Midweek Leaders Gathering:
Did you miss our gathering on 27th January 2025?
Listen to Nigel share our vision for midweek life at Woodies.
Seasons of the Soul Series
Seasons of the Soul Series
Finding God in every season of life
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
- Ecclesiastes
We all love to be in seasons of prospering, success and fruitfulness, where we sense God’s blessing on what we are doing. Of course! Most of us have also experienced seasons of suffering too, where external pressures or internal pressures can impact our sense of well-being and make us question what our lives are meant to look like. Seasons come and go and these ancient words from the book of Ecclesiastes tell us that all of this is normal human experience. It may be more accurate to say that parts of our lives can appear to be in different seasons - whilst one thing is dying, another may be coming to life. Age sometimes seems to correlate with seasons, maturity bringing fruit into our lives that was elusive in younger years.
One idea that can help us navigate the ebb and flow of blessing and hardship in our lives is the idea that just as there are seasons in nature, our lives can follow similar patterns. A winter season can look very dark but God may be at work in the darkness doing essential work in us. Work we can cooperate with or resist. Some people talk about the ‘seasons of the soul’ -- if you had to choose the one you are currently in, what would you say?
This series is called Seasons of the Soul and is all about finding God in every season of life. The series is really asking the question ‘What is God doing in your lifeat the moment? How can you cooperate with the work of the Spirit in your life as he seeks to renew and heal your mind and body to make you more like Jesus?’ We want to give you an opportunity to think, reflect and pray about where you are at with God and allow him to work in the deeps of your soul.
Here’s what we’re hearing about each week in our messages on Sundays:
Winter - 2nd February
Spring – 9th February
Summer – 16th February
Autumn – 23rd February
Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week. This also includes recommended reading and signing up for our Wholeness Course as well:
MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES
Wholeness Course Starts 25th Feb
Wholeness: Explore Identity
Explore how our lives can be established on the sure foundation of our God given identity. This is a course with stories of breakthrough, teaching, including our ‘Spiritual spring clean’ and opportunities for receiving prayer.
Our next Wholeness 1: Explore Identity course will be taking place over 6 weeks beginning the 25th February and running on Tuesday evenings from 8pm - 10pm at Woodlands. To sign up follow the link below.
To find out more about the wholeness course head to the webpage here.
Hear some Testimony’s from the Wholeness Course
Refresh Group for Mums and Little Ones
On Thursday mornings at 10am in The Crypt, we offer new mums and babies the chance to meet up, share a cuppa, refresh and pray with one another.
This group is specifically aimed at supporting the well-being of new mums and their babies.
If you have young children of different ages, check out our Tiny Treasures Toddlers group that meets on Wednesday mornings at 10am in term time.
January 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.
Only one service on Sunday 29th Dec
Prayer Week: 19-26 January 2025
It’s Prayer Week from 19th - 26th January 2025 - let’s get praying and fasting!
You are invited to join the Woodlands Church Family for a dedicated week of prayer and fasting for our church, city, nation and the world. Let's remember the words of Jesus as we pray. Matthew 6 v 33: 'Seek First His Kingdom'.
As we start 2025, it feels wholly appropriate to gather together in one spirit to fast and pray and cry out to God for his kingdom to come here, as it is in heaven. It is a brilliant way to start the New Year, surrendering ourselves to God's goodness and power and his will for ourselves, our church and our world, which so desperately needs it.
There are a few key ways you can get involved throughout Prayer Week and we’d love everyone to take part.
A Week of Prayer & Fasting
There are lots of ways to join in at home and in person. We’d love it if everyone in our church community got involved…
Book a slot in the 24/7 Prayer Room
You can sign up to pray in hour long slots in our creative Prayer Room space in Woodlands Central. The Prayer Room opens on Sunday 19th January at 7pm.Come to our Evening of Prayer & Worship
Join people from all eight sites of the Woodlands Church Family on Tuesday 21st January from 7.45pm - 9.30pm in the Main Hall at Woodlands Central for an evening of prayer and worship. Our focus is to pray for all areas of the city to be transformed with the love and power of God and to pray for Unity for us and churches across the City.Join in with Morning Prayer Watch from 7.15am - 8.15am
Join us at Central from Monday to Friday, the 20th - 24th January for daily sessions hosted and led by different members of our staff team and church community as we pray for ourselves, our Church, our City and the World each morning.Fast during Prayer Week
The Bible teaches the value of fasting in order to focus on prayer and seek God’s will. We would like for our church family to think about fasting and make a plan for how this could fit into your routine during Prayer Week. It could be that you decide to fast a single meal, or fast for a day or even longer. To learn about fasting, watch this preach from Tim Dobson on Spiritual Disciplines: Fasting & Feasting. If you can only fast one meal or one day, why not fast with others on Tuesday 21st January ahead of the Evening of Prayer & Worship gathering.Pray the Lord’s Prayer at Noon
Set an alarm and say the Lord’s Prayer each day at 12pm along with hundreds of others in our church family.Download our Prayer Guide
Use our handy guide to help you focus and pray throughout the week.
Praying for Our Churches
To help us pray across the Woodlands Church Family during Prayer Week, we asked the leaders of each church to share their prayer requests so that we can pray specifically for each of their needs. We’ll be posting these on Facebook once a day from Monday through Saturday. Please take some time this week to be praying for:
Immanuel Series: Life Giver | Tim Dobson | 15th December 2024 at 11am
Immanuel Series
God with us
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
This series aims to explore the mystery of Jesus entering our world.
An Introduction to Reading the Bible Well - Tim Dobson
The Bible is an amazing book through which God can speak to us, but it can be tricky to understand in places. Here are some helpful tips to read the Bible well.
Discipleship in Mark's Gospel - with Peter Morden (Principal of Bristol Baptist College)
What does Mark have to say to help us with our life of discipleship?
Immanuel: Peace Bringer | Dave Mitchell | 8th December 2024 at 7pm
Immanuel Series
God with us
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
This series aims to explore the mystery of Jesus entering our world.
Immanuel Series: Peace Bringer | Dave Mitchell | 8th December 2024 at 11am
Immanuel Series
God with us
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
This series aims to explore the mystery of Jesus entering our world.
God's Vision for Women with Janey Lawry-White
If you missed the Bible school Session in November with Janey Lawry-White, you can listen here
Immanuel Series: God with us | Dave Mitchell | 1st December 2024 at 11am
Immanuel Series
God with us
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
This series aims to explore the mystery of Jesus entering our world.
Immanuel: God with Us | Rachell Riddall | 1st December 2024 at 6.30pm
Immanuel Series
God with us
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
This series aims to explore the mystery of Jesus entering our world.
December 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.
Immanuel Series
Immanuel Series
God with us
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
- Isaiah 7:14
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name
Immanuel, which means, God with us.
- Matthew 1:23
People often go home for Christmas. No matter how many messages, virtual meetings, or posted cards and gifts - there is nothing like someone’s actual physical presence in the room. When someone you love comes home, tears often flow. Human beings are wired for this — we are reassured and filled with joy by touching, hearing and seeing someone in our time and space. When Jesus entered into human history he entered our reality, our circumstances, our families, our work lives, our most secret and public lives. And it changed everything.
Perhaps still reeling from the experience he had just been through John started his letter with these words about Jesus: We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.
- 1 John 1:1 NLT
C. S Lewis called earth ‘the visited planet’. This Christmas amongst the busyness and festivities we are taking time to ponder again the profound mystery of Jesus entry into our world. He is “Immanuel” which means “God is with us”.
Here’s what we’re hearing about each week in our messages on Sundays:
1st December: God With Us
8th December: Peace Bringer
15th December: Life Giver
Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week. This also includes recommended reading and a video to watch as well:
MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES
Featured
Monthly Men's Breakfast
Volunteer Opportunity: Newcomers Admin
The Woodlands Church Family (WCF) is a vibrant, growing family of churches with seven sites located across the city of Bristol and a vision to plant more.
We are recruiting for volunteers to join our Newcomers Team to support the assimilation of new people to Woodlands Central. We’d love to hear from you if you’re interesting being part of the team.
ABOUT THIS VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY
We are looking for administrative support for the Newcomers team. Ideally we would like someone who could commit to helping us 3 to 4 hours on a Monday and/or Tuesday, after our newcomers events. These happen once or twice each month on Sundays.
Key areas of work include:
Administer the newcomers process by submitting new contact cards, inviting people to newcomer’s events and managing the process flow.
Process newcomers after events, including uploading forms and photos to our database.
Personal attributes and key skills
Strong administration skills with an eye for detail
Good written communication skills
Administering confidential information in line with our Data Protection Policy
Team player
Our volunteer roles require a commitment to be a follower of Jesus and a worshipping member of the Woodlands Church Family.
Support for this voluntary role
In-house training on Data Protection and use of ChurchSuite database
Open invitation to join in with our wider team meetings on Monday mornings where we gather together, worship, share good news stories and pray for one another.
Interested? Get in touch!
Please contact our Newcomers Team by emailing newcomers@woodlandschurch.net for an opportunity to meet and discuss the role further.
November 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.
