Head_Space Course for Young Adults

Are you a student or young adult who could do with having some free wellbeing support?

Then come along to HeadSpace, a 6-week course that looks to create a safe space for people to share their experiences with mental health, learn from one another, understand the role of faith in mental health and develop practical tools to help care for our wellbeing.

The next course is starting on 2nd April 2024! Sign up online for free today.

Got a question about HeadSpace?
Get in touch with Jo Demçolli, our Wellbeing Practitioner at Woodlands Church.

Home for Good: March's Mission Partner

Each month at Woodlands Central, we have a monthly offering where we raise funds to support our local mission partners.

This March, we’re highlighting the amazing work of Home for Good, a charity dedicated to finding a home for every child who needs one by resourcing a network of people, churches and local movements across the UK.

Did you know every 15 minutes, a child comes into care in the UK? Everyone has a part to play to ensure that every child and young person experiences the welcome, stability and care they need to thrive. What part could you play?

Find out more and on their website:

www.homeforgood.org.uk

You are also always welcome to give online to our Local Partnership Fund, which supports of mission partners in Bristol.

Stories from John Series

Stories from John Series

Our series looking at John’s gospel examines key encounters people had with Jesus in the last phase of his ministry as we lead up to Easter.

This March and April, we want you to come on a six-week journey through John’s stories about how Jesus interacts with significant people. We’ll be looking at everything from healing and miracles, to worship and discipleship, how he dealt with deception and despair, then ultimately hope and new beginnings.

Here’s what our messages will be looking at each week…

• 3rd March: Healing the Blind Man

• 10th March: Jesus and Lazarus (Praying for Healing Service)

• 17th March: Jesus and Mary

• 24th March: Jesus and Judas (Palm Sunday)

• 31st March: Jesus in the Garden (Easter Sunday)

• 7th April: Jesus and Peter

You can also go deeper with the topics using the series notes. Download a copy below.

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

2024 Short Term Missions

Throughout the year, Woodies sends teams of people out on short-term mission and in 2024 we are planning trips to Uganda, Romania, Peru and France.

Missions are made up of small teams of people who are willing to carve time out of their lives to go and support the work of some of our Global Partners and God's global church. Short-term mission enables us to step out and in doing so we are blessed as we seek to bless others.

Find out about the opportunities on offer in 2024 for people to go on missions to:
Uganda | Romania | Peru | France

For more details and to find out how to apply to be part of a mission, visit our Short Term Missions page.

February Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the February calendar below.

Grand Designs Series for February

Grand Design Series

"Understanding your identity in Christ is absolutely essential to your success at living the victorious Christian life.”
- Neil Anderson

This February, we want you to come on a journey of well-being and wholeness as we dive into a new series about understanding our identity in God.

The search for identity and belonging is a preoccupation for many people in the 21st century. Exploring ‘who I am’ is a great question for followers of Jesus, but the answer may be different to the prevailing spirit of our age.

It’s a counter cultural idea that our identity is rooted in a relationship with another and a facet of our relationship with God rather than something that we ‘own’ and can shape. Lost at the fall, a new and healed identity is one of the things Jesus came to restore.

Our sense of identity can have a profound affect on our sense of personal value and calling, our ability to overcome life’s challenges and our mental and emotional health.

Over this series, we will be looking at three aspects of the rich identity that God gives to all his people and look at how it helps us to deepen our relationship with God, work out our personal sense of identity and find wholeness, peace and purpose in the world.

Here’s what our messages will be looking at each week…

• 4th February: Child

• 11th February: Citizen

• 18th February: Friend

We are also running our Wholeness course starting on 13th February, which we encourage you to sign up for. Its runs over six consecutive Tuesday evenings.

You can also go deeper with the topics using the series notes. Download a copy below.

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

Dwell: Monthly Women's Events

Dwell is a monthly event that gathers women of all ages from any congregation together to meet with the expectation of growing faith and friendship.

Women will be inspired, encouraged, and equipped by encounters with the Holy Spirit and through relationships with one another. And all this will be done over coffee & pastries!

No sign up required, just come along to the Crypt at Woodlands.

Dwell happens on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 10am - 12pm.

Visit the diary for more details.

Woodlands Church Family Prayer Week 2024

Look to the Lord!

We’re celebrating Prayer Week 2024
from Sunday, 14th January - Sunday, 21st January

As we head into 2024, Woodlands Church Family will be gathering together spiritually in prayer and fasting, bringing to God our hopes for the city, for the world and for His Church.

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All these events are open to the whole Woodlands Church Family!

Here’s how you can join in with Prayer Week 2024:

• Book a slot in the 24/7 Prayer Room
  You are welcome to book a space individually, with a friend or two or come with a group - we’d love to have people praying around the clock all week.

• Join in with Morning Prayer Meetings
  Each weekday morning we’re gathering from 7.15am - 8.15am in the Foyer at Woodlands Central from Monday, 15th January through to Friday, 19th January.

• Come along to an Evening of Prayer & Worship
  Hundreds of us with be at Woodlands Central on Tuesday, 16th January at 7.45pm.

• Download our helpful Prayer Guide
  These are available in hard copy from the Foyer at Woodlands Central.

• Choose a time to fast and pray
  Read some helpful information and guidance about fasting if it’s new for you.

• Follow us on social media for daily prayer posts
  Find us on Instagram or on Facebook.

• Pray with us daily using our Prayer Calendar
  Download and use our monthly guide for January

During Prayer Week, we’d love to hear your stories if you’ve heard from God. Simply email Hazel Askew and tell her how you’ve felt encouraged or connected this week.

TLG: January's Mission Partner

Each month at Woodlands Central, we have a monthly offering where we raise funds to support our local mission partners.

This January, we want to highlight Transforming Lives for Good (TLG), who work to bring hope and a future for struggling children. You can become an Early Intervention Coach, if you can give one child, one hour a week. 

As a Christian charity, TLG are confident in the difference that churches of all shapes and sizes can make in their own communities. Woodlands is a TLG partner church and so we encourage our members to find out more about TLG and how to get involved on their website:
www.tlg.org.uk

You are also always welcome to give online to our Local Partnership Fund, which supports of mission partners in Bristol.

Prayer Series for January

Prayer Series

As we go into the New Year this January, our focus is on seeking to grow in our own personal prayer life. We’ll be celebrating our annual Prayer Week as Woodlands Church Family and our Sunday series will provide guidance on what the Bible says about how to pray, fast and connect with God.

Here’s what our messages will be looking at each week…

• 7th January: Give Yourself to God

• 14th January: Good Habits

• 21st January: Discern, Obey & Pray

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

Vacancy for HR Lead

The Woodlands Church Family is a vibrant, growing family of churches with six churches located across the city of Bristol and a vision to plant more. As we’ve grown, so too has our staff team, and we now have over 50 employees.

We are looking for an experienced HR professional to join our team and help us as we continue to develop our working practices and culture, so that all staff are supported and encouraged to flourish in their roles.

The Role
The HR Lead will oversee our staff recruitment, development and performance review process as well as working with our Trustees and Senior Leadership to ensure we have a healthy workplace culture and positive staff wellbeing. The HR Lead will also have a key role in compliance, ensuring we reflect current regulations and guidance in our practices and documentation.

Terms
The role will be part time, ideally 3-4 days a week with an FTE salary of £30,000-£35,000 depending on experience and qualifications. The annual holiday entitlement is 25 days pro rata. The role will primarily be based at Woodlands Church in Clifton, Bristol with flexible and home working available by arrangement.

How to apply
Please email julia.shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net for the detailed job description and an application form. The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 31st January 2024. This vacancy will close once we have sufficient applications.

How to apply
The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday, 31st January 2024. This vacancy will close once we have sufficient applications.

If shortlisted, interviews will take place at Woodlands Church week commencing Monday, 5th February 2024.

Please contact dave.roderick@woodlandschurch.net if you have any questions about the role.

Please send all applications to dave.roderick@woodlandschurch.net and cc them to julia.shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net.

January Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the January calendar below.

Christmas Offering

This December, we're raising money for three charities in our Christmas offering so we can support causes close to our hearts... 

Locally we are partnering with InHope, an organisation that helps people overcome the insecurities of homelessness, hunger, addiction and poor mental health. 

In the Middle East, we are supporting TearFund's Emergency Appeal as they help local churches provide vital aid to those impacted by the humanitarian crisis in both Gaza and Israel.

Globally we want to help International Justice Mission as they seek to protect people in poverty from violence.

Thank you for your generosity and partnering with Woodlands this Christmas to give to organisations that are well placed to help those in need.

December Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the December calendar below.

Foodbank: November's Mission Partner

Each month at Woodlands Central, we have a monthly offering where we raise funds to support our local mission partners.

This November, we are spotlighting our partnership with Foodbanks across our city. Foodbanks have the mission to see an end of food poverty in the UK through providing emergency food parcels as well as addressing the key issues that cause people to experience food poverty.

Join us this month through volunteering, donating food or money and praying for the work of the three foodbanks we work with across Bristol…

Bristol North West Foodbank

South & East Bristol Foodbank

North Bristol & South Glos Foodbank

 You can give financially at our offering or you are also welcome to give online.

November Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the October calendar below.

Blessed Series for November

Blessed Series

For November, our series Blessed will be looking at the Beatitudes in Matthew from Jesus' sermon on the mount. Jesus embodied these states of being and we can follow his example in our daily attitudes and actions. 

Here’s what our messages will be looking at each week:

• 5th November: Poor

• 12th November: Powerless

• 19th November: Pure

• 26th November: Persecuted

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

This Same Jesus Series for October

This Same Jesus Series

This October, we’re looking at the book of Acts which begins with Jesus ascending to heaven and a promise from angels that this same Jesus will return. The rest of the book depicts the Church carrying on the ministry of 'this same Jesus' in the same way that He had demonstrated the nature of God's Kingdom in his incarnate life.

We are in that great tradition of following and demonstrating that same Jesus, and our series in Acts is something of a blueprint for His Church to follow in our own time as we point to the one who is the same 'yesterday, today and forever.'

Here’s what our messages will be looking at each week:

• 1st October: Jesus in Acts

• 8th October: Living with Mystery

• 15th October: Everyone Gets to Play

• 22nd October: Listening to God

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

MentorMe: October's Mission Partner

Each month at Woodlands Central, we have a monthly offering where we raise funds to support a mission partner.

This October, we want to highlight and support MentorMe, a project which enables church members to mentor people with criminal convictions, helping them achieve their goals by providing personal support, friendship and guidance.

www.sixty-one.org

 You can give financially at our offering or you are also welcome to give online.

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Could you offer hope to someone who’s been in prison?
An hour of your time a week could change someone’s life!

If you are prepared to listen, be patient and have your faith put to work, there are people who have a conviction who need someone like you!

 Your support would empower someone to reach their goals, give them hope and help them to become all that they were meant to be.

The charity SixtyOne will give you all the training you need, their dedicated MentorMe team will support you throughout your mentoring relationship and will be on hand for advice and support.

You’ll also be invited to join in for celebration events and meals throughout the year! 

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Upcoming MentorMe training course dates:

Saturday, 14th October from 9.30am-3.30pm
Wednesday, 18th October from 7pm-9pm
Saturday, 28th October from 9.30am-3.30pm
Wednesday, 1st November from 7pm- 9pm
Wednesday, 8th November from 7pm-9pm

To book a place, please email info@sixty-one.org or call 0117 403 7905.

If you can’t make these training dates, please still get in touch so that we can look at alternative dates …

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Here’s what some of MentorMe trainees have said:

“Friendly, believed in all of us. You were very skilled in what you do and could see you were passionate and it's not just a job.” 

“Engaging trainers…the activities were well designed, appropriate and engaging… the trainers did an excellent job in teaching.”

October Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the October calendar below.