The Church Today
It has a large and motivated congregation (250 adults and 60 children and young people on the books) and excellent facilities with modern halls. The complex is used heavily during the week, largely by church run groups. Upstairs there is a suite of rooms which are primarily for the young people's groups. It is their intention to address the physical limitations of our Victorian church in the future. To serve the needs of the congregation Christ Church has a full time clergy (Rev John Hookway ); one non-stipendiary minister (Rev. Paul Watson); a Community Outreach Coordinator (Mrs Alison Jackson); five readers, an operations Manager (Martin Dudley) and a part time administrator (Mrs Tina Wilkinson), along with a large number of voluntary workers.
With two services on most Sundays the church is able to offer a broader range of styles and ample opportunity for using spiritual gifts.
The 9:15am service is a more structured service, led by organ and piano, and using a mixture of hymns and songs. The congregation at this service are committed, enthusiastic and appreciative of its gentle formality. It is growing in numbers and they are seeking ways to assist this growth and develop the quality of the worship.
The 11:00am service draws a wide age range and does attract the families. Music is led by a number of worship bands. Hymns are more the exception here. Children’s Church runs during the service though the service is finished altogether.
Relationships with the other churches in the town are excellent, with growing commitment to share resources and to work together on projects. They have begun to hold services in the town where the Christians of all denominations can unite in worship. Christ Church is part of the Anglican Deanery of Ware and Hertford and together it is seeking to remove the traditional barriers between local parishes and share in the task of mission.
Read more about this topic: Christ Church Ware
Famous quotes containing the words church and/or today:
“You don’t decide to build a church because you have money in the bank. You build because God says this is what I should do. Faith is the supplier of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”
—Jim Bakker (b. 1940)
“Dearest Lord, may I see you today and every day in the person of your sick, and, whilst nursing them, minister unto you. Though you hide yourself behind the unattractive disguise of the irritable, the exacting, the unreasonable, may I still recognize you, and say: “Jesus, my patient, how sweet it is to serve you.””
—Mother Teresa (b. 1910)