I'm new

A typical Sunday gathering will last between about 80 minutes and is led from the front by our friendly host who will let you know this week's programme, and explain everything you need to know as we go along. There will be congregational songs - a mix of contemporary and more traditional words led by skilled musicians from our team. There is a supervised creche and programme for children aged up to about 10 available if you like. There's an opportunity to ask questions - anonymously if you wish - and to get a response. You don't need to join in with anything you're not comfortable with. After the gathering there's free coffee and home baking and a chance to chat informally with others if you would like - many people stay for quite a while.

Our Sunday AM gathering starts at 10.30am. Come along a few minutes earlier to get settled before it starts, even perhaps to grab a coffee and chat with someone. But don’t worry if you’re late! Our door is always open, and we’ll help you find a seat.

It's free-seating so sit anywhere! If you’re unsure, one of our Welcomers will help you find a space. 

It's such a big step to walk into a new place. We make a big effort to welcome everyone so expect a "hello" from our team as you arrive. If you stay for coffee and cake after the gathering, any of our regulars will be happy to chat. You are welcome to speak to those who have been leading, too.

We have many young families in our congregation so the happy sounds of children are always part of our gatherings. Our creche room is open from the start of church and you are welcome to use that. There is also a room set aside for parents with infants to watch via video relay if that's helpful to you, and a quieter space with a relay if the main room gets too much. Most Sundays, we have a creche and a programme for kids up to about age 10 which begins after our songs.

Definitely! Towards the end of every gathering, 2 members of our Prayer Team will be sitting at the back of the church, ready to pray with you. They are wearing a lanyard with the tag "Prayer Team". You can share as much or as little as you like (it’s all confidential), and they will pray for you.

There is no dress code required so please wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. We gather people from many different cultures and you'll see people choosing to dress differently to one another. You don't need to worry about standing out and absolutely everyone is welcome.

You're welcome to join in as much or as little as you like and we'll try to make sure you don't feel uncomfortable either way. Most weeks we will sing songs, pray together, hear teaching from the Bible, discuss what we've heard with one another, and ask and answer questions. Sometimes there'll be other things too such as sharing bread and wine to remember Jesus' death and resurrection. You always have the option to just watch and listen to what's going on rather than joining in.

You don't have to have it all sorted to come and be a part of church - we often don't feel like we have it all sorted either! We love to welcome people exploring faith and want to help you on your journey. Have questions? Each Sunday gathering has a specific opportunity to ask them - anonymously if you like - and to get a response. We also have a range of free books in the entry hall that might be useful - please help yourself. If you'd like to talk to someone one-to-one just drop us a note through the contact form and we'll get that set up.

That's exciting! Please download our app where you will find absolutely everything Hope City and subscribe to Friday Chimes too, our weekly church e-news - that'll keep you "in the loop" with what's going on.
To begin to get involved here at Hope City, sign up for FirstStep. It's an information meeting led by one of the Church Leaders exploring our mission and vision as a church. You'll have an opportunity to ask any questions you have about the church and we'll talk about how you can become part of things.