​For the Sake of Those Not Yet Here
By Karen Schofield
 
Our church was built with faithful hands,
Expanded, refurbished over years,
Pews filled, prayers watered,
Floors cleaned with fears and grateful tears.
Strong voices, sincere hearts singing well-loved hymns.
This church is beautiful today
Because love laboured to keep it through the years.
 
Yet no church is
ours to hold, or ours to own;
It belongs to Christ alone,
He is its cornerstone,
The living stone on which it rests.
 
Candles flicker and archaic words speak of grace;
But outside people walking past,
Do not know this holy place.
They do not know our much-loved tunes,
Or the language we learnt in childhood;
The songs that stir our hearts and voices
May sound to them a foreign tongue 
 
Which begs the question
Not if old things still are true,
But whether we can change ourselves
And let God's welcome reach them too.
 
Paul became all things to all,
Not changing Christ, but changing form;
To meet the seeker where they stood,
To shelter hearts before the storm.
The shepherd left the ninety-nine,
Not from neglect, or lack of care,
When Love compelled his feet
To find the sheep not safely there.
New wine, the Master once declared,
Needs vessels fashioned for the day;
Not to cast aside the old,
But so new life might find its way.
 
This Church must be Christ’s living body
His hands in this community and to the world.
Every church, and every human body, has its season.
And cannot live forever,
But can remain faithful for it’s church family
Passing on what will make it strong.
Strong to face an uncertain world,
resilient in the knowledge that we are loved.
Loved by God, not as owners of a building,
but as heirs of the Kingdom.
 
A church that lives must always learn
To speak again in every age;
The Gospel is the ageless flame,
The lamp may change, but not the message.
 
To honour those whose faith endured,
Whose sacrifices brought us here;
To honour deeply and sincerely
We make room for those outside
For what inheritance is this,
If carefully preserved
Yet never shared with waiting souls
To whom God's love might be revealed?
 
The finest tribute we can pay
Those who treasured and kept this church
Is not to freeze their yesterday,
But to carry Christ to future faithful 
So when new voices fill these aisles,
And children's laughter heard 
When each hymn, prayer, and treasured stone 
Finds purpose, not in preserving what some loved,
But in ensuring that others come to know that Love.
Then the faithful who came before
Will not have lost—but been reborn.

Why choose Christ Church?
By Sheila Johnston

​I started out many years ago going to a church in High Heaton. I was a shy (wouldn’t say boo to a goose) sort of child, and in the 8 years I attended that church I don’t think the vicar even knew my name. 
Over the years I tried many churches. Once even taking my children to a Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall. They definitely knew my name, but they didn’t acknowledge the Deity of Christ, so that didn’t last.
Corrie ten Boom once asked, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tyre?” That is, do you pray to get direction for your daily life, or do you pray to get yourself out of sticky circumstances, when you are in dire need?
I am afraid that for many years the Church was my spare tyre. I rushed there when in trouble of some sort or other.
2020 introduced me to Covid and cancer. I rushed to church, this time Christ Church, but it was not having any services by decree of Covid and the Church of England.

Luckily for me it did have Revd Canon Glyn who saw me loitering around the Garden of Remembrance and the church pathways, and he welcomed me in. "Come and sit awhile", he said. I did.
Glyn always remembered my name. So did Revd Dorothy Robinson who became a lovely friend, leading many services at the time.
And so, I have attended Christ Church ever since.
This was the first church to ever ask me to really serve the Lord. Welcome others in, give out hymn books, then later, read scripture to the congregation, be an altar server, serve from the chalice. Partake in fellowship, have a cup of tea after services, get to know everyone.
And I did. 
Now, it takes a while to feel the love. We are the reserved British after all. But this church is full of love, compassion and kindness.
When both Glyn and Dorothy retired we spent a year with no vicar but still the church never faltered - it was there for me and others every Sunday, and more.

Enter Revd Dan. A more committed and loving vicar I have never met. Home visits, Bible Classes, Confirmation Classes (even convincing my husband to attend!), he is truly dedicated to serving the flock.
Does he know my name?
Very definitely. He knows everyone’s name.
Not only that, He knows what books I read, how strong is my faith, and where my life is difficult.
So this should be enough for you to give Christ Church a try.

But also……if you like to socialise - such occasions are always a regular feature here with quiz nights, supper nights, barn dances, coffee mornings (amazing cakes), Summer fair, Christmas fair, heartwarming Christmas gatherings packed with carols and mince pies, and mulled wine!!! 

​However, there is something (some One) much more amazing to be found here…..
My relationship with Christ has become closer and closer, and now  He has become my "steering wheel” and not my “spare tyre”.
Every now and then I feel a tangible sense of God’s Love, that He is near.
One Christingle Service I was so moved by His Presence, I was so choked up I could not sing. 
The Lord Jesus Christ moves in Christ Church. Come and feel His Love.