Teams
Team-work is defined as the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
Small teams with a huge variety of skills and willingness are the driving force behind so much of what we are able to do as a church. Serving others with the gifts we have, whether listening, talking, praying, or looking after everyone's safety, stacking chairs, making coffee, running activities for children ... there's always lots to do, and something for everyone.
We would love for you to be on Team, using your gifts and abilities to serve God and others, in the church family and local community. It's all about Team-work!
Below is an overview of the various teams that run at Grace
Serving the community
Teams that serve practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of our local and wider community.
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Christians Against Poverty is a national award-winning debt counselling charity offering hope and a solution to anyone in debt.
Based at Project 229, Bedford Road, Kempston it is available to all struggling with the problem of debt, regardless of whether you are currently a part of Grace or not.
Contact
Karen Jones
karenjones@capuk.org -
We’re all created in God’s image and given a gift of creativity, we just express it in different ways. The CREATE sessions help people to see that creativity can be expressed in many ways. Each month we take a theme and provide a short talk, learn more about ourselves and more about God. We then take time to create something based upon that theme.
Contact
Marion Major marion.major@graceinthecommunity.com -
Got questions about Christianity? Our Explore Course is an excellent opportunity to take time out and ask some of life’s ‘important’ questions, that are so often crowded out by the ‘urgent’ of day-to-day life. Courses run throughout the year.
Contact: Graham Albans
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In partnership with the Trussell Trust, Grace Community Church operates a Foodbank distribution centre at Project 229.
Foodbank runs on Fridays between 1pm and 3pm at Project 229.
Contact: Graham Albans
graham.albans@graceinthecommunity.com -
For those asking further questions after the Explore course, such as ‘How am I made to live best?’, ‘Does God want to spoil my fun?’, ‘What about science & faith?’, ‘What about other religions?’, ‘Where is God in pain and suffering?’, ‘Does God care about social justice?’ and ‘How can we believe without seeing?’. With a short video and informal discussion over food.
Contact: Graham Albans
graham.albans@graceinthecommunity.com
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Even in a busy little town people can feel isolated. The NET runs on 2 mornings a week during term time, and aims to support those who are experiencing isolation for whatever reason.
If you are new to the area, or struggling with life right now then please contact the church office to discuss whether this might be a suitable group for you.
Contact:
Julie Anderson
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Lunches for the over 60s, held at Centenary Hall Kempston .
Come alone or with friends and enjoy a free meal and good company. Grace Community Church will make you feel at home and welcome and provide a stimulating talk.
Contact: Richard Cooper
Richard.cooper@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Shed is a free cafe style drop-in group which exists to serve men in the community who for whatever reason find themselves in need some support and social connections. It’s open to all men and there’s nothing on the agenda, just chat and friendship.
Held on Fridays at Project 229, from 10am-12midday with good coffee and good doughnuts!
Contact Name: Graham Albans
graham.albans@graceinthecommunity.com -
Physical, Emotional, Social and Spiritual Wellbeing, Life Long learning and Creativity are the topics covered in this highly successful course.
If you are new to the area or struggling with life right now then please contact the church office to discuss whether this might be a suitable group for you.
Contact:
Heather Solesbury
heather.solesbury@graceinthecommunity.com -
The church is committed to enabling God’s work to grow through ministries beyond the local Church and gives a significant proportion of its annual income to missionary and social projects both in the UK and overseas. Members of Grace are also directly involved in a number of ministries, for example Bible translation in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. We also believe that the work of God's Church is to help build a kingdom of justice and care for those often marginalised.
The projects we support include work in AIDS orphanages in South Africa, a medical charity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a church group in Nepal and short term mission trips to places such as Myanmar, India, South Africa, Tanzania and Lebanon. Over the years. we have also had members work in Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Djibouti.
Contact:
Grace in the World Prayer Group
-Paul Quinlan & John Simpson via office@graceinthecommunity.comGrace in the World
-Paul Quinlan & Chris Almond via info@graceinthecommunity.com
Serving the church
Teams that mainly help Sunday Services be a safe, organised and meaningful time.
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The Team seeks to ensure the administrative duties of the church are carried out effectively. Using both church staff and community volunteers, it seeks to keep the church fully informed about everything that is going on. This includes producing the weekly notices and mailer, and reviewing and updating risk assessments and various church policies.
Contact: Ailie Redman
Ailie.redman@graceinthecommunity.com -
To promote and train the team to read the Bible in our Sunday meetings with interest, accuracy and clarity
Reading the Bible together is a key element of our gatherings, and we want to take seriously the instruction Paul gave Timothy ‘devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture’ (1 Tim. 4:13) and apply that to our setting. Volunteers spend time with the passage each week, seeking to read it to the best of their understanding in a way which helps us grasp the meaning and significance of the text.
Contact Simon Rowell
simon.rowell@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Team provides a short Bitesize talk linked to the main sermon, as a way of introducing the main point and providing a way of access for the children who remain in the service. Helping children, and adults, to retain the key things that they hear, and parents to follow up teaching at home.
Contact: Martin Salter
martin.salter@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Communications Team is responsible for all our design and communications at Grace Community Church. Internal and external communications activities, looking to ensure that our messages are clear, on brand and channelled to the right people. It's a key team, in how the church is perceived by everyone, making Jesus known!
Contact:
Chris Evans comms@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Team aims to make every new person feel like a somebody and not a nobody, by helping to identify, connect to, and new attendees. At the end of each service members of the team will position themselves by the exit door and meet and greet those who are new or newish. Following up conversations to help newcomers find their way into the church family.
Contact: Simon Rowell
simon.rowell@graceinthecommunity.com -
See Who’s Who page
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See Who’s Who page
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The team is tasked with ensuring that the Grace finances are managed in a way that honours God. In particular, that the recording processes are efficient, effective and full of integrity and that the finances of Grace are sufficiently transparent. That the income is sufficient to meet Grace’s objectives and that expenditures are properly authorised and controlled.
Contact: Neil Gillies
neil.gillies@graceinthecommunity.com -
The team is responsible for -
• Providing a safe environment for all staff, volunteers and attendees to minimise the risk of injury or illness.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant Health & Safety legislation and other requirements as a minimum standard.
• Ensuring that the H&S policies are available, communicated and understood by all concerned persons.
Lead - Tim Eaves
Deputy Lead - David Brear
Contact - healthsafety@graceinthecommunity.com
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The Team enables the church to pursue its mission by assisting all staff and essential computer users with church related IT matters. Ensuring that church owned systems are operational, users are trained and that we maintain compliance with General Data Protection Regulations.
Contact: Mark Anderson mark.anderson@graceinthecommunity.com
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The team serves Grace Community Church by using and developing musical skills, to stimulate both heart and mind in order that the church family are enabled and encouraged to worship God together in song in our meetings together.
Contact: Simon Rowell
simon.rowell@graceinthecommunity.com -
A team brew coffee and tea for all services, and Home groups are on rota to serve, together with biscuits.
Contact: Sian Eaves
via office@graceinthecommunity.com -
See Safeguarding Policy Summary for the team’s mission.
Contact: Hugh Minty and Adam White
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The team prepares the hall each Sunday meetings, and looks to provide a warm and friendly greeting, assisting people, as they attend our services with care and sensitivity.
The team look after setting up stage and backdrops, arrange chairs, tables for resources, and many other details to make visitors feel relaxed and comfortable.
Contact: Richard Perry
Richard.perry@graceinthecommunity.com -
The team aims to befriend and help those attending the church who are hearing impaired and/or BSL users. They seek to guide them through the service, songs and the sermon using notes and maybe a few signs, so that they are able to fully engage with the whole service.
Contact: Becky White accessibility@graceinthecommunity.com
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Setting up and and regulating the delivery of clear and audible services both in the building anmd online via YouTube. This includes close liaison the Music team.
Also recording, editing and uploading sermons online, and producing CDs and DVDs each week, for those who need.
Contact: Henry Atkinson/Amit Paul
via office@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Grace Vision team is a small group whose main aim is to help with the presentation of visual material at all meetings. Included is the setup of visual equipment in the Addison Centre every Sunday. Also help with presenting lyrics to songs which we sing at our Sunday services
And providing a live-stream service for our Sunday morning and evening services on our YouTube channel
Also production of DVDs of the morning and evening service on request for watching at home or at a later date.
Contact: Johnson Romain
visionteam@graceinthecommunity.com -
Team Aims to lead our meetings creatively and thoughtfully so that everyone present is helped to engage with God
Every Sunday, our services are led by different people, whose remit is to help all those present engage with God. Having a variety of people lead, with a variety of gifts and differences in approach we trust means that there is a diversity and difference in feel from week to week.
Contact: Simon Rowell
simon.rowell@graceinthecommunity.com -
The team's primary focus is to be available at each of the Sunday meetings to listen and pray with anyone who would like to. Whether it's as a response to the meeting or a more general issue. Any prayer requests via the email will also be followed up.
Contact: Manjeet Kumar and Chris Atkinson
Grace family
Teams that enable the church family to be well cared for.
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The team looks to support and comfort members of the church and connected community who have been bereaved. To offer pastoral and practical support, as is practicable, for as long as required.
Contact: Edward Kabale
via office@graceinthecommunity.com -
The team seeks to love, welcome and care for those from Hong Kong and the Far East, now living locally.
Contact: Kenix Ng and Alice Wong
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We want people to connect relationally and grow spiritually. Grace is a growing church and our desire is that people build meaningful relationships of support and encouragement. Our weekly homegroups are central to this. We help each other know Jesus more by praying, reading the Bible and discussing life together – as we support each other in the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of our lives. More info
Contact: Jon Putt
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The team assists the church leaders and Pastoral Team in the practical and pastoral care of those in need, particularly by phoning and visiting those unable to attend Sunday and other meetings.
Contact: Neil Redman
neil.redman@graceinthecommunity.com -
An informal get together for those who may be the only Christians in their families or who come to Grace Community Church on their own. Oasis meets every 6-8 weeks for a meal, fellowship and to pray and support one another.
Contact: Hoda & Simon Daniel
via office@graceinthecommunity.com -
The Phoenix Team looks to support women in the church family who are single following a relationship breakdown or bereavement. To encourage each other, share and pray together.
Contact: Louise Pestell
louise.pestell@graceinthecommunity.com
Families, Children and Youth (FCY)
Teams running clubs and groups throughout the week to support families in raising children in the faith and bringing friends along with them.
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For 0-3 year olds, in an upstairs room in the Addison Centre. A ‘drop off’ creche facility that allowing you to leave your child and return to hear the sermon yourself. During this time (approx 40 mins) they will be cared for, have time to play, do some simple drawing /craft, have a snack, Bible story time and songs.
Contact: Lorraine Reimmer-Okonkwo
via fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
For 3 year olds - Year 1, in the Scout Hut, behind the Addison Centre. Children can be ‘dropped off’, and you can return to hear the sermon yourself. During this time (approx 40 mins) they will have fun learning about Jesus with an engaging Bible story, linking craft, songs and time to play with others & the toys.
Contact: Hannah Atkinson and Helen Atkinson
via fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
Our playgroup for 0-4s and their families on Thursday mornings 10-11.30am at the Addison Centre. Children can enjoy a big hall full of toys, craft, storytime from the Bible, snack, songs and bubbles. Babies can enjoy soft mats and toys in the baby corner. Parents will also receive a warm welcome and refreshments.
Contact: Anna Evans
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
Our special playgroup, for under 6s and their Dad /Grandad /male carer. One Saturday a month, 10-11.30am at The Addison Centre.
A special weekend playgroup, similar to Playtime, for Dads /Grandads to hang out together with a strong coffee. There’s snacks for kids, Bible Storytime, bubbles and songs - but often with a silly twist!
Contact: Graham Albans
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
Our club for all in year 1-4 on Wednesday evenings 6pm-7pm at the Addison Centre.
A full evening of fun: Crazy challenges, games galore, scrumptious snacks, fab craft, dramatic Bible story-telling and oddles of other awesome activities.
Contact: Caroline Paxon
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com
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Our club for all in Years 5-8, Friday evenings 7pm-8.15pm alternatively between Kempston Youth Centre and the Centenary Hall (Kempston).
Our programme includes firm favourites like: a chip crawl, glow-in-the dark night, nerf battles, giant cluedo, wide games, paint wars & pizza, with massive amounts of sport, games & crafts too. Each week will also include some tasty tuck and a chance to ask big questions as we dig into the Bible.
Contact: Tim & Sian Eaves
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
A group for Years 6-8 one Monday a month 6.30pm-7.30pm at the Holloways.
To enjoy the dreamy combo of food, games & explore more of what the Bible has to say.
Contact: Dave & Emma Holloway
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
Our group for Years 9-13.
Meeting Sunday evenings 7.30pm - 9pm at the Addison Centre.Each session will ordinarily be a combo of games, chat, banter, snacks and a look at the Bible.
Any teenager is welcome, you don't need to have been coming to Grace for years to qualify, you could be brand new, or anywhere in the middle.
Contact: Vicky Atkinson
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com -
A midweek chance to dig a bit deeper into the Bible, as well as hanging out with others in homes of friends.
Contact: Vicky Atkinson
fcy@graceinthecommunity.com
Hi I’m Chris
Helen and I have been attending Grace Community Church for 20 years. In my role I help look after some of the many Teams that work hard across all areas of church life. Team-work is an amazing way to serve others, and get to know people. There's a huge variety, hopefully something for everyone to get involved with, and we’d love you to be part of it. If you'd like further information, or help finding a Team, just let me know, thanks.
