Summer can often feel like a season of contradiction. We long for rest, but life remains busy. We hope for space to hear God, yet our diaries quickly fill up. This year at St Philip's, we're intentionally choosing a different rhythm.
Throughout the summer months, we're simplifying church life so that together we can focus on some of the essentials of the Christian faith: worship, prayer, rest, and seeking the presence of God.
Our key event this summer will be Prayer and Praise, Sunday 12 July, 6pm, an evening dedicated to worshipping God, praying together, and making space for the Holy Spirit to work among us. In a world full of noise and distraction, we want to create room simply to be with God, to listen to him, and to seek his guidance and renewal. There will be a focus on Youth and Children, plus news about Our Father's House.
We're also excited that our young people will be leading our Youth Takeover Service on Sunday 5 July. This will be an opportunity to celebrate the gifts, faith and leadership of the next generation as they take a central role in our worship together.
From Sunday 25 July until September, we'll worship together as one church family each Sunday morning. During this period there will be no separate children's or youth groups, allowing our volunteer leaders a well-earned break and giving us the opportunity to learn, pray and worship alongside one another across the generations.
As part of this summer rhythm, most of our regular groups and activities will pause. We believe that rest is not a luxury but a gift from God, and we want to encourage our congregation and leaders alike to embrace a season of refreshment.
A small number of ministries will continue throughout the summer:
BCP Morning Prayer, Wednesdays at 10.00am
Our Father's House, Wednesdays at 7.00pm (food at 6pm)
Foodbank on Thursdays, 11-1pm
Whether you're staying close to home, heading away on holiday, or simply looking for a different pace of life over the coming months, we invite you to join us. Our prayer is that this summer will be a season in which we learn again to rest in God's presence, deepen our life of prayer, and open ourselves afresh to the work of the Holy Spirit.
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)