbon and the Community Grocery was officially declared ‘open’

Why are we doing this?

Rising living costs are putting increasing pressure on households across Woking, making it harder for many families to make ends meet. Two wards in Woking are now among the 20% most deprived in the UK, with one ranked as the most deprived in Surrey. The growing queues at the door each morning are clear evidence of this need.

Woking Community Grocery has been established to provide long-term, reliable access to affordable food for those experiencing food insecurity. Alongside discounted grocery shopping, members can access the wider support available through Welcome Church, including job clubs, life skills courses, debt counselling, the Money Course, Kintsugi Hope, and more.

As Christians, we believe we are called to care for those in need, and this is one practical way we can put that into action in our community.

If you’d like to find out more, you can visit the grocery webpage here: https://www.welcomechurch.uk/communitygrocery

Or read more about the heart behind this project here: https://stevepetch.blog/2025/11/24/welcome-church-community-grocery-latest-news/

After the official opening, the Grocery returned to business as usual, with many new people signing up to join. We have welcomed over 100 new families today, taking our total to over 350 members in less than 2 weeks. Sign-ups have already far exceeded our expectation, and the team has been working hard to keep up. Seeing it all in action was quite emotional 🥲

Church Gate Open Day

Church Gate is about much more than just the Community Grocery. The space will now be used for a wide range of social action courses and events, and it’s also already well used by our children and youth—especially on Sunday mornings. It’s their space too!

With this in mind, we’re renaming Church Gate (which, if we’re honest, does sound a bit like a church-related scandal!)

Going forward, the building will be known as:

The Welcome Church Community Hub

Or simply:

‘The Community Hub’

The majority of the funding for this has come from sacrificial giving within Welcome Church, and this Sunday afternoon (26th April) we’re hosting an Open Day for everyone who is part of Welcome Church. This is an opportunity to look around the building and see what has been achieved now that the redevelopment is complete.

If you’d like to attend the open day, you can book a slot for between 1:30pm and 4pm here: https://welcome.churchsuite.com/events/hvlhs3ee

There may even be a cup of tea or coffee waiting for you.

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Thank You For Your Patience!

/ Steve Petch / 2 Comments

This is my first blog post since January, when I shared news of my cancer diagnosis and upcoming treatment. You can read that post here.

I’ve been out of circulation for a while due to surgery and recovery, but I’m delighted to say that I’m now beginning a gradual return to my role at Welcome Church. I even spent some time back in the office this week. It was great to be with the team and to be with several new staff members who started during my absence.

In terms of my health…

I’m pleased to say that I’m slowly recovering, and I can see progress from week to week. I’m currently nine weeks post-surgery, and the physiotherapist estimates that I’ve regained about 90% of the movement in my arm—so now I’m working on that final 10%.

I’m still using painkillers fairly regularly and need to be careful not to overdo things. I’ve been told that the minimum healing time for this kind of surgery is around three months, and possibly up to 18 months. I’m aiming for the lower end of that range, and life is gradually returning to a new kind of normal.

I want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to my wife, Jo. She has been absolutely incredible throughout this whole journey—patient, kind, and endlessly supportive. From the early days of diagnosis, through surgery, and into recovery, she has cared for me so faithfully and sacrificially. I’m deeply grateful for her love, strength, and encouragement, and I honestly couldn’t have got through this season in the way I have without her.

I also want to say a sincere thank you to everyone in the church who has looked out for me and the family during this time. So many of you have been incredibly kind—through your prayers, messages, encouragement, and practical support. It has meant more than I can properly express. I’ve felt very cared for and upheld, and I’m deeply grateful to be part of such a loving church family.

Looking ahead, I’ll have another MRI scan in late August to check on my progress. If all is well, I expect to be fully discharged from the Royal Marsden Hospital’s care in September. The Sarcoma Team have been superb, by the way—it’s such a privilege to receive this level of care through our NHS.

Returning to my role

I’m delighted to have been back in the office for three mornings this week.

In discussion with Occupational Health, I’ll be undertaking a “phased return” over the next few weeks. This means working reduced hours and days while I continue to recover physically. I’m looking forward to being back at full strength, but in the meantime — thank you for your patience.

This season also gives a good opportunity to reflect on what I should pick up again and what is best left with others who have so faithfully covered things during my absence. One thing I’m especially looking forward to is preaching again. My first Sunday back will be on 26th April, when I’ll be speaking from Acts 2 as part of our new series on Acts. Christopher has designed the series, and I’m really looking forward to it.

In my absence

The Welcome Church team have done an outstanding job during my time away, and I want to say a heartfelt thank you to them all.

While I’ve been out, they’ve completed the development of Church Gate, opened the Community Grocery, welcomed four new staff members, reorganised the church offices, moved the children’s and youth work into Church Gate, run a fantastic Alpha Course, recorded the highest-ever Sunday attendance in our 147-year history (more than 1,400 people on Easter Sunday!), and changed our Sunday meeting times—a shift that’s already made a significant difference.

Hopefully, there are still a few things left for me to do!

The most noticeable change on my return, though, was when I sat down at my desk. Christopher had been using it in my absence, and—after a few moments of wondering why it felt “different”—I realised he’d lowered it to what I can only describe as “child height.” Now, if I can just find the right Allen key…

See you on Sunday!

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Trusting God Despite A Difficult Diagnosis

/ Steve Petch / 2 Comments

If you missed the news I shared during my talk on Sunday at Welcome Church, I wanted to take a moment to explain a little more fully what we are currently walking through as a family.

I have cancer

That’s not a sentence I expected to be writing in a church blog. The good news — and there really is good news here — is that this is a very low-grade form of cancer and it is not considered life-threatening. Even so, it does mean surgery, and it does mean a season that will require prayer, patience, and trust.

Here’s what’s going on

Back in September, I found a lump under my right arm, on the side of my chest. It was painful, and after seeing my GP I was sent for an ultrasound scan and then an MRI. In November, the consultant in Guildford referred me to the Sarcoma Team at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

On December 16th, I had a biopsy to determine whether the lump was benign or a type of low-grade cancer called an ALT (Atypical Lipomatous Tumour). I received the results on January 22nd, and it has been confirmed as an ALT.

This was not the outcome Jo and I had hoped or prayed for. That said, there is genuine reassurance in the diagnosis. The tumour is well-differentiated, which means it is slow-growing and very unlikely to spread elsewhere in the body, unless left untreated long term. This is not the kind of cancer that normally shortens life expectancy — something we are deeply grateful for, especially after walking through a lot of uncertainty during the autumn and the run up to Christmas.

The challenge is that, left untreated, the tumour will simply continue to grow — and it’s already quite large. Because of its location, that growth would cause increasing physical problems over time — and it’s already painful. Also if left long term it could spread, so for these reasons, surgery is necessary.

What happens next?

I’m scheduled for surgery at The Royal Marsden in early March. The aim is to remove the tumour completely.

I’ve been warned that the surgery may not be straightforward.

The lump I can feel is only part of it. The tumour extends into my shoulder and has grown around the brachial artery (the main artery supplying the arm), as well as several important nerves that affect movement and sensation. Because of that, the surgeon has been very open that this is very risky surgery, with a possibility of lasting weakness, numbness, or restricted movement in my arm or shoulder.

Even so, it does need to come out, and they need to make sure they get all of it.

The surgery will be done under general anaesthetic, I’ll be in hospital for several days, and there will be a period of recovery afterwards. This isn’t how we imagined the start of this year — but we remain thankful that the situation is not far more serious. It’s low-grade. It hasn’t spread. And we’re receiving excellent care.

Please Pray

We would really value your prayers in the weeks ahead:

  • For us and our family, as we navigate what has been an emotionally demanding season
  • For wisdom and skill for the surgeons and medical team
  • For no delays in treatment
  • For a successful operation with no lasting damage

And yes — please also pray boldly. Pray for God’s healing. Pray for his intervention. We believe God is able, and we are asking him to do what only He can do, even as we place our trust in the care we’ve been given.

Walking this road with faith

I committed my life to Jesus as a child more than forty years ago. That commitment hasn’t insulated us from difficult situations, but it does mean we don’t walk through it alone.

As I shared on Sunday, while preaching from Genesis 39, faithfulness is often forged in disappointment. We don’t yet know exactly how this will unfold, but we do know who holds us — and that is enough for today.

In case you missed the talk, here’s a link: https://www.welcomechurch.uk/sermons/genesis-39-disappointment-god-meant-it-for-good

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21 Days Of Prayer – Starting 2026 Together

/ Steve Petch / Leave a comment

As we step into a brand new year, we believe there is no better way to begin than by seeking God together.

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be kicking off 2026 as a church family with 21 Days of Prayer. This is an invitation to pause, refocus, and intentionally devote ourselves — and the year ahead — to Jesus.

For 21 days, we’ll gather in person to seek the presence of God, call on His name, and create space for Him to move in our lives, our church, our town and our nation. We believe prayer changes things, and we’re expectant for all that God will do as we come before Him together.

This will be an all-in church family moment, so we won’t be running Life Groups or any other competing events during this time. Our heart is to journey through these days as a united church family, making prayer our shared priority as we begin the year.

All meetings will take place at Welcome Church, with the following schedule:

Dates:

  • Monday 5th January – Sunday 25th January 2026

Times:

  • Monday to Thursday: 7pm to 8pm
  • Fridays: 7am to 8am
  • Saturdays: 9am to 10am
  • Sundays: 6pm to 7pm

Whether you can make it to every session or just a few, you are so welcome. Come as you are, bring your faith, your hopes, and your prayers — and let’s start 2026 together centred on Jesus.

We can’t wait to see you there.

And don’t forget, you can see in the New Year with us too at our Crossover service on New Years Eve. It’s not too late to book your tickets by clicking on the image below:

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Welcome Church Carol Services — A Truly Historic Sunday

/ Steve Petch / Leave a comment

What a Sunday! What a celebration! What a moment in the life of our church!

I hope you loved the Carol Services as much as I did. It was an unforgettable day, filled with joy, worship, generosity, and the unmistakable sense that God was at work among us.

Our best estimate is that 2,762 people joined us across both the adult Carol Services and the children’s Christmas parties that ran alongside them. That makes this the largest single Sunday in Welcome Church’s 146-year history — something truly worth celebrating and thanking God for.

The 11am, 4:30pm, and 7pm services were completely full, with only the 2pm service having any remaining space. We’re already praying, dreaming, and planning about how we can increase our capacity for next year 🙂

Thank You

Moments like this don’t happen by accident — they happen because of people.

A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone who served so generously to make the day possible: the band and singers, meeting hosts, readers, production team, brew crew, welcome team, busking band, caterers, kids teams, tots teams, decorations teams, set-up and clear-up teams, car park team, and everyone involved in planning and preparing.

There are so many moving parts to an event like this, and while listing roles always risks missing someone, please know this: if you served in any way, your contribution mattered, and we are deeply grateful. Thank you for giving your time, energy, and hearts so freely.

Well done, church!

We are especially proud of how our church family stepped out boldly to invite others. So many friends, neighbours, colleagues, and family members joined us — and we were also honoured to welcome special guests including the Mayor of Woking, several local councillors, and representatives from organisations we are privileged to partner with.

This is what church looks like: open doors, open hearts, and a shared desire to help people encounter the hope of Jesus. I’m especially proud of the way our church stepped out en masse to invite so many people to join us this year. In addition to the many friends, neighbours, colleagues and family members who attended, our special guests also included the Mayor of Woking and several local councillors, along with other guests from some of the various organisations who we partner with.

IIf you missed the Carol Services, you can catch up by clicking this link here, and don’t forget to join us on Christmas Day at 10am for Welcome Church Online too.

Below are a few photos capturing some of the joy and fun from the weekend — a small glimpse of a very big day:

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Four Amazing Job Opportunities At Welcome Church

/ Steve Petch / 1 Comment

In June and July, I preached a series at Welcome Church called “The Generous Life”. Together we explored how we can steward our finances with faith, grow in generosity, and reflect the generosity God has shown to us.

During that series, we shared that although our church has doubled in size over the last five years, our staff team had actually shrunk—a significant challenge for a growing church.

We asked you to step out in faith with your giving, and you did. The number of people giving regularly has grown by 27%, and for us that is a game changer.

Please remember: Welcome Church is a charity. Everything we do—both for those who are part of our church and for those who are not—is funded by your generosity. There’s nowhere better to invest your money than into God’s church!

A Huge “Thank You”

Some of you…

  • Increased your giving – thank you
  • Are new and jumped straight into giving – thank you
  • Moved from giving occasionally to giving regularly – thank you

Between April and October this year, our giving increased by 18% compared to the same period last year. Praise God for His provision, and thank you for standing with us in faith.

Because of your generosity, we are now able to move ahead with expanding our staff team, and are delighted to announce four new employed roles:

1. Operations Manager — 3 days per week

This key role supports the full range of our operational activities, with overall responsibility for the management and support of all food-related ministries—especially our Community Grocery and our kitchens.

Closing date: 4th January 2026

2. Finance Manager — 3 days per week

This role ensures the accurate, transparent, and compliant management of our finances. You’ll help our leadership steward our resources wisely, meet charity regulations, and provide clear reporting to the Senior Leadership Team and Trustees.

Closing date: 4th January 2026

3. Children’s Ministry Lead— 3 days per week

This role leads our Children’s Ministry across all age groups from birth to Year 6. We’re looking for someone who can shape excellent children’s ministry, build strong teams, create safe and welcoming environments, and help our children to encounter Jesus, grow in their faith, and feel at home in church. This is a role for a leader of leaders.

Closing date: 5th December 2026 (Please note the earlier date)

Youth and Young Adults Pastor — Full Time

This role carries responsibility for the leadership and discipleship of our youth and our fast-growing 18–30s community. We’re looking for a strong, dynamic leader to help shape how we engage, pastor, and disciple the next generation. This will be a significant leadership role for our church.

Closing date: 4th January 2026

How do I apply?

Please click this link for full details on each role and how to apply. You’re also welcome to get in touch for an informal chat, or to come and visit the church if you’d like to find out more.

A Few Encouragements for Those in Welcome Church

There are four things I’d love us all to do:

1. Continue stepping out in faith in your giving
Your generosity makes all of this possible.

2. Share these opportunities
Spread the word to anyone you think would be a great fit, and share the roles on your social media.

3. If you apply, hold it lightly
There may be many applicants but only one position for each role. If you’re not successful, please don’t allow that to affect how you feel about your church or cause you to withdraw.

4. Pray with us
Ask God to bring the right people into each of these roles.

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        Welcome Church Community Grocery – Latest News!

        / Steve Petch / 4 Comments

        Hi, I’m Dub Everitt, Outreach Pastor at Welcome Church, guest-writing Steve’s blog this week to share an exciting update on a project that’s very close to our hearts: the opening of the Woking Community Grocery — a social supermarket designed to serve and strengthen some of the most vulnerable families in our town.

        This will be a place where hungry families find food, dignity, and hope. That’s the vision behind Welcome Church’s upcoming Community Grocery, and we believe it will genuinely change lives.

        The Community Grocery – a Big Vision with a Big Impact

        We are launching the Woking Community Grocery in partnership with The Message Trust, an incredible, passionate Christian organisation based in Manchester. Across the UK, they have already opened 33 Community Groceries, serving over 70,000 members with low-cost, reliable food and wrap-around support.

        Our Grocery will be open to everyone in Woking — of all faiths and none. Membership will be just £5 per year, and families can choose a weekly shop costing between £5 and £12.50, saving up to £50 per week (that’s £2,500 a year!) on their shopping bills.

        We forecast that 1,000 families from across Woking will use the Grocery in the first year alone. Every member will also be able to access our Welcome Works services—debt support, money coaching, mental health & wellbeing help, job clubs and more. It’s a powerful, dignifying “hand up, not handout” model that helps people take real steps forward in life.

        Building Work Update

        Following our purchase of Church Gate, the office block next door to our church, renovation work is now full steam ahead. The scaffolding is up, the roof is repaired, the rooms have been stripped back, and we’re on track for completion in March 2026.

        After a meeting with our architect yesterday, I came away buzzing. The designs for the Grocery, the community spaces, and the upstairs rooms are looking amazing, and here are a couple of images to whet your appetite at this stage.

        First an aerial view of the grocery lay out:

        Second, a view of the Meet & Greet area:

        The doorway shown is the new entrance we are adding to Church Gate, which will open onto our front area, linking it all our buildings as one campus. Please continue to pray for the renovation and planning work over the coming months!

        And now for the date we’ve all been waiting for… (drumroll please!):

        Our planned launch date is: Thursday 16th April 2026!

        We’ll share more details closer to the time, but it’s going to be a huge celebration as we cut the ribbon and welcome our first customers.

        And Now, Introducing Our Grocery Manager: Darren Green

        On Sunday 16th November, we were thrilled to announce Darren Green as our new Community Grocery Manager — and the church’s response said it all.

        The cheering, the applause, the warmth… it was a beautiful moment that showed how much this project means to our church family.

        We also loved officially giving Darren his new double-barrelled surname: 

        Darren Green-Grocer (A prophetic sign? We think so!)

        Darren will begin his role on 1st February 2026, giving plenty of time to prepare for the launch.

        Over 250 People Saying, “Count Me In!”

        Over two Sundays, we invited people to fill in a “Count me in!” card to get involved in all things Grocery and Welcome Works. We were hoping for 75 sign-ups… instead, we’ve seen over 250 people step forward!

        We’re genuinely blown away! God is clearly stirring us as a church not only to give sacrificially – over £2 million so far – but also to give our time, skills, and hearts to serve our town. What a response. What a church. What a God.

        Workshops for everyone who signed up will be held across five different days over the next few weeks to help each person find the right place to serve. If you signed up, we will be in touch with you about that soon.

        Do You Want Us to “Count You In” Too?

        I know many people at Welcome Church may still want to get involved but, for various reasons, haven’t yet filled out a “Count me in” card.

        It’s not too late! Here’s how you can register your interest:

        1. Fill in the digital “Count me in” card via this link: Count Me In
        2. Or if you prefer you can E-mail Helen, our Grocery Project Manager

        Through our powerful autumn preaching series, “True Religion,” we’ve been stirred by God’s heart for the poor — and by His call for His people to step into the gap with hope, compassion, and practical love. That’s exactly what the Community Grocery is all about.

        What a calling!
        What a privilege!
        And what a joy to step into it together        !

        Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox

        Christmas At Welcome Church

        / Steve Petch / 1 Comment

        Christmas is just over a month away now, and bookings for our “Carol Service For Woking” opened last Sunday morning. The tickets (which are free!) are going very fast— even faster than last year—so please don’t leave it too long to book, or you may miss out on your first choice of when to attend.

        Here’s a summary of our plans as a church over Christmas and New Year 2025/26:

        Sundays 23rd & 30th November and 7th December: Our Christmas Preaching Series

        Our Christmas Preaching Series starts this Sunday at our 9am and 11am meetings. I’ll be kicking the series off myself. I won’t be giving any spoilers here, but we’re going to have some fun together, so make sure you don’t miss what will be this year’s number-one series!

        Sunday 14th December: A Carol Service For Woking

        We’re holding four services across the day at 11am, 2pm, 4.30pm, and 7pm. Come and enjoy singing your favourite carols, followed by free mulled wine and mince pies.

        Children up to school year 4 are invited to join our free Kids’ Christmas Parties, which will run alongside the 11am, 2pm, and 4.30pm services.

        Booking is essential for all adults’ and children’s tickets, and be warned that we are likely to be sold out again this year. Don’t delay— – Click here to book

        Remember: this is a great opportunity to invite your friends, family, neighbours, and colleagues—there is no easier invitation to church than to our Carol Services.

        Sunday 21st December: An All Age Christmas Celebration

        We’ll be meeting at 9am and 11am for an all-age celebration of Christmas. Instead of our usual Welcome Kids and Welcome Youth groups, we’ll all be meeting together for a whole lot of noisy fun and games as we celebrate Christmas as a church family and worship Jesus together.

        Each meeting will be roughly one hour long, and we’ll start and finish with refreshments as usual.

        Thursday 25th December: Christmas Day Online

        This year, to make sure there’s room for everyone who wants to attend, we’ll be taking Christmas Day online. (Don’t forget, the 21st December is our in person all age celebration)

        Join us on Christmas Day at 10am, at WelcomeChurch.Online, for a short time together with Christmas carols and an accessible Christmas message. It will be a great way to mark Jesus’ birthday together as a church, and we’ll all be able to join in and connect via the online chat feature.

        Sunday 28th December: No Meeting!

        There is no meeting planned for Sunday 28th December, but instead…

        Wednesday 31st December: Crossover ’26

        After an amazing Crossover Night from 2024 into 2025, we are coming together again on 31st December to celebrate all that God has done and all He’s going to do in 2026.

        Join us as we celebrate God’s faithfulness over the last year and ask for God’s favour as we Crossover into 2026! Together we will praise, pray, and party! It’s a lot of fun—so don’t miss it.

        We’ll be joined by a brilliant guest speaker this year, Pastor Chris Kimbangi from Hope Church, Guildford. (I knew him back when he was just a student in Chichester…)

        This event is likely to fill up fast, so please book your FREE ticket to reserve your place, and let’s welcome in the New Year in faith and in style! Click here to book

        Anything Else?

        A few other things you may want to be aware of:

        • The church offices will be closed from Wednesday 24th December through to Thursday 1st January
        • Welcome Youth have their final meeting before Christmas on Friday 12th December, returning on Friday 16th January
        • Our Welcome Tots groups finish on Wednesday 10th and Friday 12th December, returning on 7th and 9th January respectively
        • Welcome Café will open for the last time this year on Monday 15th December, returning on Monday 5th January
        • Our Sunday meetings will return to their usual pattern from Sunday 4th January, and we have a great new series lined up for the New Year too
        • 21 Days of Prayer kicks off on Monday 5th January—more details will follow in a separate blog nearer the time

        Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox

        Church Gate – a progress update

        / Steve Petch / Leave a comment

        Here’s a brief update about our progress with the redevelopment of Church Gate.

        The work has now begun, and we’re looking forward to seeing the Community Grocery take shape on the ground floor, alongside space for our Welcome Kids and Welcome Youth on the upper floors.

        Progress report

        At 9am on Monday, 8th September, we handed over the keys to Church Gate to O&D (the contractor undertaking the work, who also built The Chapel for us), and the refurbishment officially began. The building is now a construction site, and no one should attempt to enter it!

        The first week was mainly taken up with site preparation, the most visible sign being the fencing that appeared around the site. We did have a memorable moment when someone (not from our church!) moved the fencing overnight to park their car… the builders were less than impressed! That won’t be happening again now that the fencing is fully secured.

        Here’s a rough outline of the works timeline for the first few weeks:

        • w/c 8th September: Set up the site; secure the site with fencing and signage; decommission and make safe the existing external ‘condenser’ units (part of the old heating system)
        • w/c 15th September: Erect timber hoardings and gates at the front of the site; commence scaffolding works – you can see from the pic that this has now been done
        • w/c 22nd September: Complete scaffolding works up to roof level
        • w/c 29th September: Begin roofing works
        • w/c 13th October: Start internal strip out
        • w/c 28th November: Scaffolding comes down

        Further updates will follow as we have them, but for now the planned completion date is Monday, 23rd February. This is, of course, subject to the usual range of potential complexities and delays—so watch this space for more news in the weeks ahead.

        Stay connected with everything happening at Welcome Church by subscribing to this blog for weekly updates sent straight to your inbox

        September Updates

        / Steve Petch / Leave a comment

        Here are a few Welcome Church updates for September:

        The work on Church Gate has begun!

        It’s taken a little longer than we hoped to get started (due to a range of circumstances, mostly beyond our control), but the builders are now here and the redevelopment of Church Gate is underway!

        Yesterday and today we’ve seen fences go up around the site, and I’ve heard plenty of crashing and banging, so something is definitely happening. We expect the work to be finished around February.

        A couple of key things to remember:

        • Church Gate is now a building site. No one should enter the building without both a hard hat and permission from the developers.
        • No parking at the front of Church Gate. Access is needed by the builders at all times, and cars may be towed if they’re in the way.

        Church Life Is Back in Full Swing

        Life Groups are meeting again, Welcome Youth is restarting, and on Sunday evening we’ll gather for our first Prayer Meeting of the semester. Alpha will be starting soon, and both Welcome Café and Welcome Tots are back too.

        Last Sunday, Terry Virgo joined us as a guest speaker. If you missed it, you can listen to his excellent talk (please click here for the video; a podcast is available too)

        Our Sunday morning attendance has grown compared to last September as well, and if you find the 11am service a little too full, there’s usually more space at 9am.

        A New Preaching Series

        This Sunday we begin our new preaching series: “True Religion.” Together we’ll explore God’s call to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8).

        The title is inspired by James 1:27:

        “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

        I’m looking forward to Chris kicking the series off this Sunday. I’ll be speaking in week two, and along the way we’ll also hear from a variety of voices, including two excellent guest speakers:

        • Andy Hawthorne (The Message Trust) – 28th September
        • Howard Satterthwaite (Open Doors) – 2nd November

        It’s shaping up to be an excellent series – don’t miss it!

        Staff Team

        The Church Office team is back in full swing this week, and we’re delighted to welcome Stephen Dawson, who has now started his role with us as Associate Pastor. He’s been a delight to have so far, and is already making a huge difference in what we can do together as a church.

        Do look out for Stephen and Emma on Sundays, and please make them feel welcome!

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