A place that can be called home

For many years we were a small, ageing congregation with a real desire to reach our community, but it was hard to turn that desire into action. Over time, things began to change.

New people joined, children and young people became part of our life together and people stepped forward to serve and lead. We reopened our baptism pool and have celebrated more than twenty baptisms. Behind every number is a person, and we don't take credit for it - we believe it's a gift from God.

When damp blistered the plaster in our sanctuary, we stripped it back - and found a beautiful, rustic brick wall underneath.

It became a picture of our journey. The church isn't the building or the programmes; it's the people, each one different, each with a part to play. Just as bricks are placed together to form a wall, God brings people together to build His church. Sometimes stripping things back reveals the foundations that were there all along.

As we prayed about the future, Isaiah 54 spoke to us: enlarge your tent, make room and strengthen the foundations.

So we've been praying, listening and changing - investing in children's and youth work, growing our volunteer teams and strengthening our leadership. Not every change has been easy, and we don't pretend to know everything the future holds. Our hope isn't simply to become a bigger church, but the church God is calling us to be.