Our Church Mission:
“Sharing the love of God, as revealed by Christ, through the Holy Spirit.”
about us
who we are and what we believe
We are a diverse group of people, all in our various ways looking to manifest the Kingdom of God in all its creative chaos here in our corner of Hove.
We are affiliated to the Progressive Christian Network Britain, and have adopted their eight points, not as a creed, but as an expression of our Christian life.
We are part of the Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group https://interfaithcontactgroup.com/
We are (in the process of becoming) a member of the Inclusive Church Network https://www.inclusive-church.org/
We are (in the process of becoming) a Church of Sanctuary part of City of Sanctuary UK https://cityofsanctuary.org/
we are people who…
Seek God, however understood, guided by the life and teachings of Jesus.
- We worship together on Sunday mornings
- Andy hosts a lively Thursday morning Communion and discussion group
Affirm that there are many ways to experience the Sacred and that we can draw on diverse sources of wisdom on our spiritual journeys.
- We are actively involved in the Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group (IFCG) and have opened our space for many Interfaith prayer gatherings and other events.
- We promote the use of our premises by groups of different faiths.
Recognise that following Jesus leads us to act with compassion and to confront evil.
- He did so we should. For example, occasionally the church banner goes on a march, or we hold a community breakfast to bust myths around refugees, or we have a talk with local councillors.
Place hospitality at the centre of our communal and worshipping life and see the sharing of bread and wine as an expression of our common humanity.
- Jesus shared his life with others, and all are welcome to share in our community life.
- We host pop-up cafes, supper concerts, breakfasts, street parties, and do our best to open up the doors to the flow of our local community.
- We hold regular CHOMP sessions in school holidays, free lunch and activity sessions for families who miss the free school meals.
Seek to build communities that accept all who wish to share companionship without insisting on conformity.
- We welcome everyone we can (including but not limited to):
- believers and agnostics
- conventional Christians and questioning sceptics
- women and men
- those of all sexual orientations and gender identities
- those of all races and cultures
- those of all classes and abilities
- those who hope for a better world and those who have lost hope
- We are registered for marriage of all couples whatever their sexual orientation.
- Our weekly newsnotes go to our extended community who are not church-goers but are interested.
- Our premises are open for many different activities some run by the church and others by other organisations. Our premises can also be hired.
Know that the way we behave towards others is the fullest expression of our faith.
- Talk the talk – walk the walk. Actions often speak louder than words.
Gain more insights in the search for understanding than we do in certainty.
- All of us are pilgrims on a journey, companions on the road but our journeys can take us in different directions and to different resting places. We acknowledge and honour the journeying and the searching of all and seek to be good companions whenever our paths cross.
Work together within and beyond the Church to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
- We believe we must speak truth to power, to be a voice for the voiceless and to echo the voice of all creation and to work and campaign for justice and peace.
A prayer
God is the maker of all and it is in God that we and all people find our true dignity and worth.
We celebrate God’s radical diversity woven into the rich tapestry of creation. We will work and worship together with those who are like us and those who are not. We seek the strength never to be silent in the face of injustice. We will make space for others, even when it costs us much.
We join in God’s mission seeking a life of flourishing and faithfulness, wrestling with scripture and ever-open to the Gospel’s message of unending love. We rejoice in our Wesleyan tradition of transformation, justice and social holiness.
May we take just a step on this road today.
May we offer an open hand to each of our neighbours.
May we be a people of courage.
God of all, may it be so in our days.
God of justice, work through our lives.
God of love, transform our church and our world.
Amen.
