Here at Woodlands we love the Bible. It is an inspiring, supernatural book, but at times hard to understand. Woodlands Bible School helps you to grapple with different books of the Bible and themes within it. This spring we are going to take four evenings to take a deep dive into the book of Genesis.
Join us from Tuesday 22nd April at 7.30pm in the Foyer at Woodlands Central. All welcome
This month Dave Roderick takes a look at the letters of 1, 2, and 3 John. You can listen to the audio from the link below
The book of Ezra records the time when God was on the move and people responded to His call on their lives to rebuild the temple. What does this book have to tell us as we seek to follow God wholeheartedly today?
Starting on Tuesday 25th, over six sessions we will explore how you can be confident in sharing about Jesus, how to tell your story making Jesus the hero, how to start a natural conversation with your friends about Jesus.
This is a new course being delivered from Woodlands Academy.
The Bible is an amazing book through which God can speak to us, but it can be tricky to understand in places. Here are some helpful tips to read the Bible well.
What does Mark have to say to help us with our life of discipleship?
If you missed the Bible school Session in November with Janey Lawry-White, you can listen here
Tonight we will be Celebrating Rob and Pam as Rob steps back from his role as senior leader of the Woodlands Church Family.
The venue is fully booked, so please don’t come unless you have been personally invited, but we would love you to watch online.
You can view this via this link from 7.30pm tonight (Sat 2nd July)
We are looking for a Youth Minister|Woodlands Church, Bristol
Woodlands Church is a vibrant city church which has an exciting opportunity for someone to join the team as a youth minister.This key role will encompass both the leadership of Devotion Youth Church and a role reaching un-churched young people in schoolsand the community under the Woodlands Family of Churches strategy for Bristol. Candidates should be highly motivated, creative, able to take initiative, work well with others and be passionate to communicate the good news of Jesus. The Youth Minister's primary role will be as a key member of the Core leadership team to empower and maximise the potential of the Volunteer Team, delegating many of the responsibilities below. Working within the existing Mission statement, format and rhythms, the youth minister will continue the week-to-week running of Devotion and collaborate with the Core Team to identify and implement improvement projects.
The post is subject to satisfactory references and DBS clearance.
APPLY FOR THIS ROLE
Post: 1 year fixed term
Salary: £22,500 - £23,500
To apply: View and download the Application Pack and Job Description
Download an Application Form to fill in
Closing date is 17th July with interviews on Wed 20th July.
For further information please conatct julia.shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net
We would love our church family to make a concerted effort to pray about the Covid-19 pandemic during Holy Week. Book a slot in our virtual 24/7 Prayer Room.
Runs from 12 noon on Palm Sunday, 5th April 2020
until 12 Midnight on Saturday, 11th April 2020
http://www.24-7prayer.com/signup/418faf
60 MINUTE PRAYER GUIDE: PRAYING FOR THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
To help you pray for the hour, read on below or download our one-hour Prayer Guide.
You’ll need: A Bible, Worship music, Water, Soap, Pens, hand cream
PAUSE (5 minutes)
PRAY
Psalm 46 aloud
BE STILL
Breathe deeply, and welcome the Holy Spirit
REJOICE (5 minutes)
PRAY
Psalm 91 aloud
SING
A song of worship about the greatness of God
ASK (30 minutes - 5 minutes per topic)
1) PRAY FOR THE CONTAINMENT OF THE VIRUS
Using water and soap, thoroughly wash your hands.
Ask God to slow and halt the spread of the Coronavirus.
Take a moment to pray for God’s particular intervention in the nation's most affected.
2) PRAY FOR THE ILL AND ISOLATED
Write the names of the people you know who are self- isolating or who have contracted the virus. You can do this on a piece of paper, or on a piece of material.
Ask God to make His presence felt in solitude and to protect, strengthen and heal them.
3) PRAY FOR PROTECTION OF THE VULNERABLE
You can draw a plaster and write the names of the people you know who are elderly or have an under-lying condition that may make them susceptible to the Coronavirus.
Ask God to protect them from infection.
4) PRAY FOR LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS
Place your hands on your head and ask God to give wisdom to national and local political leaders as they make decisions to protect people.
Cup your hand over your ear and ask God to bring excellent advisers to guide them.
Open your hands in front of you and ask God to give them the ability to communicate clearly to the public.
5) PRAY FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Rub hand cream into your hands as you ask God to protect the health professionals (doctors, nurses, ambulance crews and more) caring for those affected by the virus.
Ask God to give them peace, wisdom, to anoint them for their jobs and to protect them from infection.
6) PRAY FOR THOSE AFFECTED IN OTHER WAYS BY THE PANDEMIC
There are many of people who will be indirectly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Ask God to comfort those grieving the loss of loved ones, to provide for those in financial difficulty because they are unable to work, and for business leaders as they face such unprecedented disruption to life.
Pray the blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 over each group.
YIELD (10 minutes)
Pray this prayer of yielding, written by Pete Greig:
Lord Jesus Christ, we ask you to protect us from the spread of the Coronavirus. You are powerful and merciful; let this be our prayer -
“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Psalm 57:1)
Jehovah Shalom, Lord of Peace, we remember those living in Coronavirus hotspots and those currently in isolation. May they know your presence in their isolation, your peace in their turmoil and your patience in their waiting. Prince of Peace, you are powerful and merciful; let this be their prayer -
“May your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Saviour, for the glory of your name.” (Psalm 79:8)
God of all Comfort and Counsel, we pray for those who are grieving, reeling from the sudden loss of loved-ones. May they find your fellowship in their suffering, your comfort in their loss, and your hope in their despair. We name before you those known to us who are vulnerable and scared - the frail, the sick and the elderly. [pause] God of all Comfort, you are powerful and merciful; may this be our prayer -
“He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.” (2 Corinthians 1:10)
Jehovah Rapha, God who heals, we pray for all medical professionals dealing daily with the intense pressures of this crisis. Grant them resilience in weariness, discernment in diagnosis, and compassion upon compassion as they care. We thank you for the army of researchers working steadily and quietly towards a cure - give them clarity, serendipity and unexpected breakthroughs today. Would you rise above this present darkness as the Sun of Righteousness with healing in your rays. May this be our prayer -
“Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
God of all Wisdom, we pray for our leaders: the World Health Organisation, national governments, and local leaders too - heads of schools, hospitals and other institutions. Since you have positioned these people in public service for this hour, we ask you to grant them wisdom beyond their own wisdom to contain this virus, faith beyond their own faith to fight this fear, and strength beyond their own strength to sustain vital institutions through this time of turmoil. God of all Wisdom and Counsel, you are powerful and merciful; may this be our prayer -
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear” (Psalms 46:1-2)
I bless you with the words of Psalm 91:“Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” (Psalm 91:3-7)
“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1)
May El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty who loves you protect you. May Jesus Christ, His Son who died for you save you. And may the Holy Spirit who broods over the chaos and fills you with his presence, intercede for you and in you for others at this time.
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18)
BE STILL
Breathe deeply, thank God for His presence and release into His hands all you’ve prayed this past hour.
Dec 29th - The Sunday after Christmas will be an all aged service at 10.30am, so no 9.15am or 11am service.
There will be an 8am and 7pm service as usual.
Who is the Holy Spirt and what does He do? How can I know the power of God’s Holy Spirit in my life?
For more information on the Alpha Holy Spirit Afternoon and how you can book in, click here
At Woodlands we want to give everyone the opportunity to “remember the poor” as we are encouraged to do by Paul in the New Testament.
Here are a number of things that you can get involved with - either volunteering, giving or praying https://www.woodlandschurch.net/social-action
If you missed the teaching on last of the Winner series on Sunday do visit the recent talks section on the website https://www.woodlandschurch.net/latesttalks
As a growing church we need to form new mid-week church groups almost on a weekly basis. For this to happen we need new leaders! If you are some one who thinks you could help with leading a mid-week group or you know some one who could, then the Leadership Foundation course is the thing for you!
It runs over three Monday evenings starting on 30th Sept. We will be covering the following topics
30th Sept - The Character of a leader. What does it take to be a leader that some one can follow?
7th Oct - The Pastoral heart of a leaders. Some practical tips on how to notice people and what to do about what you notice!
14th Oct - Leading an evening. Creative ideas about running an evening
You may already be leading a group but would like a Leadership refresher, you’d be welcome too.
For more information and to book in click here
Jesus talked more about the “Kingdom” than he talked about anything else combined. It was a priority for him and so it is one for his followers too. Together we will consider some of the key marks of the “Kingdom” as found in the Gospels. At this event we will pay attention to what it might have felt like to be around Jesus and his movement, and how the “Kingdom” he proclaimed is an alternative way of life that continues to unsettle family, politics and religion even as it blesses those things! Book on line click here
Job Vacancy as Site Manager
Woodlands Church is a busy and vibrant church and currently has an exciting opportunity for someone to join their buildings team as a Site Manager.
This essential role will support and enable the mission of the Church. Candidates will be self-motivated being able to take initiative and work well in a team. Responsible for carrying out a range of duties to include preparation of the building for regular and one off events both internal and external. Applicants will need to be able to work flexible hours. Job share is possible.
You will find more details in the summary of role and job description
If you’re interested in the role and would like to speak to someone please contact Steve Wray steve.wray@woodlandschurch.net
The closing date for applications is Sunday 3rd March 2019.
Interviews will take place week commencing Monday 4th March 2019
Please complete and return an application form to
julia.shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net copying in steve.wray@woodlandschurch.net
We are excited to announce the Noise weekend for 2019! Following on from the amazing time we had with hundreds of other Christians last year for Hope Bristol 2018, we are back again to the regular May Bank Holiday Noise weekend (4th-6th May). It will be the same kind of community action projects as last year in the more needy parts of Bristol alongside free family fun afternoons and activities for senior citizens.
We realise that the Bristol 10k has been moved to the same weekend, but we hope those taking part in Love Running, could find time to volunteer for the Noise too, as we see God’s love being shown to our city in practical ways. You can volunteer for one day or the whole weekend, you can book in as an individual, a group or a family. Visit the Noise website for more details, and let’s show the communities of Bristol that there is a God that loves them.
Across Woodlands group of Churches we have the amazing opportunity of caring for and reaching out to 100s of children and young people. We take our safeguarding very seriously and so we are advertising for a six month paid role as "Woodlands Group of Churches Safeguarding Co-ordinator"
This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop safeguarding practice and policy across the group of churches. You will have experience in safeguarding, you will be organised, a good communicator and able to work closely with others within a team. You will be a member of the WGOC and will work across all sites and congregations. If you are interested please contact Julia.Shrimpton@woodlandschurch.net for the job description or speak to Louise Hughes (trustee with responsibility for safeguarding) for more information. Closing date for applications is Feb 9th.
Strength Bible School starts it’s four week course on Thursday 7th Feb 7.45pm for 8pm start in the crypt at Woodlands. We all need strength in our lives and God’s word is food for our souls, encouragement for our minds and inspiration for our spirits. This term we will be studying the book of Hebrews, seeing some of the fascinating links between the Old Testament and the New Testament understanding of who Jesus is. Click here to book in. All welcome, whatever your existing Bible knowledge.
