Stoneygate
Baptist Church

Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure

This weekend we have been celebrating the 125th anniversary of the signing of the original church constitution. We've eaten a lot of cake and shared a lot of memories and it's been good to remember what a special community this is. Matthew 13:31-32 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tre

This was our harvest service. We took up offerings for the Farming Community Network and Leicester South Foodbank, and brought beautiful things from nature to add to our harvest display. Each offering was accompanied by a reading and short reflection, and a time of prayer. Matthew 13:1-9 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he to

Baptist ministers are able to take a three month sabbatical every seven years. This is intended as an extended period of rest and reflection, to allow ministers to be refreshed and reinspired. Our minister just took her first sabbatical, and here she shares a little about it. The rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel describes the sabbath as a cathedral in time, a sanctuary carved out within our days for resting in the divine, and that pretty well sums up my experience of sabbatical.

Our minister will be on sabbatical from 22 June to 20 September. Here she explains what that means for her and for the church. From next Monday, I will be on sabbatical for three months. "What is a sabbatical?" you might ask. Well, it is the usual practice in Baptist churches that every seven years, ministers are eligible to take three months away from their usual ministry. It is in part an opportunity for an extended time of rest, because while ministry is a joy and a privil

Luke 4:16-21 [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed

Back in 2020, we took the decision as a congregation to register with Inclusive Church and write our own statement of inclusion. In doing so, we sought to make clear our commitment to welcoming those who have been marginalised by the church, including those in same sex relationships. Two years later, after a period of prayerful discernment, we voted to take the additional step of registering the building for same sex marriage. This is now our settled position, but we recognis

Philippians 2:1-11 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the other

Isaiah 58:6-12 Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go bef

This morning we celebrated Pentecost...cafe church style. We started by rolling back to where we left off on Easter Sunday, hearing about Jesus' post-resurrection appearances and the ascension from the Book of Belonging. The story talked about heaven cracking open and God's dream coming true, so we prayed some of our dreams for the world. We then heard the story of Pentecost, when God's spirit came to be with the disciples to help them to live in the world and serve others an

Acts 2:42-47 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. We are now onto week four of our series looking at holy habits or spir

John 4:1-26 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was abo

I said on Sunday that I said I would share some of my favourite resources on the blog this week, then sat down to do it and realised what a huge task I had set myself. So rather than trying to come up with a definitive list, here are some things I have been blessed by recently. I hope they bless you too. Read The Book of Belonging by Mariko Clark | Those of you who worshipped with us over Easter will know how much I love this children's Bible. The stories are woven through wi

Luke 2:41-52 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they wen