Commissioning Sunday

This month, Dave Mitchell will be passing on the baton of leadership of Woodlands Central to Rachel Riddall and Nigel Savage. We'll be marking this on a special Commissioning Sunday on the 8th September at all of our services. We’d love everyone to come along to support and pray for them.

Nigel and Rachel have been part of the Core Leadership Team at Central working closely with Dave Mitchell for many years. Practically speaking, Dave Mitchell has been handing over the operational leadership of the Woodlands Central congregations to Rachel & Nigel and their team over the summer. In addition, his Executive Assistant Abby Harvey has also transitioned over to supporting Nigel and Rachel at Central and we’ve recruited Catherine Penn as Dave’s new Executive Assistant.

Here’s what Dave Mitchell, Senior Lead of the Woodlands Church Family, recently wrote in his email to the church:

”My own role as leader of the Woodlands Church Family means I will still maintain a presence and involvement with Woodlands Central but will be released to have time for congregations on the other seven sites that represent the Woodlands Church Family, as well as for our wider connections in the City.

It might be worth reminding you of exactly who Woodlands Church Family is, and some of the nomenclature involved.

  • Woodlands Central covers the congregations that meet in the Woodlands Christian Centre on Belgrave Road itself. This includes the 8am, 9.15am, 11 am services, the 6.30pm service and monthly Quiet Service also at 6.30pm.

  • Highgrove is our Sea Mills congregation meeting at 10 High Grove with services at 9.30am and 11am.

  • The Community Church meets at the Greenaway Centre on Doncaster Road, Southmead at 10.30am.

  • Branch Community Church meets at Emmanuel Church Satchfield Crescent in Henbury at 4pm.

  • Southside meets at Victoria Park Baptist Church on St John’s Lane at 3pm.

  • Woodlands Metro meets at the Cathedral School (Cresswell Centre) at 11am on Sundays.

  • Hillside will be the name for the congregation meeting in Backwell meeting in Fairfield Primary School at 11 am on 3rd Sundays.

  • From the end of September Woodlands Church Family will be stewarding Chelsea Christian Centre in Easton, name tbc.

Thanks (I think) to everyone who has congratulated me on retirement, but that is still a little way off though I do become eligible for my state pension at the end of September!”