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!”

September 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 calendar below as a PDF.

Jesus Stories Series

Jesus Stories Series

Unpacking Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom

Jesus was a master storyteller. Twenty-one centuries on, his stories are still timeless and provocative, but they were also deeply relevant and challenging in the surrounding culture of his day.

Our series Jesus Stories highlights five well known parables told by Jesus to explain the unique dynamics of the kingdom of God. It's teaching that is designed to both reassure us and get under our skin!

The purpose of this series is to explore the teaching of Jesus on what it means to be a disciple and a citizen of His Kingdom. Here’s what we’ll be talking about each week on Sunday…

• 1st September: Seeds of Faith

• 8th September: On This Rock

• 15th September: Lost Sheep & Little Ones

• 22nd September: Unmerciful Servant

• 29th September: The Kingdom of God is a Party

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week. This also includes recommended reading and videos to watch as well:

• Jesus Stories - Discussion Notes (PDF)

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

Influencers Series

Influencers Series

FIVE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WHO SHAPED HISTORY

This August, we are looking at stories of women in the Bible who shaped the course of human history by their faith, strength and courage. This series invites us to read their stories and be challenged and inspired into greater devotion towards the God they loved and served. 

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

• 4th August: Ruth

• 11th August: Esther

• 18th August: Mary (Mother of Jesus)

• 25th August: Mary & Martha

Because our midweek groups take a break in August, instead of providing discussion notes, we’re recommending two books that will help you go deeper with the series content.

Tell Her Story by Nijay Gupta
How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church

Better Together by Danielle Strickland
How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

August 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 calendar below as a PDF.

Vacancy for Youth Minister (Part Time)

Woodlands Central is a large and vibrant, city centre church that serves the city of Bristol as part of one of six church sites in the Woodlands Church Family. Our vision is to see our city transformed by the love and power of Jesus.

Central to our plans to reach this city for Jesus are young people! In Bristol, there are 90,000 young people who don’t have regular contact with church or faith. We would love to see this change!

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The Role

We are looking for someone who can work alongside the youth director, full-time youth minister and established youth team and congregation leaders to help our youth ministry double its impact in the next 5 years. Within this role, the youth minister will inspire and equip the Youth Team within Woodlands Central to share faith, disciple and equip young people to live lives of whole-hearted devotion and commitment to Jesus.

When undertaking this role there may be times when you come across confidential information, therefore it is imperative that you are highly discreet and maintain confidentiality.

Terms

• This is a part time, permanent contract at 2.5 days per week.

• The salary for this role is £23,500.00 – £24,250.00 pro rata, depending on experience. We give a generous leave allowance of 33 days including bank holidays.

• The role will be primarily based at Woodlands Church in Clifton, Bristol with flexible and home working available by arrangement. The working pattern can be negotiated and a term time only contract may be considered for this role.

• The detailed terms and conditions will be contained in the post-holders Contract of Employment and the staff handbook.

• There will be a three-month probationary period with a review point after six weeks. An appraisal will take place to confirm completion of the probationary period and appraisals will take place annually thereafter.

• The post is subject to satisfactory references and DBS check.

• We have a legal responsibility to ensure that all our employees have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Therefore, please only apply if you are eligible to work in the UK as we will have to verify this before you can start work.

Occupational Requirement

As a group of churches our vision is to continually reproduce the life of Jesus. We therefore seek to create a culture and environment in our churches where every team member and volunteer is able to encourage and challenge one another and the many people who pass through the doors each day, to pursue that vision. 

The role is primarily based at Woodlands Church in Clifton, Bristol. As a member of the staff team, you will be joining a faith community that meets to worship and pray together every week and we share prayer and worship moments throughout the day. Around the building, you’ll often come across teams or individuals praying over their work and really speaking the language of faith. 

Therefore, the role has an occupational requirement that the post holder be a follower of Jesus and a worshipping member of either Woodlands Church Family or another local church to ensure protection of our strong Christian ethos and values, and our charitable objective of advancing the Christian faith. We also want to ensure all team members thrive and flourish in this environment.  

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How to Apply

• JOB DESCRIPTION
  You can read the full Job Description for Youth Minister online as a PDF.

• QUESTIONS?
  If you have any questions about the role and would like an informal chat, please contact Jack Saunders, our Senior Youth Director at jack.saunders@woodlandschurch.net.

• APPLICATION FORM
  For an application form, please email Jenny Hanley, our HR Administrator at jenny.hanley@woodlandschurch.net.

• CLOSING DATE
  The closing date for applications is midnight on Saturday, 31st August 2024. This vacancy will close once we have sufficient applications.

• EMAIL YOUR APPLICATION
  Please send completed applications to our Senior Youth Director Jack Saunders at jack.saunders@woodlandschurch.net and copy them to Julia Shrimpton, our HR Lead at julia.shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net

• INTERVIEW DATES
  If shortlisted, interviews will take place at Woodlands Church on the afternoon of Friday, 6th September 2024. 

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July 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 calendar below as a PDF.

All In Series

All In Series

A call to action

This July we’re looking at what it means to be all in for Jesus! Our vision for the Woodlands Church Family is to see our city transformed by the love and power of God. In order to realise this shared mission, each of us needs to feel empowered, equipped and understand the vital part we each play in God’s unfolding plans for our city. This series will unpack our Woodies value of ‘every member a minister’ and the radical call of discipleship from the Bible.

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

• 7th July: Called

• 14th July: Equipped

• 21th July: Gifted

• 28rd July: Transformed

You can also go deeper with the topics using the series Discussion Notes….download a PDF copy below.

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

inHope: July's Mission Partner

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

This July, we’re highlighting the work of InHope, a Bristol based charity with a vision of communities where everybody can reach their God-given potential, free from injustice and insecurity. InHope helps people overcome insecurities such as homelessness, hunger, addiction and poor mental health.

Find out more about how you can get involved with inHope through volunteering, praying, fundraising and more:
https://www.inhope.uk/get-involved/

Find out more about inHope’s work on their website:
www.inhope.uk

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You’re invited to take part in their Wild Goose Chase this summer, a family friendly summer holiday activity.

In July and August across central Bristol, 15 of Joy’s knitted Wild Goose friends will be loose!

Will you join her in taking  on a Wild Goose Chase and help her to find the secret phrase? Your hard work will unlock a special certificate!

As well as a low-cost way to have fun, get outside and spend time together during the holidays, you and your friends and family will learn about homelessness and be helping people in need, who rely on the Wild Goose for food, clothes, toiletries, a shower, laundry and much more.

“The Wild Goose saved my life, and it has helped so many other people. You feed us no matter what. You look after us.” – a Wild Goose Guest

Purchase a digital trail map for £3, which includes a map and information on how to receive your certificate once you’ve finished. Every map purchased could provide a meal for someone who is rough sleeping in Bristol!

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

Beloved: June's Mission Partner

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

This June, we’re highlighting the work of Beloved, a Bristol-based organisation who offer support to women working in the indoor sex industry in our city and the surrounding areas. Beloved aims to offer love, hope and time to talk in various ways.

There are plenty of volunteer roles, whether as a driver or visitor on Beloved’s outreach programme, through to being an ambassador, promoting and and representing them in your setting.

Volunteers join the very heart of the Beloved team, a tight-knit community where everything they do is rooted in prayer. There are various socials throughout the year and Beloved provide detailed and relevant in-house training to every individual.

Find out more about volunteering with Beloved by emailing:
volunteers@beloved.org.uk

Find out more about Beloved’s work on their website:
www.beloved.org.uk

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Beloved are also hosting a special Summer Fundraiser Event at Woodlands on July 20th, 6pm-10pm.

3 course dinner, live auction, dance and funk band.

Tickets start at £25.
Book your ticket now!

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

Groundbreaking Series

Groundbreaking Series

Breaking new ground in reaching our City

In June, we’re focusing on what ‘reproducing the life of Jesus’ really means for us as a church. One aspect is Churches reproducing Churches, which is both a strategy of multiplication and a sign of life. This series will help us think about the place of Church planting in God’s plans to redeem humanity, and what that means for us in Bristol.

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

• 2nd June: Church Planting

• 9th June: All Nations (Global Partners Weekend)

• 16th June: Brave

• 23rd June: Visionary

• 30th June: United

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

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

Love Running Celebration | Philip Jinadu | 26th May 2024 at 6.30pm

On 19th May, a group of 245 people from churches across the city took part in a mass entry into the Bristol 10k as part of Love Running. They raised an amazing £70k to give away to amazing charities including International Justice Mission as well as local partner charities right here in our city working on causing close to our hearts including:

Homelessness // InHope

Vulnerable women // Beloved & One25

Food poverty // NBSG Foodbank

Prisoners & Ex-offenders // Sixty One

Come on the journey with us either in person or on the weekly livestream.

Love Running Celebration | Philip Jinadu | 26th May 2024 at 6.30pm

Woodies Podcast

Download

Following Jesus Today: Baptism in the Spirit | Tim Buckley | 19th May 2024 at 6.30pm

This April and May, our series is looking at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s world. We’re asking the question, “What does it look like to follow Jesus in every area of your life?”. We’ll be reflecting on what the Bible says around important areas of life including money, community, relationships and witness.

Come on the journey with us either in person or on the weekly livestream.

Following Jesus Today: Baptism in the Spirit | Tim Buckley | 19th May 2024 at 6.30pm

Woodies Podcast

Download

Thanksgiving Evening

Join us as we celebrate God's goodness to us as a church family over the past year. We will be worshipping together, enjoying good news stories, a glimpse at future plans and the surprisingly entertaining financial accounts! 

Evening starts at 7.45pm.

The Noise Celebration | Krish Kandiah | 12th May 2024 at 6.30pm

We were happy to host a final Citywide Noise Celebration Evening at Woodlands Church with guest speaker, Krish Kandiah, looking back at what has happened over the last 24 years of The Noise and taking a look forward to the new season ahead.

Come on the journey with us either in person or on the weekly livestream.

The Noise Celebration | Krish Kandiah | 12th May 2024 at 6.30pm

Woodies Podcast

Download

May 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 calendar below as a PDF.

Following Jesus Today Series

Following Jesus Today Series

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s world?

In April and May, we’re asking the question, “What does it look like to follow Jesus in every area of your life?”. We’ll be reflecting on what the Bible says around important areas of life including money, community, relationships and witness.

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

Money Talks
What is your relationship with money like? How can we cultivate positive attitudes towards money and healthy financial practices?

• 14th April: Generosity

• 21st April: Debt & Stewardship

Connected Community
God’s plan from the very beginning was for us to work together in unity and harmony, looking after each other and the world we live in. How can we build thriving communities and feel connected to one another?

• 28th April: Creation Care

• 5th May: Christian Community

• 12th May: Holy Relationships

Discipleship & The Spirit
Are you walking in step with the Spirit? What does it look like to be bold and confident in your witness as a follower of Jesus?

• 19th May: Baptism in the Spirit (Pentecost)

• 26th May: Witnesses

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

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

April 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 calendar below as a PDF.

Bridges for Communities: April's Mission Partner

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

This April, we’re highlighting the fantastic work of Bridges for Communities, a Bristol-based charity that connects people of different cultures and faiths, enabling them to build friendships, grow in their understanding of one another and live well together.

Bridges for Communities runs a wide range of projects and activities, including ones that bring people together around food, music, language or faith, and others that seek to make Bristol a more welcoming city for people who are displaced by war or persecution.

Find out more on their website:

www.bridgesforcommunities.com

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

March 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 calendar below.