Message from Tim

Valentines Day

It’s a bit of a Marmite moment, isn’t it? I mean, it’s great for those who can be with someone they love on this special day, but for the rest of the world it is not a special day at all – anything but, in fact. Rather a day to be ignored. And if couples really love each other deeply, they won’t wait for 14th February to show it. So, perhaps it would be best for all concerned if we could just let the day slip by without making a fuss about it.

Nevertheless the date carries associations which can trigger emotions within us, either for better or for worse, and when that happens there is a natural inclination for us to become wrapped up in ourselves and our own feelings. Yet as members together in the Body of Christ, we are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. As we identify with each other in this way, we look beyond our own situation pray for others, knowing that others will also be praying for us, giving thanks for those who are in relationship and praying that their love would be deep and genuine and forgiving and selfless, and praying for those who are not in relationship, that they would know that they are still deeply loved and valued and significant, and that they belong.

Social distancing doesn’t help, of course, and we have no idea when it will end. Even those of us who have had our double dose of vaccine are still not permitted to take someone’s hand, let alone have a hug or a kiss. This requirement to suppress our natural instincts to reach out to each other takes its toll, not least because so much of our sense of who we are is grounded in meaningful contact and communication with other people. But we may learn to cherish the little things – to recognise that a smile, a letter, a phone call, a wave can convey so much. And a single act of kindness can breach the walls of depression – as much for the one who shows the kindness as for the one to whom the kindness is shown.

You may know the song written by Alison Huntley, with simple words that express a profound truth: ‘Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Jesus, thank you, Lord, for loving me.’ You may not feel up to singing it, but can I encourage you to whisper it as a prayer, because however you feel, whatever your situation, you are deeply loved by the One who went to Calvary to die for you and rose up from the grave to give you new life. So, thank you, Lord, for loving me.

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.

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Planning your Visit

New to Church?

Here at Brighton Road Baptist Church, you will always be welcome. So it doesn’t matter whether you’ve never been to church before or have been going all your life and want to try something different.

No-one cares how you're dressed, what you believe (or don’t believe), whether you’re over 60 or under 6, or something in between - you're welcome to join us if you're searching or just browsing.

Whatever your circumstances BRBC is a safe place to discover God's love.

We are an extended family made of all ages and a variety of backgrounds. We are single, married, divorced, widowed, happy, sad, confused, motivated, those with time on their hands and those with no time at all. The one thing we have in common is that we want to know more about the God who welcomes us all into his family. We look forward to welcoming you.

What to expect on a Sunday morning:

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. 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 should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will offer you a copy of our weekly newsletter.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. We share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. Following this we have a time of sung and spoken worship. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Often a person will pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. 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 an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

What about my kids?

For children under three, we have a Creche. Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
For kids from 4-11, we have our Kid's Club, BRBK. Activities vary but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play.

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. Part way through the service, the leader will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups.

Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

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Getting Connected

Housegroups

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 housegroups 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 Housegroups 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.

If you want to get in touch, or have any further questions, please contact us!