St John''s has members of all ages and various groups take place.  Click the links in the left-hand menu to see what is available.

Is Church relevant to modern families?

WHY DO WE go to Church, when we could be going for a family cycle ride, having fun at the swimming pool, or walking in the Ashdown Forest, admiring the beautiful views and letting the fragrance of freshly fallen leaves pervade our souls? (well, if the children let us, that is!) Why do we go to Church when we could be painting the garage, weeding the garden or putting up that shelf, which our busy work-filled week has stopped us from doing? Why do we go to Church when we could be visiting Aunty Bella, who is now too frail to leave her house or catching up with old school/University friends?

In our busy lives, where these days both parents are usually working at least part of the week, it is hard to fit everything into a short weekend. Although I am still fortunate enough to be able to spend most of my week at home we are still pulled in several different directions at weekends; the need to visit family  - some who live on the other side of the country and the constraints of the children’s sporting activities mean that the jobs around the house usually don’t get done! Yet we chose to come to Church nearly every Sunday. We have been doing this for so long now that I had to ask myself why we do it. Why do we make ourselves get up before 8am, rush through breakfast, pester the children to get dressed to go to Church, when we could be doing something else?

For me the answer is fivefold: it is a time to worship God alongside others who share the same faith; it is sometimes (if I’m not involved in the children’s groups!) a brief respite from all the busyness and chaos of the week; it is a place where we can be challenged to learn about how God wants us to make changes in our lives and outlook; it is an important foundation in our children’s upbringing; it is a chance to catch up with friends.

How do we worship God at St john’s?

Most people probably think that worship involves singing lots of boring old-fashioned songs in the Church service. For me it is not. I love singing songs to God at home, but I’m not in the least musical and singing with other people in Church is a time when I feel like crawling under the pew—and while I am small, I’m not quite that small! I do, however, enjoy listening to others singing, and while I feel more uplifted by the faster, more modern songs, some of the words in the more traditional songs often strike a chord deep within. However, I think that worship can also involve serving God as well as singing —and so I overcome my shyness and help now and then with the children’s groups or by leading the prayers. (Even though I‘ve done this many times I still feel my knees tremble and my stomach turn to jelly!)

In what way is Church a respite?

In the week I am so busy rushing around. At Church I can sit down and relax for an hour without seeing all the housework that needs to be done. And sometimes I may experience a sense of God’s Peace.

In what ways have you been challenged to make changes to your life?

There have been too many times to mention all of them, but on one occasion I realised that there was someone I needed to ask forgiveness from. I’m not very good at saying Sorry, so I did not find this easy, but I felt glad I had done it afterwards.

How can going to Church help children?

I grew up in Northampton and only went to Church at Christmas, Easter and for Brownie parades. To be honest I found it boring most of the time, because I didn’t want to sit still through a long Church Service. Yet looking back now, I wish I’d had the opportunity of learning more about the Bible. The children’s groups at St John’s are aimed at making the Bible more accessible to children to enable them to understand God’s word in a fun way. If you think about it, the Bible is full of practical information about how to live peacefully alongside others. Where would we be if it was okay to kill each other or to steal from one another? If it was okay to lie, who would we trust? I want my children to be able to recall parts of the Bible easily and have an understanding of it’s meaning, so that when they are faced with difficult decisions they will remember what God says. I find remembering a lot harder now that I’m learning it later in life!

How can you make friends at Church?

This is not always easy. It can be hard to walk into a crowded hall and start talking to somebody you’ve never met, especially if they are in conversation with someone else. Even now I sometimes want to run away! We have, however , made some fantastic friends at St John’s.

Joining a home group is a good way of getting to know people. That is a group usually held in someone’s home, which usually involves lots of good food, chat, laughter, Bible study and prayer.

Lindsey Saunders

We run two separate courses:

• Christianity Explored: specially designed for those who would like to take a closer look at the Christian faith.  A video provides helpful explanations and is a useful discussion starter
• Firm Foundations: Ideal for those who have made a start in the Christian life and want to move on.  Also helpful as a ''refresher'' for those who feel they would benefit from going back to basics

If you would be interested in either of these courses, please contact the vicar on 321524.