Summer Resources

As we head into the holidays, our Woodies staff team came up with some book and podcast recommendations to keep us busy this summer. There’s a wide range of topics, themes and views, so why not check them out!

BOOKS


PODCASTS

Hope you can enjoy some quiet time with month and be encouraged with a new book or podcast!

Youth Minister Vacancies

JOIN OUR YOUTH MINISTRY TEAM

The Woodlands Church Family (WCF) is a vibrant, growing family of churches with eight sites located across the city of Bristol. Our vision is to transform Bristol through the love and power of God as we create spirit-filled, visible communities of faith in neighbourhoods across the city. 

Each congregation is distinct in their style, but we all share the same vision, mission and values to be communities which are welcoming of everyone, authentic in our faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit and expectant of all that God will do in us and through us.

Central to our plans to reach this city for Jesus are young people! In Bristol, there are 90,000 young people who don’t have regular contact with church or faith. We would love to see this change! 

ABOUT THE ROLES

Candidates applying for a Youth Minister role should be highly motivated, enthusiastic, able to take initiative, work well in a team and be committed to see the church community grow in their faith and reach the city for Jesus.  

Key areas of work for the position include:

1.     Outreach to the City

2.    Develop & Deliver Youth Programmes

3.    Youth Discipleship & Development

4.    Champion & Grow Youth Ministry

When undertaking this role there may be times when you come across confidential information, therefore it is imperative that you are highly discreet and maintain confidentiality.

Reporting and Line management
Accountable to local Congregational Leaders and Senior Youth Director as line manager.  

Occupational Requirement
The role has an occupational requirement that the post holder be a follower of Jesus and to be a worshipping member of the Woodlands Church Family, Woodlands Central (if not already) to ensure protection of our strong Christian ethos and values, and our charitable objective of advancing the Christian faith. We also want to ensure all team members thrive and flourish in this environment. 

Benefits

  •  Health and wellbeing programme

  • Team events

  • In-house training and support of personal and professional development 

Relocation
 If relocating to Bristol Woodlands Church Family will reimburse reasonable relocation expenses.

Terms

  • Permanent full and part-time contract positions for on the basis of 5 days (37h 30m) or 2.5 days (18h 45m) per week.

  • Hours on a Friday evening and Sunday morning will be required.

  • The salary band is £26,300 - £27,000 pro rata, depending on experience.

  • The annual holiday entitlement is 25 days pro rata plus 8 days bank holiday pro rata.

  • The roles will be based within Woodlands Church Family sites in Bristol.

The detailed terms and conditions will be contained in the post-holder’s Contract of Employment and the staff handbook.

There will be a three-month probationary period with a review point after six weeks. An appraisal will take place to confirm completion of the probationary period and appraisals will take place annually thereafter.

The post is subject to satisfactory references.

Right to Work in the UK 
We have a legal responsibility to ensure that all our employees have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Therefore, please only apply if you are eligible to work in the UK as we will have to verify this before you can start work.  


HOW TO APPLY

To find out more about a Youth Minister position please contact our HR Team at HR@woodlandschurch.net for more information, a full job description and an opportunity to have an informal conversation with one of our team.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 6th September 2026.

If shortlisted, the first interviews will take place online on Tuesday 15th September 2026.

If you are taken through to the second stage in the interview process, in-person interviews will take place on Friday 18th September and Sunday 20th September 2026 (we hope successful candidates will attend on both dates). We will consider other interview dates for candidates not able to make either of those.



Finance Manager Vacancy

JOIN OUR FINANCE TEAM!

The Woodlands Church Family has grown from one small church plant to over 2,000 people across eight sites, but we remain one church sharing one vision:
To see Bristol transformed by the love and power of God.

We have an exciting opportunity and are looking to appoint a Finance Manager to join our WCF Finance Team.

ABOUT THE ROLE

You will be working with our WCF Finance Committee to provide high-quality financial information and support to the senior leadership team, trustees and finance committee of Woodlands Church Family.

This role also manages the day-to-day record keeping and financial management of the charity, produces accurate and timely reports and oversees the key financial processes and controls of the charity. 

Candidates should be highly motivated, enthusiastic, able to take initiative, work well in a team and be sympathetic to our goal to see the church community grow in their faith and reach the city for Jesus. 

Find out more about this role:


Terms
The role will be part time, up to 4 days a week with a salary of £35k - £40k F.T.E. depending on experience. The annual holiday entitlement is 25 days pro rata. The role can be based at Woodlands Church in Clifton, Bristol or delivered remotely, with occasional in person meetings by arrangement.

The post is subject to satisfactory references. 

We have a legal responsibility to ensure that all our employees have the legal right to live and work in the UK. Therefore, please only apply if you are eligible to work in the UK as we will have to verify this before you can start work.

Reporting and Line management 
Accountable to the WCF Finance Committee and line managed by a member of that committee 

Benefits 

  • In-house training and support of personal and professional development 

For more detailed information, including key areas of work:


HOW TO APPLY

The closing date for applications is midnight on Thursday 6th August 2026. However, this vacancy will close once we have sufficient applications. 

If you would like an informal conversation to discuss questions about the role please contact the Lead Recruiter, Dave Roderick at dave.roderick@woodlandschurch.net.

Please download and complete the Woodlands Church Family application form.

Please send your completed application to our HR Team at hr@woodlandschurch.net, copying in the lead recruiter Dave Roderick at dave.roderick@woodlandschurch.net.


July Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the calendar below as a PDF.

Friend of God

Friend of God

In our Sunday evening services this July we are exploring what it means to become a friend of God. Friendship with God is our original inheritance, tarnished at the fall and fully restored by Jesus who said to his disciples. 'I no longer call you servants but friends'. What are the characteristics of friends of God as described in various characters in the bible? Can we grow in our friendship with God, and do we need to be warned about rival 'friendships' (James 4:4) that could spoil our friendship with God?

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • Prophetic Intercessor - 5th July

  • Servant Leader - 12th July

  • Intimate Home Builder - 19th July

  • Risk Taker and Willing to Suffer - 26th July

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


Set Apart

Set Apart

On Sunday mornings in July, this series is exploring 1 Peter 1 & 2 where Peter is writing to the scattered believers, who are mostly non-Jewish, in modern day Turkey. He wants to encourage them to live for Jesus in the face of hostility and suffering. Peter’s letter has a lot to teach us about living as Christians in a culture where Jesus’ followers are in the minority as we navigate the pressures of our identity as a community of believers who are distinct and set apart for Jesus. Peter wants to emphasise that we are chosen by God to be holy witnesses to a watching world.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • Chosen by God - 5th July

  • Be Holy - 12th July

  • The New Community - 19th July

  • Witnesses to a Watching World - 26th July

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


June Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar.. You can view and download the calendar below as a PDF.

1 Thessalonians Series

Kingdom Living in A Hostile World

In our Sunday evening services this June we are exploring the book of 1 Thessalonians, which is probably the earliest New Testament document we have and speaks to encourage new believers living in the context of opposition and persecution.

It is timelessly helpful as we reflect on what it means to live counter cultural lives yet lives that are appealing to the secular world.

This book also deals with Christian hope and the context of the return of Jesus, an issue which pre-occupies many in our own generation as we see societal instability and global challenges. 

Watch this short animation from the Bible Project to get an overview of the book

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • Faith in a Pressured Environment - 7th June

  • Global Partners Weekend - 14th June

  • Counter Cultural Living - 21st June

  • Hope in the Return of Christ - 28th June

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


The Jesus Manifesto

The Jesus Manifesto

This series explores Jesus declaration in Luke 4 that he was the fulfilment of an ancient Jewish prophecy outlined in Isaiah 61. Often described as a statement of intent at the launch of Jesus’ kingdom mission, John Wimber referred to it as Jesus’ “Messianic Manifesto.” When Jesus enters the synagogue in Capernaum it is a provocative beginning to his ministry. The moment ultimately leads to him being driven out of town, as the local people and religious leaders react with anger.

Jesus announces that He has come to bring good news to the poor, freedom to captives, healing to the broken, and restoration to all. This marks a turning point in the biblical story: God’s Kingdom is no longer distant, but present and active through Him. The manifesto is not just about Jesus - it becomes the calling of His followers. Christians are invited to both receive and carry this transforming work of the Holy Spirit into the world.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • Kingdom Now - 7th June

  • The Spirit for All - 14th June (Global Partners Weekend)

  • Freedom Carriers - 21st June

  • Sent to Restore - 28th June

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


May Prayer Calendar

Pray each day

Each month, you’re invited to pray for church and all that is happening with our monthly Prayer Calendar. You can view and download the calendar below as a PDF.

The Living Presence

The Living Presence

In May we will be preaching on the Holy Spirit. Our conviction is that we need a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in our lives together. We too often reduce the role and scope of the Holy Spirit to church gatherings only. We want to look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and how this still has relevance in our lives today. Join us as we pray ‘Come Holy Spirit’. 

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • The Creating Spirit - 10th May

  • The Empowering Spirit - 17th May

  • The Anointing Spirit - 24th

  • The Prophetic Spirit - 31st May

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

The Living Presence - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


Pentecost Power

Pentecost Power

It's impossible to overstate the importance of Pentecost and the work of the Spirit. Jesus is introduced in all four gospels as the one who will 'baptise in the Holy Spirit' and his promise to the disciples before his ascension in Acts 1 is that in a few days they will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. The work of the Spirit is essential in all Christian life and ministry and in the imitation of Christ in character and conduct. We can do nothing on our own. This mini-series looks at preparing for power, the experience of empowering and living an empowered life.

Our Evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

  • Preparing for Power - 17th May

  • Pentecost Power - 24th May

  • Transforming Power - 31st May

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Pentecost Power - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!


Community Life Conference 9th May

The Community Life Conference explores and celebrates the challenges and joys of community life both in shared living contexts but also in our wider community life as church. Liz Oldfield author of the popular “The Sacred Podcast” shares about community as the vital context for growing as disciples of Jesus through love, accountability, and everyday faithfulness. Open to anyone.