Christ Church on the Stray
Anglican Church
Christ Church is home to a thriving Christian community of 300+ people of all ages.
Worship is at the heart of everything we do. We are in the mainstream Anglican (Church of England) tradition, but work hard to welcome people of all backgrounds and traditions across the threshold. Although our worship is shaped by formal structures, it is designed to be inclusive and open. We use a wide range of musical resources, from a youth music group to a robed choir, and put a very high value on good preaching and teaching.
We are very privileged to have a remarkable Junior Church of 120 children and young people. They particpate in parts of the 10 am celebration and also meet for worship, fellowship and learning separately. We also exercise an active ministry in two secondary schools, four primary schools and the local college.
A small, but for us very significant ministry is our daily prayer. Every morning at 7.30 am and every evening at 5.30 pm a small group meets to offer prayer and praise, framing each day in worship. Often we will be joined by someone wandering in off the street seeking sanctuary and counsel, and it is important for us that we keep the church building open 7.30 am - 6 pm each weekday.
Our buildings are used seven days a week, with a range of spaces and high quality facilities. The Church and Centre are a key springboard for our mission in the wider community, with traditional patterns such as play groups and lunch clubs alongside work with Alzheimers sufferers and Alcoholics Annonymous, as well as supporting students unable to access mainstream education and even a local special needs drumming group.
Our website is an imoprtant resource to our own worshipping community, but is also being used increasingly by others and is a growing piece of ministry. Through the web we make available worship booklets, prayer resources, and patterns for reading the Bible in daily prayer, as well as audio of recent sermons. We currently have users on line from four continents.
We are aware that we have been very blessed as individuals and as a community, and are committed to expressing our thanks for this in active ways. So as well as supporting out own clergy, lay staff, volunteers and plant financially, we make a significant contribution to supporting the ministry of less well resourced churches both in the city of Leeds and the rural areas of North Yorkshire. We have a particular link with the Junior Church in a vast overspill estate in north Leeds, and support two link missionaries in Tanzania.
We know that a successful church is not necessarily one that is full every Sunday, but one that in its closeness to Christ knows about vulnerability and need. In a variety of stumbling ways, we seek to express this in our life together, and treasure theses words of Fr John Medcalf:
I dream of a church where love and people
are more important than stone and steeple.
I dream of a church with an open door,
where no one is privileged except the poor.
I dream of a church where milk and honey
will flow more freely than power and money.
I dream of a church where young and old
will be inspired to change their world.
Service Times
Morning Prayer
In church at 8.30am, with doors open approx. 8.20am, on Wednesday - Thursday - Friday
SEATING in the Lady Chapel for up to 4 people.
Use of hand-sanitiser required. Face-masks welcome.
Evening Prayer
There will be ZOOM-ed and in church provision of
Evening Prayer this week at 5.30pm (doors open approx. 5.20) on Tuesday - Wednesday - Saturday
ZOOM ACCESS DETAILS on the website or msevans126@gmail.com
SEATING in the South Transept for up to 7 people.
Use of hand-sanitiser required. Face-masks welcome.
Wednesday 10am Holy Communion
Initially this service is without singing, and without teas and coffees. The use of hand-sanitiser is required. Face-masks are welcome, especially when receiving Holy Communion.
Maintaining Social Distance is encouraged, for which the chairs will be well spaced within the Hall. Communion will be received in one kind (bread) only, as on Sunday services.
Location
The Parish Centre
The Stray
Harrogate
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
HG1 4SW
Staff
The Revd Matthew Scott Evans
Vicar
Jill Walters
Parish Clerk
Contacts
Tel: 01423883390
Web: https://christchurchharrogate.org.uk/
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