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Our Mission: |
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We invite you to discover who we are, what we believe, where we are and what we do by following the links below. |
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Who We Are & What We Believe
Return to top of page Church Profile This is an updated
version of the profile authorised by the Church's Annual General
Meeting in
March, 2007, and is offered as a brief introduction to the life of the
Church and the community in which it is set. We are
an evangelical church that is open to the leading of the Holy
Spirit, situated in the area of north Swindon known as Rodbourne
Cheney,
consisting mainly of residential housing (both Council and private)
with a number of small shops. In addition to the church
building itself, there is a 4 bedroom semi-detached manse
approximately 1 mile away from the church
situated in a quiet residential area, which has been extensively
refurbished which is currently let to a short-term tenant. The church has a current
resident membership of
39. The congregation at Sunday Morning Worship numbers about 45 adults and
10-15 children of all ages. This service consists of lively
worship,
embracing both contemporary and traditional styles, led by teams of
singers and musicians, followed usually by a time of open prayer, and
with a sermon or
other presentation for adults, while the children and young people have
their own Bible School.
Sunday Evening
Worship is attended by a somewhat smaller number and is more
reflective in nature. A Family
Service is held on the third Sunday morning in every month
and normally includes an all-age talk. Communion is observed on the second Sunday
evening and fourth Sunday morning of each month, in which children are
welcome to participate at their parents'/guardians' discretion. During
the month of August the Bible School is on vacation, and there is an
all-age service each Sunday. During the week home groups are held on
alternate Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. A Prayer Meeting is held
on the first Wednesday evening of every month.
The church runs a Pram Club on Tuesday
mornings
during the school terms, and a Coffee
Morning
for the local community together with a Table-top
Sale is held each Thursday morning. There is an
early
morning Men’s Prayer Meeting
on Fridays from 6.00 – 7.00 a.m., and a meeting especially for women,
under the name of Footsteps,
is held most months on the last Saturday morning of the month.
The church hall and meeting rooms are being
put to good use, with several outside organisations and individuals
using the premises, and the hall is a popular venue for birthday
parties and other celebrations for
members of the church.
In
addition, a Passover celebration was held
on Maundy Thursday in 2008. In 2007 we held an Art Exhibition/Open Day,
affording the local community an opportunity to see what
happens
at their local Baptist church. The church takes a keen interest in
missionary work and supports several missionaries:
two families working with YWAM in the UK and Mexico, a couple
with a young family serving in Ethiopia, and a midwife working
wth BMS. Through the Thursday morning table-top sale we also
support the work of Bishop
Jeremiah Pallangyo, who, together with his wife, runs a home
for orphaned and homeless children in Kenya. During the present pastoral
vacancy,
the spiritual and practical oversight of the church is entrusted to four deacons
who, together with a
number of co-opted members and
an external Moderator, constitute the Core Group. The church has
applied to the Baptist Home Mission for assistance with funding for a
minister; this application has prompted the denomination to
conduct a Fit for Purpose
review, the outcome of which will not be known
until late 2009 or early 2010.
Meanwhile, we are most grateful to the visiting preachers who
assist in maintaining the pulpit ministry on behalf of the church and
congregation. Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church is a place
of worship within the
local community and maintains strong links with other churches
in the area. The church also has good relationships with the local Primary and Secondary
schools and some members attend a prayer meeting held at one of the
latter.
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© 2005-2008 by Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church, Swindon, UK |
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