Mission

The word mission is sometimes a difficult one to understand in the context of church life. It perhaps conjures up images of Tom Cruise dangling off some huge building getting ready to perform some remarkable feat.

The mission the church has been given is certainly not easy, but it is not mission impossible either! As a church we believe that we are called by God to join in with what he is doing in his world. The root of the word mission comes from the word ‘sent’ and this is at the heart of what mission is all about. Jesus Christ sends his church to go into the world and to reach out with his love for each and every person. Mission is partnership with God in what he is doing in the world and it is a privilege of the church to be called to that partnership.

Some time ago the Anglican Communion (the worldwide Anglican Church) set about clarifying more specifically what we mean when we talk about mission. The Church helpfully agreed ‘five marks of mission’ which helps us to understand what we are called to as a parish. The ‘five marks’ are:

- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need by loving service
- To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation
- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

These ‘marks of mission’ help us as a church to prioritise what we believe we are called to do in sharing in God’s mission. Part of our task as a church is to decide which areas of mission we are called to focus on in this chapter of our life together. The PCC (Leadership of the Church) has over the last few months been drawing up a Mission Action Plan which seeks to prioritise which areas of mission we will focus on as a community over the next five years or so.

The Mission Action Plan will reflect what we believe God is asking us to do in this parish, however our mission does not stop within our parish boundaries. We are also called to partner in mission with others who are reaching out with God’s love around his world. Our Mission Partners page gives details of the various mission organisations that we partner with in prayer and giving finance to support their work.

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

New to Church?

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When
We meet at St Margaret’s Church for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you will be greeted by someone on our Sides Team, please make yourself known, that you are visiting for the first time so that we may give you a welcome pack.
We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service from 11.15am. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Sides Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is also a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities.

Our Service
The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. We have a mixture of services, comprising of Morning Prayer, Morning Worship, All Together and Holy Communion. Our music is organ and band. We typically have 3 or 4 songs. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. There is always an opportunity to receive private prayer at the end of the service.

What about my children?
We have a great programme lined up for children of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 2 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/carer at all times.
Bubbles (3-5 years)
Juniors (6-11 years)
Ignite (11-14 years)
Youth (14+ years)

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs, and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children’s group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games, and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes, usually around 11.15am.

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.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes