| Good News for Norwich | Easter 2003 |
| After six months of worshipping together as one fellowship, the
official launch of Norwich Central Baptist Church (NCBC) is to take place at
Pentecost. The guest speaker at both the morning and evening services on Sunday 8th June will be Dr Raymond Brown, former principal of Spurgeons' College. Included in the morning service, will be an act of Covenant when all members of the new church will make a pledge to serve God through NCBC. |
Some of the congregation leaving Duke Street after morning worship at Norwich Central Baptist Church. |
| "It promises to be a wonderful and historic occasion,"
says Rev Neil Walker, one of the two ministers from the church, "and it
is fitting that Pentecost, when the early Church was filled with new power and
purpose, has been chosen as our launch date." It was in September 2002, that Baptists in central Norwich made the big decision to pool their resources in order to be a more effective church for the city. Following two years of discussion, prayer and feasibility studies, the Baptist Churches at Dereham Road and St Mary's, Duke Street, united to form one Baptist Church for Central Norwich. At the heart of the new church's life is vibrant worship with various styles and reflecting the best of old and new music, provision for all ages and a special concern to be open, welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all. The first service to mark the coming together of the two churches was Advent Sunday in December 2002. Since then, in addition to the regular worship, |
there have been four services of infant dedication and a service
of Believers Baptism. The Leadership Team is led by the two pastors of the
former churches, David Milner and Neil Walker. It has not yet been decided where the church will be located. In the interim period, morning worship is taking place at the Duke Street premises and evening worship at Dereham Road. Specific details appear each week in the Eastern Daily Press and Evening News. The new congregation has a vision for a strong, central Baptist Church in Norwich, reaching out to the local community with team leadership, specialist ministries and based in a modern, multi-purpose building. Members from both former churches are showing great faith, commitment and sacrifice to realize this vision. As discussions, joint worship, prayer and social activities have progressed, a great sense of purpose and excitement has been generated together with a real sense of unity.' |
 Sunday worship at Norwich Vineyard which is on the move. |
Contrary to Norwich's reputation as the least religious city in
the country, according to the 2001 census, one city church is on the move
because it has outgrown its Sunday meeting place. Keith Morris reports.
Norwich Vineyard moved to the South Site Hall at Thorpe St Andrew High
School on Laundry Lane, Thorpe, on March 23. |
| movement, has met at St Williams School off St Williams Way in
Thorpe St Andrew. But the location has now become too small for the growing
140+ church. Current pastors, Geoff and Annie Lawton, planted a church with a group of friends back in 1990 as Thorpe Community Church. In July 1997 it closed and after a six-week gap a new church, the Norwich Vineyard, began and is part of the 80-church strong Vineyard Churches UK group. "We need a larger main hall plus rooms for our crèche and children's groups as well as space for refreshments and the monthly foodstore," said Geoff. "We need the larger hall to allow adequate room for growth." "Our purpose is simple - to love God, love people and to seek and save the lost. Having a larger Sunday venue will hopefully enable us to become |
more like the church that we believe God is calling us to be, a
place where all kinds of people can come and belong." The church is also involved in various activities within the community in both Thorpe and Norwich. These include: a mother and toddler group; Vineyard Care, which organises a weekly soup run and collects clothing and food for needy families around the city; Vineyard Action which seeks to help out church contacts by performing practical jobs for them; and two youth football teams which play in the Norfolk Christian Youth League. Norwich Vineyard also provides support for churches in France and India as well as the wider Vineyard Churches UK movement. You can contact Geoff and Annie on 01603 701750 or visit the website www.norwichvineyard.co.uk |
| Former Conservative MP and cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken, who
in 1999 was jailed for 18 months for perjury, will be the main speaker at this
year's launch of the Alpha Initiative in Norwich Cathedral in September. Since his conviction Jonathan has attended no less than three Alpha courses at Holy Trinity Brompton church in west London. Now a big supporter of the course, Jonathan will be speaking at Norwich Cathedral on Monday September 22 at 7.30pm. Speaking on behalf of the organisers local Alpha co-ordinator Revd Stephen Mawditt said: "It is hoped that churches across Norfolk will come together to organise this opportunity to raise the profile of Alpha across the region and make it easier to invite guests to local Alpha initiatives. |
 Jonathan Aitken. |
| "The importance of churches working together to plan events
was demonstrated three years ago when Nicky Gumbel addressed 900 people at St
Andrew's Hall and, of course, during the successful Just 10 mission last year. "It's very exciting how opportunities seem to keep on |
arising for the good news of Jesus to be spread across Norfolk, and for local churches to work in co-operation together. As far as Alpha is concerned, many churches have reached the point where perseverance is necessary and we hope this will be a great encouragement to keep going". |
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