Sunday 18th October

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."

Sunday 18th October

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

9am - Morning Prayer – Call to discomfort (Ananias): Acts 9:10-19 – Michael Bishop

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

10.30am - Morning Worship – As above

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

7pm - Sundays@Seven – Call to pivot (Paul): Acts 26:12-18 – Andrew Russell

Services in the coming week

Wednesday 21st October

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

Sunday 25th October

9am - Holy Communion – Call to pioneer (Cornelius and Peter): Genesis 12:-5, Acts 10:1-8, 44-48 – Sam Cappleman

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

10.30am - Holy Communion – As above

7pm - Sundays@Seven – Call to the edge (The Great Commission): Acts 26:12-18 – Hannah Applegarth

Church Family News

Sidney Miller: The service of thanksgiving for the life of Sidney will take place on Friday 6th November at 11:30 at Christ Church. Please continue to hold Judy and all of Sidney’s family and friends in your prayers at this difficult time.

Boden Michael Okoth: It is with great joy that we give thanks to God for the safe arrival of Boden on Wednesday 7th October. Please pray for Ellen, Silvester, Sebastian and Paul.

Harvest: Thank you to everyone who supported our Harvest Festival. If you would like to make a financial donation to the work of Bedford Foodbank this month then these can be made in person, cash card (please place in an envelope labelled harvest), or electronically (reference Harvest).

Word for Today: for November to January. Copies are now available to collect from Church.

Thoughts from the Curate

I wonder if you were to give an example of calling, what you may say? Often we may think about the call to serve God as a missionary, or as a Reader, Deacon or Priest. Or we may think of the dramatic ways in which God called different people in scripture to serve him, whether this is Moses, Jonah, Samuel or Saul. Yet, I have been struck by the fact that for many of us most of the time, calling doesn’t look like something dramatic or life changing. That for many of us God’s calling can be to very ordinary actions and conversations.

In our evening service on Sunday we were reflecting on the story and calling of Ruth. At first this doesn’t seem like a natural story to consider calling because at no point does God explicitly call Ruth (in fact while God is mentioned in the story, we don’t see any explicit action from God). Despite this, Ruth demonstrates great loyalty towards her mother-in-law Naomi, as she follows her into the foreign land of Bethlehem. Reflecting again upon the story, I am reminded of how Ruth’s loyalty is an expression of the root of our calling. That before we are called to serve God in different ways, we are primarily called to follow God. As the prophet Micah reminds us ‘what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ How might we live out this truth this week, as we seek to humbly follow God and remain loyal to him in the midst of the pressures of life?

For your prayers this week

Prayer for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity: God, our light and our salvation: illuminate our lives, that we may see your goodness in the land of the living, and looking on your beauty may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please pray for:

Families impacted by the school shooting in Oregon, USA.
Those injured in the bus crash near Calais.
Those who have applied or who are thinking of applying for the vacancies at Christ Church, that they would sense God’s calling to these roles.
The deanery’s training day exploring how to support people with death and dying.

Children's Ministry and Events

THIS SUNDAY: 18th October

THIS WEEK:

MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDREN’S MINISTER:

COMING UP IN HALF TERM:

Please click on the pictures to book for any of these half term events.

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

There will be no Friday Night Youth at Christ Church on 23rd October. Please click on the poster for more information / to book.

Coming up in half term

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

Job Opportunities

Christ Church Centre Manager - part-time (15 hours) Due to the retirement of the present post holder, we are looking for a dynamic and well organised Centre Manager to manage and promote our church centre. Key responsibilities will be to:

Be the first point of contact for hirers, potential hirers and users, offering advice and information as required.
Act as the main hospitality welcomer for all users of the building so that queries can be answered and everyone made to feel at home.
Oversee lettings contracts and the associated administration.
Ensure the centre is well-maintained and safe by administering the annual programme of maintenance and safety inspections and arranging for ad hoc repairs to be carried out when required.

Full Job Role/Person Specification is available here.

Closing date: 25 October 2026. This role has an occupational requirement to be filled by a committed Christian, active in church life. Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9 applies.

Christ Church Cleaning role: Christ Church is looking to employ someone to clean our church and halls, early morning on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week (total of 7 hours per week). If you are interested, please email office@ccbedford.org or look on our website for a role description.

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.

Poppy Time: Hi to all interested Poppy Makers. Poppies are coming in slowly but surely. Anyone who would like to join in a poppy making session can come along after the 10.30am services on Sunday 18th October. There will be a table set up in The Hub with red craft bits to use. Please do come along and join us. Please could all poppies being made at home be delivered to the hub by Sunday 1st November. Thank you .... The Craft Group.

Packed Lunch Time: After the 10:30am service on the third Sunday in October (18th) we would like to invite people to stay for lunch in the hub after coffee. It will be a time to get to know people and make friends with others that you may not otherwise meet. Please bring your own food and drink and take your rubbish home (including any food bits). Everyone welcome. This can be followed by the church walk

Church Walk: On Sunday 18th October meet in the Hub at 2pm to car share to Priory Country Park for a walk.

Monday Social Coffee Time: continues on Mondays between 10am-12pm @ the Tennis Club café (on Goldington Road MK40 3EA (opposite Christ Church). Come along have a coffee and meet someone new.

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 23rd October @ 12.45pm. There will be a choice of soups, bread rolls, cheese, yogurts 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.

Men’s Breakfast: Saturday 24th October at 9am We should conclude at 10:30am. Numerous breakfast options available with perhaps the most popular being the egg and/or bacon and/or sausage bap plus tea/coffee etc. Also available are cereal, croissants, toast, jam, orange juice … If you are vegetarian and would prefer a veggie option instead please let me know (mens.breakfast@ccbedford.org). All for the bargain price of £3 (free on first visit). No need to sign up, just turn up on the day as we would love to see you. This is a valuable time to build up friendships and develop support networks. We hope you can join us.

Accommodation Needed: A female, recent graduate, currently seeking full-time employment, is urgently looking for accommodation in a house share or similar. Please contact Shalom.

Mission Partner News

Latest Newsletters

You can read the latest Newsletters from Hilary Deneufchâtel, the Malawi Orphan Fund and Bedford Foodbank by clicking on the hyperlinks.

Bedford Foodbank Shopping List: The most needed items at the moment are: cup a soup, tinned fruit, tinned rice pudding, 500g/microwave rice, jars of coffee, bars of chocolate, long-life sponge puddings and fruit juice, sanitary towels & laundry tablets. Thank you for your donations.

Did you know? Bedford Foodbank opened its first distribution centre on Wednesday 12th October 2011. Christ Church has been a collection point since then and the first food parcel distribution took place in September 2012.

16/10/2026

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)