St George's - Community Church

St George's Community Church’s vision is to engage with the local community of Little Woodhouse and point people to the kingdom of God, helping people to become followers of Jesus Christ.

To engage in worship that is geographically, socially and spiritually accessible to people of the local area.
To provide ways in which the church can serve the parish.
To promote events and processes where people can hear the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that allows them to understand and respond to it.
To provide small group opportunities where people can discover the basics of the Christian faith.
To provide small group opportunities where people can grow in their openness to God, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and each other, and thereby grow in Faith and Service.

The Community Church is a small, loving and laughing congregation that is determined to play its part in sharing God’s story with local people.

Our history
In the 1960s and ‘70s a number of major developments took place that affected the life of our church. A major slum clearance programme was undertaken in the parish and three new City Council housing estates were built. At the same time, the inner ring road was built which separated the church from its residential parish. As a result of this, the new residents perceived St George’s as being a city centre church, and not really a local parish church. The church decided on a major initiative to reach the people of its parish.

A staff member was appointed to oversee parish mission and after a major parish survey was carried out in 1988, the Parish Mission Group was formed in 1990. It began to meet fortnightly, and then weekly, in a local day centre in the heart of the parish to engage in worship and outreach. In 1994 the church plant was renamed St George’s Community Church and the following year started meeting on all but the first Sunday in the month.

1999 saw the long-awaited development of worship on every Sunday in the parish and the approval for St George’s to become a Team Ministry. This gave District Church status to the Community Church and enabled the post of Team Vicar with responsibility for parish ministry to be created. The church has seen slow but steady growth over the years and stands firmly in the ‘belonging comes before believing’ style of evangelism. Consequently there is quite a large fringe and events are held where people can mix with members of the church and hear more of the good news. There is a high degree of lay involvement in preaching and the leading of worship.

The parish is a diverse inner city community of approximately 3000 people with council and private houses, and local and city businesses. Ethnic minority groups include Asians, Afro-Caribbeans and Irish. Unemployment levels are high. There is an increasing student population in the parish.

The church has in the past been active in the community, working closely with all the local tenants’ groups and associations. The church has run holiday clubs for children, annual community festivals, a football team for local young people and has done a lot of work with the local school in strengthening its involvement with the community.

Place of worship
The church meets at Park Dale Hall, opposite Park Lane College. This building is rented from Leeds City Council

Planning projects
Since the conception of the church, there has been a desire to find the appropriate building to engage with the community and offer public Christian worship. This has been a long journey in finding the ‘right’ building over the years.

At present the Church has received planning permission for a purpose built worship community centre. Other factors need to be in place before this dream is realised.

Staff
At present the Church works with a Pastoral Assistant and local members of Community Church and St George’s Church.

Administration
Community Church has its own District Church Council, with members fulfilling roles such as deputy churchwardens, secretary and treasurer.

Services
Community Church meets at 10.30 a.m. every Sunday. Leadership and preaching is shared. The average attendance is 20-30 people from a core group of 35.

Baptism takes place only very occasionally. The few weddings and funerals that take place are held at St George's.

Social activities
Each year Community Church has a weekend away, a time to get to know each other better, combined with a time of worship and ministry.

Our community links

The prayer house at 40 Marlborough Grange holds a time of prayer at 7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, which lasts for 20–30 minutes. Prayer is for members of the Church and the Community, and for events that are coming up. People are invited to add prayer requests to the board in Church on Sunday morning, or to telephone the prayer house. Everyone is welcome to join in the prayer house sessions.

Community Church supports the Park Lane College Christian Union which meets in the college. Annual Christmas and Easter events are planned with an evangelistic flavour.

Community Church has strong links with local churches through the Burley and Hyde Park Network. It also has close links with local community groups such as the Little Woodhouse Community Association and the Marlborough Residents’ Association.