Felixstowe URC, Pastorate Profile 2017
Felixstowe URC sits on a corner site in its much-admired garden, a short walk from the town centre or the clifftop with its wide-ranging views. The Elders and church members are keen to pursue their agreed aim to present the church as family-friendly and a happy place of worship, sharing the gospel message in word, attitude and action to all entering its doors and to those meeting outside them.
We have 52 members and 27 adherents. The congregation is mostly over 60 years with most over 70. The majority live within 1 mile of the church, the rest within 2 miles. We have 5 serving, and 15 non-serving Elders.
Services are held every Sunday at 10.30 a.m., with Holy Communion on the second Sunday of the month, with an average attendance of 55. Although the attendance of children is rare, a few members are ready to run a crèche or Sunday Club at short notice. At present our services are led by lay preachers and the occasional retired minister. A less formal midweek Reflections service is held every Tuesday morning, with a lay preacher and members assisting in its leadership, average attendance 12. Refreshments and fellowship follow each service.Pew Bibles are the New International Version. Bibles and hymn books are also provided in our smaller hall for use by midweek services. The church is well-served with sound system and space and facilities for wheelchair users, and a range of three halls and a well-fitted kitchen.
Special services for groups using the church premises have been held, as well as Easter, Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Christian Aid, Advent and Christmas (including a Christmas Tree Service,with gifts and donations given to community projects), and the occasional Songs of Praise service. Two hymn books, “Rejoice and Sing”and “Complete Mission Praise” are in regular use in the church. The church holds the required copyright licences to allow use of photocopied sheets from single copies of other hymn books to extend the range of music available.In addition, marriage services, funeral services and christening services are held.Fortnightly Bible study meetings are held, which are open to all. We have joined with other churches during the year for services and open Lent courses, and we are members of Churches Together in Felixstowe.
Our pastoral care is headed up by our Pastoral Co-ordinator, with serving and non-serving Elders being allocated specific groups of members to oversee. Elders Meetings are held monthly, and Church meetings are held quarterly. Our church finances are quite sound.
Our Parent & Toddler Group meets weekly, and our buildings are used regularly for indoor bowling, music and movement classes, yoga, befriending groups, synergy group for dementia patients, badminton, choirs (including our own), recorded music and fuchsia growers.
We have striven to be active in as many ways as possible in our community, raising funds for local and national charities, and have active involvement with homeless people and the Sanctuary housing scheme. There is regular and strong support for Christian Aid, Tools with a Mission, Town Pastors and the Bible Society, plus a range of local, national and international charities.