The United Reformed Church Bramhall
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Life
Together
“What do
we do together?”
Here
we introduce you to many of the regular activities and meetings associated with
our congregation.
Click on the subject which interests you, to find out more.
As
you might expect, tea and coffee are available down at the church hall on Sunday
mornings
(from 8.30am until 11.30am).
But we provide breakfasts as well.
"This is the toast church".
From 8.30am until 10.30am you can help yourself to toast and all the
trimmings.
Sometimes, there is even more!
Come into the hall and see what is on the table.
If you come about 9.30am you may well find people (of all ages) sharing in
worship while they munch their toast and drink their coffee.
9.30 is certainly different!
We are a FAIRTRADE Church click to find out more.
CONTACT
–
the Church Office via the
CONTACTS
page.
BROWNIES
Any
girl over the age of seven can become a Brownie; most are aged 7-10.
In “8th Bramhall” we like learning new skills and taking part in
games. In fact, we enjoy everything about the Brownie
“experience”, especially the way in which we can make friends. During the past year we have been to our New Year party, to
Harrogate, under the sea (an Adventure Day – 200 Brownies at the church!), to
a St George’s Day sleepover and to a Christmas Fair. We have also taken part in three Parade Services.
We get together on Tuesdays at 6.15pm each week during the school terms, but that is just the start. If you want to know more about all the excitement of Brownie life, arrange to come round and see us.
CONTACT
–
Val Ward
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
To
find out more about Brownies nationally, visit the Girlguiding UK web
site at
The
choir takes part in the “Reflective Worship” at 10.30am each Sunday morning.
We help to lead the congregational singing, especially when new hymns or
tunes are involved. Twice a month
we sing an anthem. We also play our
part in the Candlelight Carol Service just before Christmas.
There are sixteen regular members of the choir at present. Perhaps you would like to join us? We meet each Thursday at 7.45pm for our practice – call in. You will find us in the church singing, or talking! We have a great time together and we would welcome new faces and voices.
CONTACT
–
Brenda Nunn
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
Christian
Reconciliation in Europe was founded in 1945 to respond to the needs of refugees
in the aftermath of the Second World War. In
1964 the organisation changed its name to Christian Aid.
Today Christian Aid works in over 60 of the world’s poorest countries,
strengthening the poor and sharing our common humanity regardless of race or
creed.
Here in Bramhall, we are active on the local Christian Aid action group and fully involved in “Christian Aid Week” each May. We keep the church in touch with what is happening and also raise money at the time of any crisis appeal. Once a year there is an ecumenical Christian Aid Service to which we normally invite a prominent speaker.
CONTACT
–
Howard Fox
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
To
find out more about Christian Aid nationally, visit their web site at
www.christian-aid.org.uk
Our
church wants to be involved with the community.
We need to know what is happening and how we can most effectively help to
support significant and beneficial change.
The Church and Community Group has been formed to help the congregation
to face local and national issues of real concern and encourage a response.
If you want the church to be in touch with the moods and changes in the community and to offer meaningful help, join us.
CONTACT
–
the Church Office via the CONTACTS page.
It is important to maintain a strong relationship with the other local churches. Our congregation is one of the eight “Churches Together in Bramhall and Woodford” and we share fully in the ecumenical services which take place each year, including the service to mark the Women's World Day of Prayer.
Meeting
regularly with the seven other churches, we are able to find ways to work
together.
We are currently involved in:
Beacon
(a counselling service)
The Centrepoint coffee bar
Communicare (help with transport)
The Day Centre (for the elderly)
The Mill
(a
non-alcoholic bar for young people)
SNAG (Special
Needs
Activity
Group)
Each of the six projects can explain themselves and answer any questions – just ask through the Church Office via the CONTACTS page. Or via the links above.
We
think we should question faith and put belief on a more certain footing. That is why we have opened
a library. There are books for all
ages, theology, humour, novels, poetry, biography, art and craft,
Bible commentaries and atlases. We don’t allow the shelves to fill with dusty old tomes which no one
wants to read. The books are up to
date and relevant.
The first books were put into the library in January 2000. There are now almost 200 titles on the shelves, not counting a number of videos. We are adding books and pamphlets all the time. You should take a look.
For list of books, pamphlets & videos available click here
For
more information CONTACT
–
Trefor Jones
Through the Church Office via the CONTACTS
page.
Communication
is so important! You need to know what is happening in the church.
Sweating over a hot photo-copier, we print more than 250 copies of
“NEWS & VIEWS”
each month (except August).
We don’t have space here to tell you how much gets packed into
every edition, so, ask to see a copy of N&V – even better, make sure you
are put on the mailing list.
Don’t forget, N&V is FREE – and it is for you!
To down load a 'pdf' file of the latest
"News & Views"
click
here
There
is another church magazine published by the United Reformed Church in London.
It also comes out each month (but it is not free!).
“REFORM” is one way
of keeping in touch with church opinion and thinking.
Ask to be shown a copy and look at the three pages of letters – fascinating,
sometimes astonishing!
For a preview of articles from previous copies of “REFORM”
visit the URC web site at
CONTACT
-
The
Church Office via the CONTACTS page.
The
Church Meeting is a vital part of the life of our congregation.
It is the meeting during which we try to find out what Jesus Christ wants
us to do together.
By means of prayer, careful thought, discussion and voting we believe we are
most likely to discern the wishes of our Lord.
Every aspect of the life of the church is brought before the Meeting so
that everyone can be involved in making the decisions which count.
Very often the Meeting decides to form a group to undertake particular
tasks; recent examples include the Church and Community Group and the Overseas
Church Group.
Although only members of the church can vote, everyone is welcome to attend and
take part in the discussion.
The Church Meeting takes place at least four times each year.
For
more information CONTACT
-
The
Church Secretary
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
The
'Church Meeting' of t
To find out what went on at this years 'General Assembly' at Manchester click
logo below:
General Assembly 2008
Elders are elected by the Church Meeting. At the moment there are fifteen elders who meet with the minister once a month. We try to ensure that everyone who comes to the church is offered a warm welcome and can quickly feel at home. Our main responsibility lies in the area of pastoral care. We want to foster the “caring” which is a vital part of the life of the congregation. So we have divided Bramhall into five districts and arranged for everyone to be in touch with a Pastoral Team. In addition to the pastoral care, we also try to make sure that the many initiatives taken with the approval of the Church Meeting run smoothly and achieve their ends.
CONTACT
–
Your 'Pastoral Team'
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
The
Fund Raising Group was formed to encourage events which can bring us together to
have some fun and to get to know one another while we raise money to fund the
mission of the church.
Each year the church holds a jumble sale. This normally takes place on the Friday after Easter. The sale has its own committee to make the arrangements.
CONTACTS
–
Fund Raising Group - Jean James.
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
What do we really believe? How can we be sure? What does it all mean? We want to understand our Faith and see more clearly the implications of being a Christian today It is so important to provide the opportunity for doubts to be aired and questions to be shared.
The study group is one way in which we grapple with the perplexities. We meet in small groups to explore the Bible and belief. The small groups make it easier to explain both our insights and our uncertainties. Don’t worry! You don’t need to be an expert; we are all learning together. Here are details of the most recent and currently meeting groups.
Bible Study
On one Wednesday morning, and one Wednesday evening each month, we meet for Bible Study.
A small group meets in the Church Library
The same material will be covered at each session, the idea behind the day and
evening session being to suit those available in both the day and evening times.
For specific dates see the Monthly Church
Diary.
For more information contact Graham Perkin through the Church Office.
Book Group
In this study group, we look at passages from widely
acclaimed literature and use them as a starting point for exploring aspects of
our Christian Faith. This offers us
a chance to discover in discussion together many challenges and questions that
may be highlighted by novels, plays and poetry.
The group meets at the home of one of our members on the third Tuesday of each
month, at 7.30pm.
For more information contact Mary Moon through the Church Office.
Prayer
Group
A small group meets in the Church Library
The same material will be covered at each session, the idea behind the day and
evening session being to suit those available in both the day and evening times.
For specific dates see the Monthly Church
Diary.
For more information contact Graham Perkin through the Church Office.
Like
to know more? CONTACT
–
Mary
Moon/Graham Perkin
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS
page.
The
Management Committee has been appointed to look after the maintenance and development of all the church
property (the church itself, the halls and the manse), fixtures and fittings.
We also oversee the church finances, offering the treasurer our support.
We normally meet once a month.
Perhaps
it sounds dull? Well, it isn’t.
Our church building forms an environment for worship; it must encourage rather
than hinder our (all-age) approach to God.
The physical resources of the church are there to be used in the mission
of the church. They must be kept in
good order so that they are effective tools in our hands.
CONTACT
–
Keith
Wright
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
Meeting
Point offers the ladies of our own church and St Vincent’s Roman Catholic
Church an opportunity to share a (fairly) formal meeting followed by an open and
friendly chat.
We meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from September to
June at 8.00pm in the Conference Room.
Each
meeting has a speaker who talks for about 45 minutes and then we pick up the
coffee and biscuits. Once a year we
go out for a meal in the country. Our
season begins with a Communion Service. We
are often asked (nicely!) to help with the catering for church events. Do we
help? Of course we do!
If you are looking for the chance to make friends and have some fun, get to the Meeting Point.
For the 2007/8 Program click here.
For
more info - CONTACT
–
Mary Hazelby
Through the Church Office via the CONTACTS page.
Can
you play a guitar - or a clarinet – or a keyboard – or a recorder – or a
french horn - or
drums?
What can you play?
Come and talk to us, its great to get more people involved.
We also welcome singers!
The
Music Group provides the music for the 9.30am all-age service each week; from time to time we help with the
other services.
We arrange “Worship in Tune”, for a Sunday evening about once each month.
Of course, around Christmas our programme fills out with carol singing!
If
you want to keep up to date with all the good new music available for worship,
get in touch.
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
The Overseas Church Group was formed by the Church Meeting to keep us in touch with churches overseas. By arranging an annual service, mounting displays and writing articles in the church magazine, we try to make sure that issues relating to distant churches become real for our congregation. The Group is the congregation’s link with the Council for World Mission. We also maintain close contact with Christian Aid, the church in Jamaica and the project which is our “Commitment for Life”.
To
find out more about our' Commitment for Life' and how Jamaica came to Bramhall Click the Map 
By the way, have you heard of “Traidcraft”? We want to make sure that the food producers of the “Third World” get a fair deal. So we hold a “Traidcraft Stall” each month to sell “Fair Traded” goods. You can’t miss it!
CONTACT
–
Trefor Jones
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
"What
do Christians believe?"
Would you like to know more about the Christian Faith?
Question Time is an invitation to an exploration and its a good place to start.
You can join a small, friendly and informal group which is investigating the
Christian Faith.
We are setting off right from the beginning with a chance to to probe the
fundamental ideas of faith without plunging in at the deep-end. We take it all
at our own (gentle) pace so that nobody feels under pressure.
Are you wondering?
"Question Time" will be just what you are looking for!
CONTACT – the Church Office via the CONTACTS page.
The church wants to offer exciting and worthwhile activities which will help children and teenagers to probe and question the Christian Faith. The Worship Planning Group (formerly Springboard) looks to plan the worship content and provide speakers for the All-age Service at 9.30am. The group also plans any 'special' and 'festival' services. We ask ourselves what can be done to provide the means for children and teenagers to gain a sense of "belonging" to the church. We want them to feel "at home" with us. We try to help everyone to find a suitable way of thinking through what the church has to say until faith can become real.
CONTACT – the Church Office via the CONTACTS page.
As we get older, we can find it hard to get up and out in the morning. For this reason, on three Sundays of the year (usually Palm Sunday, the day of the Harvest Festival and a Sunday before Christmas) we arrange a service for 2.30pm on a Sunday afternoon.
The "Enterprise Ambulance" sponsored by Communicare collects some of our friends from Hillbrook Grange, and Abbeyfield House. Others come from their homes to share in worship which always incorporates well loved hymns. The "sit at the table" tea which follows the service is very special and provides a chance to met old friends and talk..
CONTACT
–
Linda Philips
Through the Church Office via the
CONTACTS page.
A time to get together with mates from the 9.30 service?
Somewhere too bring friends who don’t go to church?
Our Young People meet on Saturday Nights from 7.30 to 9.30pm at
For Ages 10 to 14 years
(membership session)
The Mill is also
open for young people from 11.00am to 1.00pm on Saturday mornings
'Drop in Cafe'
for ages 9 & up
For older young
people, The Mill is open from 7.30 to 9.30pm on Wednesday evenings
'Drop in Youth Club'
for ages 14 to 17
More info from Church Office
via Contacts Page