COMMUNITY

Sunday Services (Time-Table)

Junior Church and Creche

Reach Group

Reach group for over 10's
We have a lively group that meets every Sunday (excepting family services) for young people over 10 who want to explore their relationship with God through a variety of means. Drama, art, readings and discussion are all used as ways of making sense of our roles in God's world.

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Alpha and Beta

The Alpha Course

For the last five years, between January and April, we have run an Alpha Course which is publicised to the local community and via the Internet.

The Alpha Course was devised at Holy Trinity Brompton C of E Church over twenty years ago, and is designed to explain the Christian Faith to anyone who is asking questions such as “What is the meaning of life?” To date more than 6 million people have completed Alpha worldwide, 1.5 million of those are in the UK.

At Prestbury Methodists about 100 people have completed Alpha, and all have said what a help it has been to them. Several of those people weren't attending a church when they came along, but decided to start worshipping with us, or at their local church, when they had completed the experience.

Each December we have an Alpha Supper which is an opportunity for a taster session, without commitment to the full course. On this evening everyone shares a two-course meal, with some people who have completed Alpha in recent years, and who will talk about how they found it. This is followed by a video talk from Rev. Nicky Gumbel, then a time of discussion about the video in small groups round the supper tables.

Those who are interested will then start the full course for 12 weeks starting in mid-January. Each week follows a similar format to the Alpha Supper – and the food is good!

Beta and Alpha Plus

Some people asked to be able to continue to meet the friends they had made, in similar situations, after completing Alpha. Two groups are now meeting monthly for a meal, a video or speaker, then discussion in small groups. These are called “Beta” and “Alpha- plus”

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Worship Band

To offer praise to God in song is one of the highlights of any church worship, and some years ago a band was formed to lead worship in new and exiting ways. Building on the new music from writers such as Graham Kendrick, we have been able to extend and expand the range of songs and choruses steadily, always being mindful that church worship is a collective activity. Our goal is to enhance worship and praise for the congregation, and not to be performers in our own right, though we do have some very gifted musicians (author excepted!). We are always ready to welcome new players, and if you are interested, please do not hesitate to introduce yourself to us. We try to play at least once per month at the morning family service, most specials, and other services as requested.

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At Prestbury we are grateful for the services of our many stewards

Church Stewards

Geoff Ross [Snr Steward] , Pat Bolton , Derek Cooke , Eddie Jones , Sue Bower & Jacky Timms

The church stewards are jointly responsible, together with the minister, for the running of the church as a whole.

Vestry Stewards

Roger Mort, Wendy Smith, Joan Pritchard, Jean Thomson, Roger Bolton, Rob Ayerst, Muriel Ayerst, Muriel Adshead, Margaret Nightingale & Isobel Worthington

The vestry stewards look after our preachers during services, read the notices, and take responsibility for the offertory.

Door Stewards

Cherry Hurren, Eddie Jones, Isabel Jones, Roger Mort, Avril Compson, Glenys Harding, John Harding, Muriel Ayerst, & Pat Ross

The door stewards look after the congregation, and offer a greeting as you arrive and leave, and provide whatever hymn books,etc

are required for the service

[steward details updated—May 2007]

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