🌀 A New Rhythm for the Second Half of Term

We’re gently weaving together the strands of our Thursday night Compline gatherings and the former Wednesday discussion group into a weekly rhythm — alternating between Northstowe and Over.

You're warmly invited to join us, whether weekly or fortnightly, as part of a space shaped by silence, scripture, conversation, and shared prayer.

The Rest is Worship – alternate weeks

Several of us read (or dipped into) The Rest is Worship during Lent. On these more discussion-rich weeks, we’ll revisit selected sessions — with the leader choosing and sharing which section to focus on in advance. Using the silence-and-sandtimer model developed by the Wednesday group, we’ll read aloud, reflect, and create space to listen to one another and to God.

• Please arrive from 8pm 
• These evenings are more spacious  and aim to finish around 9.15 pm

Let us know if you want to borrow a copy - but we'll read aloud so no prep needed!
The Rest Is Worship - engageworship
 

Poetry and Silence – contemplative prayer weeks

We’ll build on our practice of praying Compline with silence — but expand to include a wider range of contemplative approaches. Some weeks might use a guided meditation or poetic liturgy; others may return to the comforting rhythm of Night Prayer.

• Please arrive from 8pm (not before)
• Prayer start at 8.15pm,
• Concludes by 9pm, at which point we leave in silence - giving the option for the last words of the day being addressed to God.

Download the Church of England's Time to Pray app to get the words to Night Prayer back-lit on your phone, or visit the website: Join us in a service of Daily Prayer | The Church of England
 

Communion Meal – half-termly

We’ll continue sharing food, conversation, and sacrament — ecumenically, creatively, and rooted in the richness of the traditions that make up the Northstowe Church Network. These have worked beautifully in a range of venues, so let us know if you'd like to host.

 

Provisional dates - check with the WhatsApp group or email contact@northstowe.church

🌱 A Network of Communities

The Northstowe Church Network has always been envisioned as a network of small, friendly, worshipping and missional communities — not a single large congregation where everyone goes to everything. We don’t expect people to be part of every gathering (unless they want to!). Each community expresses something of God’s life in a different key.

This next step for the Compline Community is part of that vision maturing. We hope it offers space for those who have been bridging Sunday afternoons with Pathfinder and midweek contemplative spaces to let go of the pressure to be everywhere — and instead to find deeper rootedness in this emerging expression of church on Thursday nights.

Making that shift now, while Pathfinder is still settling into its new Sunday morning rhythm, feels wise. At the same time, we’re not closing any doors — if being part of both spaces nourishes your faith in this season, you are very welcome to continue doing so! Pathfinder does need some familiar people to help anchor it as new participants find their way in — and we trust that, across the Network, the right people will be in the right places.
 

💬 A Note About the Name

We know Compline Community hasn’t felt quite right — it only captures one strand of what we’re doing. So, for now, we’re holding that name lightly. One suggestion that has come up is The Listening Space, which speaks to the attentiveness and openness we hope to nurture. But it may not be the name that carries us forward.

Is now the time to brainstorm something new? Something that can embrace our identity and our intentions? We’d love to hear your ideas.

📍 Where We Meet

This term, we’re loosely alternating between our homes in Northstowe and Over — but we’re absolutely open to other suggestions! It’s been lovely gathering in homes and informal spaces… and we look forward to inhabiting the Chapel by the Lake in due course.