John Bunyan Baptist Church
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John Bunyan Baptist Church is a Christian community of about 50 people, made up of different ages, nationalities and Christian experience. It gathers for its main service of worship every Sunday morning at 10.30am when there are also activities for children and young people. During the week smaller groups meet for prayer, worship and fellowship. The church is a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and enjoys strong ecumenical relationships with other churches in the area.
People
The church is a very mixed community with a few families forming the core of the young people’s group who take an active part in its life and worship. Reflecting the cultural diversity of the area, the congregation is often made up of eight or more different nationalities. Migrant groups moving into Oxford have shaped the church since its beginning when people from Wales moved to Cowley in the 1930’s to work in Morris Motors (now BMW Mini). It was with this group of Welsh Baptists that the church was formed in 1939. In the 50s and 60s people came from the Caribbean and this group (mainly from Jamaica) make up a quarter of the church. People from Asia, India and more recently from Africa, especially Nigeria, have also moved into the area and joined the church.
Worship
The Sunday Worship centres around a clear pattern which is open and flexible and invites lots of participation. As the worship begins a candle is brought in as a reminder of the presence of God in our lives and worship. Later a bible is brought in as a reminder that God, through Christ and his Spirit, continues to speak and invites us to respond. The people’s response is symbolised as the offering is made, with bread and wine, where we recognise God’s offering of himself in Christ.
Christian worship is about people meeting together in the name of Jesus Christ, so the sharing of the Peace is important where we catch up on what’s happening to each other and welcome visitors and new people. After the service this continues in the
Broom Tree Café.
The worship is shaped around the festivals of the Christian Year with young people and adults sharing the same theme each week.
Fellowship
Women’s Fellowship: Tuesday 2.30pm
Prayer Meeting: Friday 7-8pm
Groups for study and reflection occur throughout the year to introduce people to the Christian Faith or celebrate a Christian Festival.
Twice each year the church will spend a whole Sunday together, staying for lunch and afternoon tea, in order to explore an aspect of the Christian faith, discipleship or church life.