Reaching out
Bethel Baptist Church - Macclesfield
Bethel Baptist Church - Macclesfield
Events
Up and coming
events
Sun 20 July:
Baptismal
service
Sun 24 August: "Hope for Macclesfield" prayer
event at Bethel
Sun 31 August: Afternoon barge trip
Fri 19 - Sun 21 September: Church Weekend Away at Regents
College, Nantwich
Past events
Hope in Macclesfield: June 2008
Bethel, along with the majority of the churches in the town, is supporting Hope 2008. Often the church is seen as having little role to play in modern western society, but we believe that God loves the world, and the Hope events are an opportunity for the church to demonstrate God's love in very practical ways. Whilst Hope events are taking place throughout the year, there was climax over the week leading up to, and the weekend of, 28/29 June. During the week, we took part in the renovation of the play area within Brynmore Park, just off Black Road: the equipment was repaired, and smartened up with paint and wood preservative. On the Saturday, there was a re-opening ceremony officiated by the Mayor.
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Also on the Saturday, there was a free car wash in the car park outside our church building. Then on the Saturday afternoon there were fun and games and a bike clinic on the recreation ground by Windmill Street.
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On the Sunday morning, most of the churches of the town joined for united worship in West Park. This was followed by rides, talent contests and musical events, all in the park.
Daytrip to Liverpool, April 2008
The church hired
a coach for the trip to Liverpool on Saturday 19 April. This
was the day on which Bethel Baptist Church officially became
a member of the North Western Baptist Association. The Association
held their AGM at the International Slavery Museum at Albert
Dock in Liverpool. A full coachload from Bethel went to Liverpool,
but everybody was given the choice of attending the formal meeting,
exploring the Slavery Museum, or simply enjoying the day out
in the city. The Association chose the venue on the basis that
2007 was the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade
in Britain, and last year the Baptist Union of Great Britain
formulated an apology to the African people for the immeasurable
damage inflicted upon them by our own nation.
The following day (Sunday 20 April), there was a "bring and share" lunch at Bethel after the morning service, with an afternoon of prayer and praise by way of celebration of our joining the Association.
New Year Fancy Dress Party, January 2008
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The theme was "A night at the movies". Everybody came well dressed, and much fun was had by all. |
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Christmas 2007
We took part in the Community Carol Service at Macclesfield Leisure Centre in early December. We held our own "Carols by Candlelight" service at Bethel on 23 December. A group of intrepid singers were singing carols in the town centre and in Sainsburys on several evenings during December, raising money for East Cheshire Hospice.
Remembrance Sunday, November 2007
The church was
reminded that at this time of year we remember not only those
who gave their lives for our freedom in the world wars, but also
those who have given their lives or are risking their lives in
recent and current conflicts. The children prepared a basket
of paper petals, which were thrown into the air as a poem was
read, leading up to the two minutes' silence. Val prepared another
giant mural depicting soldiers in the horror of the battle fields,
which was mounted behind the pulpit.
Vision Day, September 2007
The whole of Sunday 16 September was given over to our Vision Day, starting with family worship in the morning. We had a cooked fellowship lunch. The afternoon was taken up with presentations about the current state of the church in general and Bethel in particular, and group sessions where everybody had opportunity to present ideas for our future work together. It was an inspirational afternoon in which many people affirmed our need to become more relevant to the community, and proposed ways in which this might be done.
Big Deal more fun on the field, August 2007
The weather on Bank Holiday Monday was much kinder than it had been for the previous event in June. Many people came to enjoy a variety of games on the recreation ground, and several bikes were "tuned up" at the bike clinic.
Big Deal weekend: Fun on the field, June 2007
"Fun on the field" was quite brief, as the weather was against us. We held a "bike clinic" in the church sports hall, adjusting gears and brakes, until everybody trooped back from the field, then we cleared the bikes away to continue with "Fun in the hall". Nigel is famous for his bags of tricks, and he managed to get plenty of people skipping, juggling, and playing with his other toys.
Pastor's surprise party, May 2007
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2007 marks the 20th anniversary of our Pastor Chris Whiteley and his family joining Bethel Baptist Church. A surprise party with friends from far and wide was arranged in early May. Chris arrived at the building, apparently to investigate a tripped alarm. The bright Saturday evening started with a barbecue and buffet. There was a "This is your life" presentation, with photograph album and slide show depicting highlights of 20 years at Bethel. Finally, the children presented a number of gifts to Chris and his wife Christine. Left: the surprised pastor enters the curtain-drawn building Below: barbecue and buffet in the church garden |
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Church weekend away
at Quinta, April 2007
On a bright,
warm weekend in April, many from Bethel trooped down to Quinta
Hall near Oswestry for the church weekend away to consider various
aspects of "Life and Faith". It was self catering accommodation
in the grand old building, so plenty of time in the kitchen,
but plenty of free time also between the study sessions, and
the Saturday evening concert which gives people opportunity to
display their natural talents and is a well-remembered part of
the weekend. More...
Christmas 2006
Virtually all the churches in the town joined together to support the "Big Deal" Community Carol Service held at the Macclesfield Leisure Centre on a Thursday evening - around 700 were present for the event. Our own "Carols by Candlelight" service took place at Bethel on Christmas Eve with traditional carols and a nativity play presented by the Sunday School. We met for family worship on Christmas morning.
John Froud in concert, November 2006
John Froud and his daughter Cath are youth workers in Bradford, and are extremely talented musically, as is evident from the number of CDs that they have recorded. John sang and played accoustic guitar, and Cath either sang to the guitar or sang unaccompanied - clear and challenging words. Find more at Zephaniah Music. John's father and grandfather were former pastors at Bethel.
Baptismal
service, October 2006
It was a joy to see two people baptised, and they along with another six people coming into membership at Bethel Baptist Church one Sunday morning. The service was followed by a "Bring and share" lunch.
Harvest Thanksgiving, October 2006
Sunday 1 October was
Harvest Thanksgiving at Bethel. Jenny Graves brought some of
the Eden team and a number of young people from Harpurhey to
give the church an update on work in Eden Harpurhey - a social
action project in Manchester where Jenny (one of our church members)
plays a leading role. The theme for the service was "urban
harvest" which is evident in the transformation of young
people as seen by the Eden team.
Another of our members, Val, painted a grafitti-style mural behind the pulpit, depicting teenagers hanging around a city street. The slogan above the mural, "Make the Community Liveable again", illustrates one objective of the Eden team. Click for bigger pictures.
Big Deal weekend, July 2006
Virtually all of the churches in Macclesfield
united together under the banner of the Message Trust from Manchester
who initiated the Big Deal.
- On the Saturday, Bethel joined with another Baptist church, two Parish churches, and the United Reformed Church for a morning of social action (picking up litter around the streets), and organising community events for the rest of the day (games on the recreation ground, and a barbecue). Meanwhile, other groups of churches were organising similar events in their areas of town.
- On the Sunday, most churches cancelled their regular services to join in an open air service of united worship in West Park (one of the main parks in the town). This was followed by family fun day, and concerts. The Borough Council, the Police, the Fire Service, Macclesfield Town Football Club, and our MP Sir Nicholas Winterton all supported various events over the weekend.
Church weekend away,
Scarborough, April 2006
This year we travelled by coach to Scarborough, where our guest speaker William explored the gifting of the Holy Spirit, and encouraged us to assess the giftings within our church.
Hilda's 90th birthday,
March 2006
A number of surprises were in
store for our senior member at Bethel. A family services followed
by refreshments was announced for the final Sunday in March.
In fact, the refreshments were a buffet lunch for everybody,
organised by Hilda's daughter. Family members from far and wide
came to visit on that day.
Wedding of Darren and Michelle, 21 January 2006
The
happy couple were married at Bethel and spent their honeymoon
on a skiing holiday.
Christmas 2005
The
children put on a musical nativity entitled "It's a baby
boy!". We had the traditional "Carols by Candlelight"
the Sunday before Christmas. A hardy group of singers braved
the elements to sing carols in the town centre during late night
shopping in the run-up to Christmas.
The picture shows the large backdrop
to the pulpit created by creche, depicting child in a manger.
Baptismal service, December 2005
We were pleased to hold a joint service with Macclesfield Family Church on 4 December, at which Val from Bethel and Alice from the Family Church were baptised.
Living Flames Gospel Choir and Harvest Weekend, October 2005
Our friends from London made a return visit for the Harvest weekend, encouraging us with their exhuberant style of praise.
Pirates, October 2005
Ah-haarrrhh! This was the theme of the holiday club running at half term. Great fun was had by all, as children learned how to find real treasure without sailing the high seas.
Fun Day, August 2005
Fun and games in and around the church provided an ideal opportunity for some of the community to visit for the first time.
Barn Dance, June 2005
A repeat of last year's "Dancing in the Street" community event. "The Splendid Shilling" provided the music for the evening. There was a barbecue, and a giant bouncy slide for the child in all of us.
Weekend Away, April
2005
We enjoyed full-board catering at Beechwood Court Christian Endeavour Holiday Centre in Conwy for a weekend. We were studying how the church can be effective in the 21st century, and there was time for fun and games as well.
Easter 2005
Pastor Chris Whiteley led the
Good Friday service: identifying various kinds of crosses that
we encounter in life (first aid, plus, wrong, vote), and how
they can all be pictures that remind us of the much more significant
cross of Christ. The service was followed by a fellowship lunch,
and a family walk across "The Hollins". At the family
service on Easter Sunday the children had an Easter egg hunt,
and baby Joel was dedicated to the Lord. This was followed by
a buffet lunch, organised by Joel's family for the whole church.
Christmas 2004
The children's carol service took place on the morning of 12 December. There was a church Christmas party on the evening of Saturday 18 December. The usual "Carols by candlelight" service was on the evening of Sunday 19 December. On Christmas day we met with our friends at St Georges Street Baptist Church for a joint morning worship.
Harvest, October 2004
We celebrated Harvest over the first weekend in October. On the Saturday, a flower festival took place; and on the Sunday we held a Harvest Thanksgiving service together with the congregation of St Georges Street Baptist Church, followed by a "bring and share" lunch. Over the course of the weekend, a total of £874 was raised for our harvest charity: the East Cheshire Hospice.
Dancing in the Street,
September 2004
This family event for the community
took place on the first Saturday evening in September. The people
of Bethel and St Georges Street organised barn dancing and a
barbecue in the grounds of Bethel Baptist Church; together with
a bouncy castle, and the giant bouncy slide pictured here.
Praise in the Park,
July 2004
On Sunday 4th July, the people of Bethel joined forces with those of St Georges Street Baptist Church for "Praise in the Park", taking place in West Park in the town.
Barbecue, June 2004
At the end of June, Pastor Chris and his wife Christine invited the church to the manse for a barbecue. There was a two-fold purpose to this event: firstly, to say good bye to a missionary family from the United States who were returning to home territory; secondly to celebrate the early repayment of a £25,000 loan from the Old Baptist Union, which was made to support the building and refurbishment work that took place during 2002 and 2003.
Wedding, May 2004
On 1 May, Bethel Baptist Church was packed as friends and family came to witness the wedding of Matthew and Jessica: both are members of the worship group at Bethel. The weather was perfect. The reception was at a hotel in Bollington; and the happy couple spent their honeymoon in Cyprus.
Easter 2004
Following the Good Friday morning service, the people of Bethel joined other churches in Market Square for a brief open air service. The Easter Sunday family service included an Easter egg hunt, and looked at the many things which we associate with Easter but have little to do with the risen Christ. At Easter, we worship a risen Saviour.
Christmas 2003
We held a children's carol service one Sunday morning, and the following Sunday evening we had "Carols by candlelight". There was a regular family service on Christmas Day morning.
Living Flames Gospel Choir, November 2003
In November this Gospel Choir from London visited Bethel, putting on a concert on the Saturday evening, and taking part in the Sunday morning service.
Harvest thanksgiving,
October 2003
Our harvest thanksgiving services were held on 5 October. A harvest offering £366 for the East Cheshire Hospice, and during the morning service, Sheila Goodliffe, director of the Hospice, gave an introduction to the work of hospices in general and in Macclesfield in particular. The children brought baskets of fruit, which were given to the hospice in addition to the monetary offering.
In the evening, a harvest supper was held, with guest speaker Rob White, pastor of Poynton Baptist Church. He discussed the topic of "Health, wealth and happiness", pointing out that health and wealth do not automatically lead to happiness, and that we all have a spiritual need which is more important to our happiness.
Fun on the Field, September
2003
Bethel supported the "Beyong the ring" initiative of the Diocese of Chester. On 24 September a variety of events took place around Macclesfield, culminating in "Fun on the Field", close to Bethel.
Away Day at Regents
College, Nantwich, August 2003
A day conference to examine how to be a "contagious church", all in a beautiful setting.
Bring-and-buy, and
Garden Party, August 2003
Sadly, it was one of the very few wet days in August, but there were plenty of bargains and good food to be had at this fund raising event.
Sports day, July 2003
Young people from several other Old Baptist Union churches joined us at Bethel for an afternoon of a variety of sports tournaments. Our own After Eight club and Kool Kidz managed to win a couple of the trophies, and a good time was had by all.
Ebenezer Brass Band, June 2003
Newton Heath Baptist Church have a large and impressive brass band called "Ebenezer Brass Band", and they came to give a concert at Bethel on the evening of 7 June. Many from outside the church came to hear the band, and they played a full and varied programme of Christian and popular music.
Fun Day, April 2003
The weather was great, and lots of people came along and had a good time on this open day at Bethel. There was bouncy castle and ball pool, table tennis and pool tournaments, "swat the rat", face painting, music, crafts and puzzles. We thank the Lord for a successful event.
Fancy dress party, New Year 2003
People's
imaginations ran wild as they prepared for this fancy dress party.
Anthony and Cleopatra won the prize for the best costumes at
this event.
Christmas
2002
The Kool Kidz carol service took place on the morning on 15 December. All the teachers and kidz took part in a look at the letter N, which stands for News, Nativity, and Now.
The main carol service took place on the evening of 22 December, and was by candlelight. An unofficial drama group started the service with a striking illustration of "Jesus the light of the world".
On Christmas Eve there was a joint watchnight service with St Georges Street Baptist Church. There was family worship at Bethel on Christmas morning.
Harvest
Thanksgiving, September 2002
Sunday 29 September was devoted to Harvest Thanksgiving. A token harvest display showed us all the kinds of things that this world produces: everything from fruit and vegetables to salt and coal. Many people contributed to the morning service to help us appreciate all that God has provided for us. A harvest offering was taken up for the work of the East Cheshire Hospice.
Morning service was followed by a "bring and share" lunch in the church lounge. The buffet style lunch offered an extra opportunity for fellowship together.
Baptismal
service, December 2002
It was a joy to see three people baptised and welcomed into membership at Bethel on 1st December. It was a pleasure to have many visitors with us for that special service. It was a very touching, emotional service tainted with sadness as, two days beforehand, the wife of one of the candidates died and went to be with the Lord. Baptised herself many years previously, she had been so looking forward to seeing her husband go through the water; and he boldly determined to continue with the arrangement. Glory be to our God!
To Quinta and beyond!
The Bethel weekend away took place at Quinta Hall near Oswestry from 30th August to 1st September 2002.
The purpose of the weekend was to consider the vision for Bethel Baptist Church: how we can be an effective part of the community and bring the influence of Christ's kingdom into it.
Expedition to Mount
Snowdon, March 2002
A group of 12 people from the church made this journey on an excellent Saturday in March.
The BAFTAs, Christmas
2001
This was the title of our Christmas party, a crazy awards ceremony, at which good fun was had by all.