What does Bethel Church Family Service actually look like in Ripon in 2024?

Evangelical? Reformed? Praising? Praying? Worship? What am I actually walking into. Well we hope it’s not as scary as that all sounds, we are simply coming to learn more about God and worship Him for who He is, and that’s all of us, the whole family!

Yes. Everyone is invited to this service, as we have a private baby room for mother’s, three Sunday School classes which run after our “family slot” during the service for toddlers to children in year 9 and we all join together afterwards for a chat and a catch up over a cup of coffee or tea…sometimes even a meal together. If you have kids discover more here…Sunday School

Drift down slightly earlier for a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate on arrival, but the service actually begins at 10:45am and will finish before mid-day so whether you are local to Ripon or visiting the beautiful Yorkshire area please do come visit us.

Our hope is that the service is open to anyone and everyone as we come together to glorify God through:

  • The worship of Him

  • The edifying of His family (those that have believed & trusted in Jesus Christ for their salvation)

  • By boldly proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord…

How do we glorify god in our service?

We sing

We sing songs, some new, some old but hopefully all that reflect the truth of what the bible says and exalt who God is and all He has done for us. Through our singing, we express our adoration, gratitude, and surrender to Him. Our singing is not about personal preferences or entertainment but about directing our hearts and minds toward God's glory.

It is a response to His saving grace through Jesus Christ and a way to edify and encourage one another.

We Pray

We don’t follow a book but rather we seek to pray from the heart as we approach God with reverence, humility, and gratitude, seeking His will, confessing our sins and bringing our requests before Him.

Through prayer, we affirm His attributes, proclaim His promises, and submit to His authority. It is an act of surrender, trust, and praise, acknowledging that God alone is the source of our strength and guidance.

We read the Bible

The Bible is God's authoritative and inspired Word, and through its reading, we discover God's truth, wisdom, and salvation plan for you and for me.

As we read the bible, we are reminded of God's faithfulness, of His promises, and the good news of Jesus Christ.

We include the family

In our “family slot” we have a few moments where we are able take a truth from God’s word and present it in a fashion that is understandable to everyone, no matter how much or how little you know about the Bible and Jesus.

We teach

Yes we have a sermon/talk/lecture, simply an opportunity for some teaching. Where, remaing true to what the bible says and understandable by both believers and visitors, we can grow in the knowledge and understanding of God's Word, deepening our relationship with Him and encouraging our spiritual growth.

But teaching shouldn’t be just about knowledge, it should help us grasp the truths of Scripture, the truth of who Jesus was and what He did for you and for me, and apply these truths to our lives so that we may be better equipped to live our lives, becoming a better reflection of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We share in communion

We also on occasions take communion together. This is an opportunity where together as a church family we remember Jesus sacrifice for us, we remember the cost of our salvation which was paid for us at Calvary and we remember that He will return.

Communion signifies our unity as the body of Christ and should not be entered into lightly by believers. It serves as a tangible proclamation of the good news of Jesus, proclaiming Christ's atoning sacrifice and our ongoing dependence on Him. Through this act of remembrance, we express our gratitude, celebrate His triumph, proclaim our unity within the body of Christ & declare the Lord’s death until He comes again.

We fellowship together

Before and after the service, we fellowship together, we socialise. Over cups of coffee, hot chocolate or even a meal on the last Sunday of the month, we have an opportunity to come together in unity, love, and encouragement.

Sometimes it’s discussing the football results but often it’s an opportunity to discuss what was said in the service, to build meaningful relationships, to bear one another's burdens, and to share in each other's joys and sorrows as we seek to encourage and spur one another on in our faith, as we seek to follow Jesus.

What a privilege it is to come together as a church family, before our awesome God and glorify Him in all we do. We hope you will join us!