Sunday 6th September

All our latest events, information and prayer needs

Our Vision: "We are a people being transformed by the unconditional love of God; seeking to bless our community, and longing for all to experience the hope we have in Jesus."

Saturday 5th September

10.30am-Noon Ladies Elevenses Time: Speaker Rev Sarah Burrow will share ‘Jesus with us’. All ladies are very welcome to join us for a warm welcome, refreshments, fellowship and a very helpful encouraging talk. (Suggested donation £2.50)

6.30 for 7pm - Bedford Community Gospel Choir Concert: in church; tickets £5 on the door, cash only.

For more information please contact: bcgcchoircontact@gmail.com

Sunday 6th September

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

9am - Holy Communion – Call to change - Moses (Ex 3: 1-14) – Ben Williams

10.05 - Prayer Meeting – in Room 4 for approx. 20 minutes

10.30am - All Age – As above (Ex 3: 1-14 & Lk 13:18-21) - Ruth Hulme

*This service will be livestreamed via the Christ Church Bedford YouTube channel*

7pm - Sundays@Seven – Call to Leave – Abraham (Gen 12:1-9) -Andrew Russell

Services in the coming week

Wednesday 9th September

10am - Holy Communion - in church, followed by refreshments

Sunday 13th September

9am -Morning Worship - Call to discern – Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-11) - Martin Sweet

10.05 - Prayer Meeting – in Room 4 for approx. 20 minutes

10.30am - Holy Communion – As above

7pm - Sundays@Seven – Call to waiting - David (1 Samuel 16:1-23) – Mhairi Brown

Church Family News

Lucy Waters: There will be a service of Thanksgiving for Lucy’s life at Christ Church on Friday 18th September at 11am, to which all are welcome. Please sign up if you would like to be included in the numbers for refreshments after this service on the list to the right of the church pigeon holes by 7th September.

September Prayer Diary: Copies are now available to collect from the church.

Cleaning: A huge thank you to all those who have been in and cleaned parts of our building this past fortnight. It has made such a difference.

Lost Property: Please check our Lost Property table in the Hub, to see if you have left anything here that belongs to you. We have accumulated a large number of items.

David Thomas: Our Vicar, David is recovering well from surgery although there is still a long road ahead. Feel free to say hello if you see him out and about! Please hold David, Vikki and the whole family in your prayers.

Thoughts from the Curate

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8 NIVuk)

I wonder whether you have ever sensed a call from God to go and do something? The verse above comes from near the beginning of the book of Isaiah and marks the calling of the prophet to go and proclaim the word of God. They were also some words which were put on my heart when I first started seriously considering a calling into ordained ministry over ten years ago. Isaiah’s calling was a very dramatic one, where he saw a vision of the throne room of God, with angels singing praises to God, which is perhaps important, as his calling was equally dramatic as he was called to tell Judah’s corrupt leaders that God’s judgement was coming, but also to proclaim the hope that God would fulfil his covenant promises. But these verses are not just for those who are called to be preachers and evangelists, for those who God has specifically equipped to be teachers of the word of God. For I believe God is calling each of us in our own unique ways to serve in his mission.

Over the next two months, across our morning and evening services, we will be looking at different stories from scripture to hear how God called different people to serve him, and different characteristics of their calling. As we look at the stories of Ananias, Nehemiah, Gideon and many others, I encourage you to take time to pray about how God may be calling you? What may it look like for you to respond “Here I am, send me”

For your prayers this week

Prayer for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity: Merciful God, your Son came to save us and bore our sins on the cross: may we trust in your mercy and know your love, rejoicing in the righteousness that is ours through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please pray for:

Children and young people who are starting or returning to school and college after the summer holidays including, especially those starting new schools or colleges.
Those who are in the process of discerning a call to ministry and those who are preparing to go and train.
Those who are preparing to speak as part of this new preaching series, that it would encourage us to consider what God's calling looks like in our individual lives.
Those who have lost loved ones over the summer, that they would know God's comfort.

Children's Ministry and Events

THIS SUNDAY: 6th September

After the Pop-Up Breakfast (see above) there will be all age service at 10.30am, we encourage families to join us for the service. There are instruments and quiet toys available for children who join us.

Our Midweek Groups start back this week:

For more information about our regular groups please look on our website here or contact Ruth using: children@ccbedford.org or 07554 537757

Youth Ministry and Events

Youth Blog

Find all our blogs on the church website in the 'youth ministry' section in 'connect'

https://ccbedford.org/Groups/452353/Youth_Blog.aspx

Happy Reading! :)

For more information about our regular groups please look on our website here or contact Hannah using: youth@ccbedford.org or 07384 295757

What is happening at Christ Church and beyond

Home Communion: If you, or anyone you know is unable to attend church and would like to receive Home Communion, please contact Vikki Thomas (vicarspa@ccbedford.org) to arrange for someone to visit.

Global Week of Prayer: From 6–13 September 2026, 24-7 Prayer is inviting the global Church to pray non-stop in every nation on earth.

24-7 Prayer is an international, interdenominational, movement uniquely positioned to equip the church to pray.

You can join in via their daily devotional: Lectio 365

Or sign up for an hour's online prayer call anywhere in the world.

For more details go to https://www.24-7prayer.com/weekofprayer/

Church Walk: Sunday 6th September, meet in the Hub at 2.30pm for a local walk and return to Church for refreshments.

Monday Social Coffee Time: Just a quick reminder to say the social coffee time between 10am & 12pm is continuing on Mondays @the Tennis Club café (on Goldington Road MK40 3EA (opposite Christ Church). Come along, have a coffee and meet someone new.

Prayer for Schools: Wednesday 9th September is the National Day of Prayers for Schools. Impact invites you to join with them in praying for our local schools at the start of the academic year. Drop in to Priory Methodist Church (MK41 9QJ) between 10am and 2pm.

Craft Group: Thursdays 10am-Noon. Interested in sewing or a craft? Bring something with you and join us in room 7 for an informal time of crafting and getting to know others with similar interests.

Go4Gold Soup and Social: Friday 11th September @ 12.45pm. @ 12.45pm. There will be a choice of soups, bread rolls, cheese, yoghurts and fruit for a suggested donation of £2pp. This will be followed by a social in the Hub from 2-3.15pm (suggested donation £1pp). No booking is needed, you are welcome, just turn up to one or both events.

Help with our Student Ministry: From 9th-20th September there are 4 opportunities to help support our Youth and Student Minster with welcoming students to the University of Bedfordshire. For specific times and details please see the Youth Ministry section of these notices.

Bike ‘n Hike: Saturday 12th September, an opportunity to get sponsored to visit churches on foot, by bike, or by car, and raise money for the Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust and Christ Church (50/50 split). More details now available from here or the church office.

Ladies Monday Morning Bible Study: Mondays, weekly during term time from September 14th, 8.45 for 9am - 10am. Ladies, would you like to study the Bible in depth? Come and join us in Room 6 as we continue to explore and discuss the Book of Nehemiah with the help of Bible commentaries. New members of all ages are always welcome to our friendly group. For more information, contact Rachel Bennett or Kathy Priddin

Men’s Away Day 2026: Information and booking forms for our Men’s Away Day on Saturday 26th September in Epping, Essex, now available – please pick up a copy or download here

The Bereavement Journey: Grief is hard. The death of someone close to us can impact all of life. The Bereavement Journey provides a safe place to process loss with the support of others and will run this autumn starting on 28th September between 7pm and 9pm.

For more information about the Bereavement Journey, see our website or pick up a card in the Hub. Any questions or to book a place (by 20th September) please contact the church office 01234 327150 / office@ccbedford.org or speak to Mary Davies

Bedford Foodbank Shopping List: The most needed items at the moment are: cup a soup, tinned carrots, tinned rice pudding, microwave rice, jars of jam, bars of chocolate, long-life sponge puddings and fruit juice, cereal bars, 500g box of washing powder & washing up liquid. Thank you for your donations.

04/09/2026

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Our 9:00am service is traditional in style and lasts about 45 minutes.

Our main Sunday family service starts at 10:30am and runs for about 75 minutes, everyone gathers together at the beginning of the service. After a short time of worship together, we divide into different teaching and worship groups as children up to school year 11 leave.

At our all-age services (60 minutes), everyone stays together for the whole service. Our weekly notice-sheet gives details of all important events happening in the near future and some guidance on topics for prayer.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are served after the service where there is plenty of time to meet new people and ask more questions. We are proud to be a certified Fair Trade Church.

Our 7:00pm Sunday evening service runs for about 75 minutes and adopts a more contemporary style with a focus on deeper worship and teaching.

What happens to the kids at church?

We have a fantastic programme for the kids at the Church on Sunday mornings during our 10.30am service:

Imagine - Our weekly group for babies to 3 year olds, parents are welcome to stay with their child, if they like. They meet in the main hall
Wonder - Our weekly group for those in school years R-3. They meet in Rooms 2-3
Marvel - Our weekly group for those in school years 4-6. They meet in Room 5 (upstairs)
Youth - Our weekly group for those in school years 7-13. They meet in Room 7 (upstairs). Please register at the desk in the hub

The children and youth stay with their parents at the start of the service as we worship together for the first part of the morning. Someone will announce when the children and youth should go to their groups. You will need to go with your children and register them, the first time they attend.

For more information about what is currently happening in the children's work please visit the Children's Ministry page and for the youth work please visit the Youth Ministry page.

What about accessibility?

There are parking spaces next to the church halls but for the 10:30am service a larger car park is available at Castle Newman School (south site) just a few yards along Goldington Road. We have step free access from both Denmark street and Dudley street and there is space for buggies and wheelchairs in the Hub area of the new halls. There are baby changing and accessible toilet facilities and a lift to the first floor. Our sound system incorporates a hearing loop.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministry
Women's Ministry
Students' Ministry
Seniors' Ministry
Foodbank (in partnership with Bedford Foodbank)