Regular Sunday Gatherings
(3.30-5pm, Pathfinder School Hall during Term)

Most Sundays, we gather around tables in the school hall. We are deliberately intergenerational - we find that our worship and discovery is enriched through adults and children praying, exploring, and sharing together. 

As people arrive at 3.30pm, they help themselves to refreshments (available throughout), find a table, perhaps start a colouring... and join in with a conversation or activity on the theme of the day. Each table has a box of resources - feel free to use the playdoh, journal papers, post-it notes, whiteboards and bibles throughout. We often share family news during this slot.

At 3.40pm, we greet each other (often using sign-supported English), light candles, and refocus ourselves on God-amongst us.

Our Exploration may include dramatic readings  from the Bible (we love to use THE VOICE bible translation alongside the NRSV, reminding us that whenever we read the Bible we read it in translation.) There may also be contemporary input (perhaps through music, poetry, or video). These usually lead to free-flow exploration of various interactive stations. Families often visit these stations together, or children and adults from different households might find themselves working together. Some people may choose to sit in quiet reflections. Others may read some of the books, commentaries, and articles that we share. We make a point of sharing resources from a wide range of Christian traditions - we won't all agree with all that we read!

How we share Holy Communion within Sunday Gatherings

We celebrate communion at least once a month all together (intergenerationally) in a main Sunday Gathering. When we celebrate communion, it shapes our entire Sunday Gathering, with the Great Thanksgiving and Sharing of Bread and Wine happening within the "offering and responding" part of the service. We also offer additional midweek communions periodically, as well as a quiet reflective communion in the side-chapel during Afternoon Teas. Occasionally, we may also celebrate communion at Wild Church or around special Meals perhaps hosting by the Compline community (advertising this explicitly).

We come from many different Christians traditions - and many of us our completely new to faith! So sharing in communion is both beautiful... and a little messy as we seek to honour each other well! Our ministers are Anglican priests, so communion services follow the patterns and practices of the Church of England. However, we ask that all those taking part do so in line with their own position and heritage. For those new to all this, we encourage you to talk this over with us, and we love to offer blessings to everyone!

We always offer gluten-free bread, and non-alcoholic wine/grape juice. Because of our ecumenical partnerships, for those from traditions who would receive from individual cups, this is available. We are now also reinstating the Common Cup for those from traditions where this is important, but if you do not want to drink from it for health reasons then feel free to receive in one kind:  we remember that The Church has always taught that the fullness of God's Grace is still received even if only the bread is eaten. 

The standard practice of the Church of England is that the bread and wine are shared between those who have been baptised and confirmed (made an adult profession of faith) - or those who are already in the habit of receiving communion. Within Anglican tradition, Children who have been baptised can be prepared for their first communion, and adults who would live to affirm their faith are encouraged to seek confirmation or appropriate full membership of their denomination.  But we also recognise that some families who join us will come from traditions where children receive communing from a young age, or not until after Confirmation - either such position will of course be honoured. We encourage families to talk about the communion practices that are important to them, and are happy to be part of those conversations. 

Afternoon Tea
(half termly, in place of a regular Gathering - see Dates
3.30-5pm in the School Hall)

Every half term, Pathfinder Church Northstowe host at afternoon tea that not only brings together those from across the Northstowe Church Network (those involved in Little Explorers, Compline, etc) but also our friends, neighbours, and those involved in other community groups. It is a joy to see those of  all religious and non religious backgrounds simply spending time together. Often, we'll serve a seasonal treat - pancakes, hot cross buns - or scones and cakes.

For many, this is simply a time to "hang out" and be. The tables have board games and colouring. The baby and toddler area is set up. And news is shared on the rolling screen.

Around the room, there will also be various activity and reflection stations. Some of these might be Prayer Stations or Exploration Stations from the recent Sunday Gathering series, or linked to an upcoming festival. Others will simply be for fun.

We always set up a "side chapel" as a quiet place where anyone can pause and reflect. And we oftne  offer a simple poetic spoken communion service as an option, while other activities continue.

One of the main features of the Afternoon Teas, however, are the workshops.  At our last Afternoon Tea, Northstowe Arts ran a Lantern Making workshop, ready to Light Up Longest Night.

Festivals - with the whole Northstowe Church Network

We love to draw on the richness of tradition as well as the emerging patterns of our new town as we celebrate the big Christian festivals together.

Our special Advent and Christmas events included Beer and Carols, Campfire compline on Longest Night, a Scratch Nativity, Midnight Campfire Communion, and a Christmas morning Breakfast.

Back in the Spring, Holy Week and Easter together. Every evening, we paused to pray Compline (some of us in person, others joining in from home), and to read the story day-by-day. On Maundy Thursday, we shared a special communion meal, eating Jacket Potatoes as we discussed the biblical stories and traditions. On Good Friday, we hosted a hot cross bun afternoon tea, and journeyed, as if with Joseph of Arimathea, to bury the cross at the heart of the Glade. Easter Sunday dawned as we proclaimed "Alleluia, Christ is Risen" as we lit the Pascal Candle by Bug Hunters Waters, before sharing bacon. And then our musicians led us in singing "Thine Be The Glory" as part of our intergenerational Easter Communion.