Looking for a Church in Ealing? What to expect at Redeemer!

If you’re based in Ealing or the surrounding areas of West London and are looking for a church, we’d love to welcome you to our vibrant community at Redeemer.

We have three services on Sunday - the first two are larger gatherings at the University of West London (W5 5RF) at 9.30am and 11.30am with a few hundred people at each.

You can expect a warm welcome as people arrive for the service and take their seat in the Weston Hall lecture theatre, which becomes our church for the morning.

Each service lasts 75 minutes, starting with about 30 minutes of singing which is led by the band. Some people stand up, some people sit and others share Bible readings.

The children and youth then go out to their groups, and everyone else remains in for notices. Then a speaker – often our pastor Pete Cornford – gives a talk for 30 minutes.

We finish with a song and a chance to ask someone to pray for you for anything you want. Refreshments are also served next to the hall in the large café area.

The third gathering on Sundays is a smaller one at The Hub (W5 2NX) at 6.30pm which might suit you if you’d like a quieter service (or if you work during the day!).

We asked several Redeemer members what they love about their church, and here’s what they told us:

Grace: ‘I love that our church is a community that cares deeply - it is naturally diverse and the people encourage, challenge and support each other to grow closer to God, to share His love, and to be a kind and fruitful family.’

Josh: ‘In Redeemer I experience a sense of belonging in a community that is passionately following God and loving people. Redeemer is unapologetically Bible focused, counter-cultural and so refreshing. It’s a safe place.’

Jonathan: ‘'The initial thing that struck me when I first started coming to Redeemer was the genuine sense of community. It went from small talk to being invited into people's homes and lives. In a city like London which can be a lonely place, having a church family that you can be part of is vital.’

Laurie: ‘The Redeemer welcome at services is warm and the energy at worship is spirit inspired. The preach feeds my hunger for Biblical knowledge and wisdom. The prayer is powerful and compassionate. The sense of family and friendship is heartfelt and a shining example of Christ at work within the community.’

If you’d like to find out more, email: hello@redeemerlondon.org. We’d love to see you soon!

#RedeemerRecommends - OnePlace London

Normally as part of the Redeemer Recommends series, we will suggest a book for you to read, another blog for you to visit, or music for you to listen to. Today is a little different…

Today we are recommending an activity! Specifically a course aimed at those in and around Ealing who are interested in a career in the film industry. One Place London is an organisation led by Kofi Baffoe, a member of the Redeemer family, and starting THIS SATURDAY they will be offering a FREE course, specifically aimed at young people from Black & Asian Ethnic Minority backgrounds.

Kofi explains:

“The British Film Industry report into racism within the film industry highlighted ‘People of colour make up three per cent of the UK film workforce, despite being 17 per cent of the UK’s and 40 per cent of London’s population (where most of that workforce is based)”

“BAME young people today also face a lack of confidence because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They face a lack of opportunities to build back their lives. Trainings in Acting for Film and skills training in creative work such as camera operating, boom operating and sound mixing on set are proven to work. However, it costs £4500 to learn one of the areas in a 6-month part-time course at Met Film School today. Young people cannot afford this amount of money.”

This is why One Place London exists, to give young people an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have. Gearing them with the necessary skills, attributes, discipline such as time-keeping, following instructions and positive networking skills, to help them develop and pursue their life goals.

You can find out more about the organisation at oneplace.london, and you can sign up to the course by emailing oneplacelondon@gmail.com. It will run across the next 24 weeks, beginning this Saturday, 8am at Ealing Studios.

I will leave you with a personal testimony from someone who has completed the course in the past.

The Acting Workshop I attended was very useful and overall a terrific experience. There were several aspects to the workshop, for example learning camera techniques and tricks in order to create different atmospheres/environment in relation to scenes. I was also able to act out a scene created by Kofi and with his help, I was able to get into character and manipulate my body for better camera positioning for effect. I got insight into his credentials knowing that he has worked with Award Winning Artists and himself being able to record scores for his movie and shoot it as well.

Love Ealing

The first word when I think about God is LOVE.

The first verse I learnt from the Bible was John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son.

As a follower of Jesus I am amazed by His love for me

Love Ealing is one means by which Redeemer Church wants to demonstrate Jesus love for Ealing in practical ways. This will be as creative as the people taking part, and can be large or small: a wide range of activities, events and words are encouraged.

Below are some examples of ideas we have had already, plus some testimonies of how individuals have already been showing love to the people of Ealing!

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What we’ve got planned!

As we’re getting closer to Christmas we’ll be doing some carol singing in the Ealing Broadway shopping centre on Thursday the 12th and Thursday the 19th of December. At 7:30 on both evenings we’ll be showing some love to the people of Ealing as they do some Christmas shopping, and anyone is welcome to join us!

In January we will be showing love to the emergency services around Ealing, gathering people to go to their local police station, a&e department, and fire service with thank you cards and gifts. Blessing them in response to all they do for us over the busy Christmas season.

We’re also looking to bless and show love to those who are supported by Age Concern and Retirement Homes in the borough, and will be taking teams of people to build community with the older residents of Ealing by singing Christmas songs, playing games, and just spending quality time with them around Christmas.

Finally, we’re putting on two fantastic and free Christmas events on the 15th of December! There will be a carol service at 4pm, and a Christmas concert at 6pm, both events are at the University of West London and will be followed by mulled wine and mince pies!

We would love to hear about your ideas or to get you involved in one of the ones mentioned above, come and find us at the Love Ealing table on a Sunday morning!

How we’ve been loving Ealing so far…

The other day I was in Pret with a friend and we thanked the lady who served us, let her know that she was loved and gave her a Love Ealing business card, there was no big conversation as a result but it was great just to spread a little joy as part of our lunch!

I was walking through Ealing Broadway and I stopped to chat to some people who were asking members of the public if they wanted to switch their bills! Often I find it easy to walk past these people, but I decided to stop, encourage them for doing something which quite often can seem a thankless task, and I offered to pray for them! They were kind and asked me to pray that they wouldn’t get rained on! I also gave them a Love Ealing card and I walked away praying for them, it was only such a small thing but I am trusting that God uses it to plant a seed.

I came to the realisation that on my daily commute I walk past so many people that I never really stop to chat to. One of these people is Graham, who works at Chiswick Park tube station every morning. I felt convicted to do something to thank him for his friendly ‘hello’ each morning and tell him about Love Ealing. One morning, I asked God for courage and walked to the station armed with chocolate and Love Ealing business cards. As I gave these to Graham, he looked shocked and so happy to receive this small gesture of appreciation. I told him that how our church is taking a few months to love Ealing in practical ways and invited him along to Redeemer, pointing to the address on the back of the card. With a delighted expression on his face, we chatted about our weekends before he said ‘thank you so much Hannah’. We’ve connected everyday since and now know each other personally! I was struck by how little that took from me, but how great the impact was for him. What if we slowed down enough to notice and bless someone on our commute everyday?

#RedeemerRecommends - 9 Things You Should Know About Hinduism

This week Hindus across London and the rest of the world have been celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights!

As a result, our latest #RedeemerRecommends is a blog from Joe Carter, which is a summary of the Hindu faith, and is incredibly helpful if you’re a Christian trying to learn more about how to connect with those from different religious backgrounds.

If this blog interests you, then why not sign up to our event on Saturday - ‘Discovering Jesus through Asian Eyes’, as we seek to equip ourselves as Christians to better reach our friends, neighbours and colleagues who come from different cultural and religious backgrounds.

You can read the beginning of the blog, and find a link to the whole thing below…

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This week more than a billion Hindus across the globe are celebrating Diwali. The five-day religious observance, which is also celebrated by followers of Sikh and Jain faiths, is the biggest holiday of the year in India, the country with the largest population of Hindus.

Here are nine things you should know about Hinduism.

1. Although Hinduism is often treated as a single religion, it is more accurate to describe it as a family of religions that share common beliefs and characteristics. Some scholars claim that early Hinduism originated around 5500 BC, making it one of the world’s oldest religions. The term Hindu was first used by the Persians, dating back to the 6th century BC, to describe the people living beyond the Indus River. For more than a thousand years the label had no specific religious connotation. In the early 19th century, though, the term Hinduism was coined by British writers to refer to the family of Vedic religious traditions. Some modern Hindus prefer the name “Vedic religion” or sanatana dharma (“eternal law”) rather than the label Hinduism.

Ealing Half Marathon - A Review!

Last Sunday we were out in force cheering on the runners in the Ealing Half Marathon, Josh Gagel takes us through exactly what happened on the morning….

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Drums? Bunting? Shouting? A megaphone?

What on earth was going on yesterday outside Ealing Town Hall?

Well of course it was us lot cheering on the half marathon runners!

 Despite the dreary weather, the Redeemer family came out in force to support those participating. Despite being somewhat rhythmically challenged I was fortunate enough to be part of the amazing drumming band that encourages the runners as they go past.

 Leslie Mailloux, a runner in the half marathon and a part of Redeemer, had this to say

 “As I was running up towards the town hall on the 11th mile I could barely feel my legs, but then I heard the drumming in the distance and it spurred me on to finish the race!”

The Redeemer runners did amazing, and we’d love to give them all a shout-out! Well done to Anna Unwin, Hannah Kinning, Jon Flower, Rich Smith, Mark Siburns, Lauren Siburns, Farayi Hobwana, Nicky Cornford, René, Tara Chandler, Bracken Pluckrose and Jess Bugembe. These guys were amazing and if you see them on Sunday then give them a massive pat on the back! (Not too hard though, they might still be a bit sore!)

Kayla Carter, who had a cameo drumming, had this to say

 “I’m flipping loving it, the atmosphere is great”

 Nico Ofoajoku was drumming but had a bit of trouble with our method of protecting him from the elements.

 “Currently I have seen no running because I’m too tall for the gazebo, but nonetheless I am drumming and encouraging everyone”

 Toby Elliott clearly had some bias towards a specific one of Redeemer’s runners.

 “My favourite part of this is that Mark ran past before Rich”

 All in all, a wonderful time was had, as always we were thoroughly impressed by those running, bring on next year, when rumour has it I will be running myself!

- Josh Gagel

We've Moved! - Purpose & Promises

We’ve Moved!

This Sunday saw us worshipping together at the University of West London for the first time! What a great time it was, the venue may have changed, but our God hasn’t! He loves to meet with us wherever we are!

There are obviously practical reasons why we have moved from the Town Hall, but we also firmly believe as a church that God is leading us into a new season which will be full of excitement, and that we can expect him to move powerfully amongst us and in our community as a result of our new Sunday venue! 

As part of his preach on Sunday, Rich talked about the potential impact we can have as a church on our local community, and below are just some of the ways in which we are praying God will use us as we meet at the university.

• We are believing that being in such an influential space for the student population in Ealing will allow us to see the gospel made known amongst students and young adults in the local area more than we have before!

• Our new refreshments and welcome area is a fantastic space for conversation and fellowship, both for Redeemer family members and for guests. We are praying that God uses this extra space to continue to welcome more people into our family, and create genuine friendships in which we build one another up and encourage each other to walk in the plans God has for us!

• With refreshments and welcome happening in a separate location, there is greater opportunity to respond and receive prayer after the services. We are praying that God speaks to people through our preaching and during the worship times and that we are able to follow up by continuing to pray with individuals after the meeting. We are expecting God to use this extra time and space to transform hearts and lives!

• We now have more seats in the room on a Sunday morning than we ever have before! We are praying that God continues to bring new people to us at Redeemer that we might be able to bless and share the love of Jesus with! We believe that God will fill the empty seats with new Redeemer family members!

These are just a few of the ways that we are praying God will move in and through us in this next season at Redeemer. We have received prophetic words recently about stepping up, graduating, and experiencing new things in God and there is a sense of excitement stirring amongst us! If you haven’t already, why not join us in the next few weeks as we take the next steps on this journey as a church!

Artisan Live!

Last Thursday saw our second live music event at Artisan Coffee in Ealing! To launch our next Alpha course, which starts this Wednesday, we invited a number of talented musicians, singers and poets to share their talents with us! All this was free, and came with the opportunity to enjoy great coffee served by the fantastic staff at Artisan!

The evening was full of highlights, newly written original songs by Toby Elliott, brilliant harmonies from Meg & Ruth, who joined us all the way from Wimbledon, poetry from Steve Page, a regular contributor to the Redeemer blog, and the unique and beautiful vocals of Yvette Flower! Another new act that performed at the event was On That Note, a barbershop quartet which included Russell Oakley, a member of the Redeemer family who was able to also share a testimony about how much he benefitted from being on the Alpha Course last term! Their medley, which began with a rendition of the iconic opening lines of Bohemian Rhapsody, was a fantastic moment! Kayla & Anna had the whole coffee shop in stitches with their cover of Valerie by Amy Winehouse, which included a personal warning from Kayla of the importance of paying your parking fines!

Also on the night, Sam (our fantastic host) had the opportunity to interview Bronwyn, another member of the Redeemer family, about how her life has been transformed by the Alpha course! She described how her entire outlook on life had changed because she had been given the opportunity to ask questions, discuss with others, and discover a personal relationship with God.

That is the invitation we are extending to you this term, come and join us on Wednesday night at 7:30 at Osteria del Portico, to enjoy great community, great food, and discuss the question ‘Is There more to life than this?’ If you enjoy it, why not come along every week for the next 10 weeks, as we take the opportunity to explore the Christian faith, and see how knowing God personally might transform your life!

You can sign up by following the link below, or just turn up on Wednesday night! I look forward to seeing you there!

What. A. Weekend.

Wow.

What a weekend.

Without doubt the most important weekend of the year when it comes to the church calendar. This weekend we celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, events which despite occurring over 2000 years ago, still shape each and every moment of the life of a christian. Without this weekend, if he never died as a sacrifice for our sins and then rose, conquering death and winning an everlasting victory, followers of Jesus Christ would quite simply have no foundation for their faith in him. But we believe that he did do that, we believe that he still lives today, and is seated on a heavenly throne, at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us, which makes the Easter weekend one worth celebrating!

The weekend started with a day we now call Good Friday, but a day which seemed altogether less ‘good’ all those years ago. Jesus Christ of Nazareth hung on a cross and died, seemingly defeated. While we know now that this was in fact the beginning of his victory, a moment when all of our sin and shame was paid for, it is important as christians that we remember the cost of our salvation, that Jesus suffered in our place, that he felt our pain. This was the first time we have met together on Good Friday at Redeemer and it was an amazing service, meeting together for an hour, we sung songs which reminded us of the power of Jesus’ blood, we heard monologues read which reinforced the message that Jesus suffered for us, and we took communion together to mark the sacrifice that was made. I personally was incredibly moved by the whole service, and it was stirring to hear so many voices lifted up in praise to their king, even on such a sombre occasion.

Then, on Easter Sunday, it was time for a celebration! We had the opportunity to sing songs together which allowed us to rejoice in the victory won as Jesus walked out of his tomb! We were led by a fantastic choir, heard truth proclaimed, and were able to celebrate with three individuals who took the opportunity this Easter Sunday to be baptised and to begin their own journey of walking with Jesus, out of the darkness, and into his Glorious Day!

But what does this weekend mean for us as christians? Is it just a once a year celebration, after which we go back to our routines….? No! We believe that this truth, this celebration of Jesus’ victory is something to be celebrated all year round! So we’ll be celebrating next Sunday too, and the Sunday after that, and not just on Sundays! Every day of the rest of our lives is now lived in the knowledge that we walk in the everlasting victory that was won on the first Easter! This truth we believe is not just for ourselves, but is true for all people, of all ages, all across the world. If you’re reading this and you aren’t currently celebrating this truth, why not come and find out more by visiting us on a Sunday morning at Ealing Town Hall, or join us on Thursday the 9th of May as we launch our next Alpha course with an evening of live music and poetry at Artisan Coffee. As you reflect on another Easter weekend, whatever that means for you, don’t miss a chance to come and join in the celebration which continues all year round!

He is risen.

He is risen indeed!

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!

Mark 16:6

Encourage - Your Setback is Your Springboard

The most recent Encourage event sought to remind us of how God can work any situation for our good. Peggy Boardman describes how the event was a blessing to many women from Redeemer and from other churches across Ealing borough.

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How many of us live with setbacks?  

Sometimes we spend too much time holding onto the things of the past while we miss out on the here and now.

The speaker told us about how she tried very hard for 8 years to achieve something that she intensely desired but it never came to fruition.  It was very hard at the time but she surrendered to God and then God began to move in the midst of her disappointment.  What she is doing now is very different from what she had planned but this new direction has given her great fulfilment - much beyond anything she expected!  

Her talk spoke to me and I remembered when I left my home, Indonesia, a long time ago to live in the UK.  I was disappointed that I had to leave the ‘good life’ behind and was not sure how living in the UK would be like with no family, friends or helpers and drivers.  But, I met God in London – that was far greater than any ‘good life’ in Indonesia!

God often uses a setback to move us forward.

In the same way, Joseph experienced a big setback when his brothers sold him into slavery.  But 13 years later Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph that he made him No. 2 to Pharaoh controlling all of Egypt.  During this hard time, Joseph learned to trust God.  In God’s timing he was moved forward for a divine purpose.  He not only saved his family and the people of Israel but also saved Egypt from starvation as well as the surrounding nations.

Joseph said in Gen 50:20

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

The Encourage ladies event will be running every two months and the next one will be on 11 May – details will be given nearer the time.

Advent-ure

Stay focused now.  He's no longer a babe in a manger, He's now a resurrected King.

ADVENTURE

It's advent:
Angels invite you to
Adventures in worship in your 
Annual observation in
Anticipation of the divine,
Awaiting, acclaiming the King.

The red coats are coming, 
The red coats are coming
(but don't let them distract you).

[Christmas is more than blokes in red suits.]

Bring peace and hope to your finances with the CAP Money Course

You may have recently been inspired by the BBC documentary ‘The Debt Saviours’, a programme which highlighted the inspiring story of Christians Against Poverty, a charity on a mission ‘to release thousands of families from poverty through award winning debt counselling and community groups’.

Redeemer Church is about to start hosting a CAP Money Course at Ealing Town Hall on Sunday afternoons which consists of three sessions, it is aimed at absolutely anyone, whatever your financial situation. They are designed to help you take control of your finances and learn skills which have a lasting impact on your budget.

In case you’re not yet convinced, here’s 3 reasons you should give CAP a try.

1) It’s free!

The CAP money course is free to attend and comes with free access to online budgeting tools which can be used for as long as you like after the course is over. Those running the course will also be able to get you in touch with other free services that CAP provides if necessary, services such as debt help, job clubs and life skills classes.

2) It helps you build a budget!

Many of us would love to be better at budgeting but we simply don’t know where to start in terms of establishing a system or a budget. The CAP course will provide you with a template around which to build a budget personal to you, which allows you to focus on your day to day financial needs while also preparing for future costs and saving towards long term financial goals.

3) It works!

There are countless stories of how the CAP course has transformed people’s lives, from simply changing the way the looked at money, to setting people free from seemingly insurmountable debt. You can hear just one of the many stories by following the link below.

https://youtu.be/DJkhcmBJ1xU

So what are you waiting for? The CAP Money Course run by Redeemer Church, London starts THIS SUNDAY on the 28th of October, and you can sign up by visiting the CAP website (capmoney.org) or contacting James & Alicia who are running the course on 02080 995692.

Solo or not so solo

Everyone has a back story, an origin tale.  
That new guy at the office, the single mum who moved in next door, the woman who just opened your newest local coffee shop: they each have a back story.
I went to see 'Solo' this weekend and we heard how Hans got his name, we saw Hans meet Chewy for the first time (mud and chains are involved) and we got to know Lando a little better (he has a lot of capes). Okay, it's not up there with The Force Awakens, but it's a very entertaining film and touches on key aspects of Hans' character, giving fans much to talk about.  ( The question of 'did he draw first?' is revisited which got us talking to a complete stranger on the way out.)
I've got a back story too.  I'm in my fifties and have a definite 3 act story line playing out.  But I get to chose who I tell that story to, who I share my defining moments with.
One of the places I get to do this is at Redeemer, my local church in Ealing.  Whilst it's still true that only my God knows the full story, I can say that I've found honest people with whom I get to reveal the cards held close to my chest, share my tears and disclose my scars. 
It's my prayer that you too will find a community in which you can tell your story: the mud, the chains and those capes. 
May God's grace be with you. 

Church with colour

Ealing is a magnet for the world, with over 170 nationalities represented within its borders.  From WWII Polish refugees to millennial Syrians.  Each community has made a home here and has added its culture, its recipes, its colour, its recipes, languages, its recipes, its traditions and its recipes to the existing smorgasbord that is London.

The family of Redeemer London reflects some of this smorgasbord - it's one of the things I love most about getting together on Sunday mornings. 

This Sunday (20 May) we'll be celebrating this multi-national nature of our church with many sporting their national dress.  You'll be most welcome to add to the colour.  Meanwhile, here's my personal manifesto for an international church.

"I believe in one international church. I believe in an inter-racial and unbiased church of many nations.  I believe in one church of many traditions.  I believe in one church not hemmed in by history or by man-made borders.  I believe in a God for whom his pallet of skin colours reflects his love of diversity.  I believe in God-given racial differences.  I believe in one creator God who made all mankind equal.  I believe in a church that reflects her maker's love of difference.

"I do not believe in uniformity.

"I believe in the common language of love for one another, for neighbours and for enemies that transcends local dialects.  I believe in one sundry collection of priests who are called to serve one God together, saved by one sacrifice once and for all time.  I believe in the promise of a resurrected church drawn from all generations to meet her bridegroom.  I believe in one eternal wedding feast which features everything from the finest vegetable samosas to the richest steam puddings.  I believe in one extravagant Father who has built one massive mansion with many rooms so all his people can come and dwell together.

"I believe in God's - Kingdom - come. "

Happy Birthday, Pete!

Last month we celebrated a significant birthday for Pete Cornford, the founding pastor of Redeemer London.  We had a party - obviously.  We told embarrassing stories - obviously.  And we thanked God for Pete - obviously.

This poem seeks to capture a little of Pete and we thought those of you who know him would appreciate it.  Those of you who don't know Pete, you're welcome to come along on a Sunday morning to Ealing Town Hall - if you can't see him (he's not that tall), just follow the laughter.

We meet to celebrate Jesus each week, not just on his birthday - obviously.  

IN HIS OWN WORDS

It won’t be a surprise, you know what I'm saying?
I - just - love –Ealing, whether working or playing.
I've been on my travels, I've been here, I've been there
I've followed my Jesus, ‘til He led me here.

And now I can't help it, I love every street
and as I turn 50, people ask, 'Pete,
why are you stirred to serve this old city
with Isaac and Josh, with Lois and Nicky?'

'Oh, golly', I say, 'Isn't it clear?
It's the call of Jesus each day that I hear.'
But, hand - on - my – heart, it's a challenge - isn't it?
How do I serve, when I'm five foot six?

Now I love a good quote. I know you don’t judge,
but some people say I love them too much.
I love a great movie, but sit at the rear
so people around me won't notice my tears.

I love a good read, I've got books wall to wall
and I love the Arsenal when they're on the ball.
I was in the Olympics, did I tell you that?
If you look real closely you might see my cap.

I love Redeemer, the believers who gather,
how they will turn up to worship no matter.
I love just how creative some of them are,
the wannabe poets, the guys on guitar.

Now I mustn't embarrass anyone here,
but I love my dear wife, just so that's clear.
I love my three kids in no special order;
as they keep on growing I’ll cheer ever louder.

And each day I go walking, I might even run,
cos by living with passion I might serve the Son.
I - just - love – Ealing.  Do I hear an Amen?
Let's stride out together!  Redeemer-London!

MANIFESTO FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH

Ealing is home to people from over 170 nations, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to see around 30 nationalities meeting God together, every Sunday morning at Ealing town hall.

I cannot but be impressed by the unifying effect of God's spirit.

I believe in one international church. 
I believe in an inter-racial and unbiased church of many nations. 
I believe in one church of many traditions. 
I believe in one church not hemmed in by history or by man-made borders. 
I believe in a God for whom his pallet of skin colours reflects his love of diversity. 
I believe in God-given racial differences. 
I believe in one creator God who made all mankind equal. 
I believe in a church that reflects her maker's love of difference. 
I do not believe in uniformity. 
I believe in the common language of love for one another, for neighbours and for enemies that transcends local dialects. 
I believe in one sundry collection of priests who are called to serve one God together, saved by one sacrifice once and for all time. 
I believe in the promise of a resurrected church drawn from all generations to meet her bridegroom. 
I believe in one eternal wedding feast which features everything from the finest vegetable samosas to the richest steam puddings. 
I believe in one extravagant Father who has built one massive mansion with many rooms so all his people can come and dwell together. 
I believe in God's Kingdom come. 

Why not join the throng.

MY MATERNITY LEAVE CHALLENGE...AND YOUR OPPORTUNITY

Since being on maternity leave I have loved hanging out with my two boys.

I feel incredibly blessed to be a mummy, and thank God every day for the two little dudes he blessed me with.

But after six months I was getting itchy feet to do something other than:

• changing nappies
• sterilising bottles
• washing clothes
• cleaning the house
• dressing boys
• (followed by undressing boys when one is sick all over himself and the other one hasn't made it to the bathroom in time)

As much as I love doing all of these things, I felt like I needed an extra challenge to add to my week!

Redeemer's just finished running its first term of meetups.

I had the pleasure of hosting a parent and toddler meetup at my home. I invited parents from Redeemer, as well as other local mums that I've met over the last few years.

Despite being a reception teacher at a local primary school, for some crazy reason I felt the need to turn my own home into a classroom for 9 weeks!

My flat was full of baby equipment and all sorts of toys. It felt like mayhem, but the kids had a blast.

It turns out toy trains, cars and the play kitchen were the most popular toys!

We sang songs together, and snack time was loved by all (adults and kids).

Mums enjoyed connecting with one another, sharing stories and advice about the latest milestone their children were going through.

It was a great experience I felt privileged to be a part of, and I met some cheeky adorable kids and some incredible new mum friends throughout.

I had 49 kids and parents through my door over the 9 weeks!

When our final session came to an end earlier this week, one thought came to mind:

Why should this end?

The answer is - it shouldn't!

I am heading back to work next month, and will be surrounded by many other kids that will keep me busy...but the opportunity is there for someone else to host next term!

As I summarised my ramblings of my last blog in 5 easy steps I thought I would do the same:

1. Take on new challenges
   The tots group is just my example of taking a risk in leading something new. You could lead a meetup in the future!
2. Use your skills to connect with others
   I've discovered I'm actually good at being with kids! It's probably because I am a big kid at heart (and so is my husband, he keeps me young). Think about what your skills are - how can this help you connect with people locally and build friendships?
3. Try not to focus on WOE IS ME
   Don't feel sorry for yourself if you feel that you don't have any friends and haven't been invited to things. That was their loss not having you there. Instead, make the first move and...
4. Invite people to an event
   It doesn't have to be in your own home. It doesn't have to be run by you. Everyone loves being invited to something. From experience, not everyone will turn up - so be brave, and invite twice the amount you were planning on.
5. Love being local! (That's my blog copyright if you'd not noticed)
   Enjoy your surroundings, the people around you and what Ealing has to offer.