Sundays
In the past year we have continued to see steady attendance in church on Sundays with around 130 people. Once a month we hold Community Breakfasts for at least 100 people and 40 children. 4 adults and 5 youth who have newly discovered the joy of following Jesus were baptised during the Spring. Special Easter and Christmas services were held including Carols and Christingle.
We have held monthly Worship Nights over the year with an average of 35 attendees and a full band consisting of 4 or 5 musicians and singers. These special evenings help people with their spiritual growth and discipleship and are hugely appreciated.
Children
There have been age appropriate group activities providing for over 90 children (40 children each week ages 3 - 10). This includes craft activities, musical worship/entertainment, song and dance and of course Biblical story telling. 10 younger ones are given a parent/carer area with toys/crafts within the main congregation space. There are at least 36 volunteers for the children’s ministry, 8 are active each week.
During summer school holidays we held Childrens’ holiday club sessions for any in the community as well as members of the church. These Stay & Play sessions include an Animal Encounter, a Softplay Morning, an Art Day, and a Forest School. These catered for around 35 children who came with their pack lunches to eat together. All the parents/carers have expressed how grateful they are for this provision and what a difference it has made to their busy lives.
A Fancy Dress ‘Light Party’ was arranged for children (4 – 11’s) as a Halloween alternative in October. This catered for at least 50 children from both church family and community.
Skate Church has continued to be enjoyed on monthly Sundays in Spring, Summer and Autumn (weather permitting). Sessions are held at Dunstable Skate Park before church and have attracted young and old, beginners and experts on skateboards and scooters (with helmets). These were enjoyed by families, parents and carers alongside our Youth ministry pastor or youth team leader.
Youth
The Youth group (Ages 11 – 17) continued to meet on Sundays providing Bible discussion, games and opportunity for friendship and discipleship growth. An average of 9 attending each Sunday and then taking over the Café area at the church for a social evening once a week which encourages them to bring their friends also. There is an increased team of 8 volunteers for Sundays and 5 for Thursdays.
The Youth Summer Camp ‘Dreaming the Impossible’ is still a regular and popular weekend event and was attended by the Youth leaders and 8 of the youth in July/Aug. In November the Youth hosted a Quiz event to help raise funds for the youthwork and subsidise the cost of DTI tickets for the following year. This enables more youth to attend, where they have grown in their knowledge and experience of the Lord and been strengthened in their faith.
Growbaby
This weekly service to the community continues to grow in popularity, providing good quality new and used clothing and essential equipment for babies and children 0-5 years. More than 10 families receive help each week. Health visitors and social workers have been coming to find items for their patients/clients and some refugees also.
This service also offers support for parents getting to know one another over a cup of coffee and cookies and has seen a steady growth in regular visits for company and relationship alone. We are also able to make referrals/connections with other local provisions e.g. the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and others. Plans for the future are to capitalize on some of these links by inviting them to attend our GrowBaby sessions themselves to provide closer help for our guests. This needs 15 volunteers altogether with 6 per session. Plans are being discussed regarding Dunstable Foodbank possibly using the church building.
Rockabye
Rockabye Baby is a twice weekly 60 minute music class, held once on the church premises and once in another church location in Toddington village. It is an all-inclusive, interactive experience for parents, carers, children and younger siblings to all enjoy music making together. We include props, puppets, high quality instruments, bubbles and live music played by our Children and Families Pastor Becky and other volunteers from the church. Grown-ups are encouraged to play, dance and interact with their little ones throughout the high energy sessions. This is a popular activity for both adults and children with an average of 20 family groups each session. It takes 3 to 4 volunteers each week and 10 on the volunteer team.
Little Rockers
This is a toddler group running alongside Growbaby and has this year grown to around 30 children and babies. Students from the local college now come along as part of their training. The Coffee Bar is open during these sessions which facilitates a relaxed community atmosphere and helps encourage conversation and connection. Some of these parents have subsequently come to church on a Sunday for their very first time.