In the wrong place!!

John 15: 1-17

The wall at the bottom of our garden is covered in very thick Ivy. So thick in fact that it extends at least three or four feet from the wall on which it grows and hangs over the garden like a blanket of heavy cloud. Despite loving it for the backdrop of greenery it provides amidst the concrete and brick of a built-up area we have just had it all cut back. It’s not the first time we’ve had to do that, and it is obviously in a place where it thrives.

Contrast that however with another “occupant” of our garden which was my gift to my wife on a recent birthday (not allowed to say which one!). She decided she wanted a Cornus controversa 'Variegata' or Wedding Cake Layer Tree. We spent some considerable time researching where to buy the tree from and it arrived with a root mass that was three feet in diameter and it stood about twelve feet tall and was already growing nicely.

My wife decided that she wanted it in the middle of the garden so that the “layers” would provide a degree of shade. The gardeners dug out the hole and planted it exactly where she wanted it and for the first year, everything was fine. Year two, however, saw some decline in the tree and by year three it is as good as dead! The nursery failed to tell us that this variety of trees will not cope with salt and wind. Where do you live? They asked. “Blackpool” I replied. It quickly became clear that my wife’s birthday present was planted in the wrong place and would never become what we hoped for.

There are millions of people who are also in the wrong place, and I was once one of them. They live their lives in search of satisfaction and pleasure in things that cannot meet those needs and their lives are often hollow and unfulfilled.

The right place to be is made clear by Jesus. “Remain in me,” he said. In John 15 we are told that Jesus is the real vine that we need to be attached to and that God is the gardener who prunes us in a way that ensures we produce much fruit in our lives. A good gardener knows exactly when to prune the roses or fruit trees to bring more flowers and juicy apples. God lovingly does the same with us if we are prepared to submit to his handiwork.

Jesus says, “if you remain in me……then you will ask for anything you wish and you will have it……the Father will give you whatever you ask of Him in my name”.

Is there somewhere else you would rather be?

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for loving us enough to offer us eternal life. Please prune us so that we can have an abundant life and cut out anything in our lives that may prevent us from growing more and more like you.

Weekly Devotional - Week 39

Neil Bromage, 11/09/2023

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and when

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our worship leader. We typically have two songs followed by a children's slot. The children and youth will then normally go off to their respective groups. If you have children you will be able to spot and speak to one of the leaders - they will be wearing a bright yellow t-shirt! There will usually be a time of prayer and communion. We normally have another time of sung worship followed by a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

When our team is available we serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 12pm, after the service. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

sunday services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids/teens:

Creche - from approx. 6 months to 5 years (decided on a child by child basis)
Limitless Kids (4/5 - 11/12 years)
Limitless Youth (school years 7-11)

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for two worship songs and the “Kids slot” and then go to creche or Limitless Kids. Limitless Youth may go out at the same time as the children but sometimes stay in the service to take communion before going to their class. Children can be picked up by parents after the service ends (but not before 12pm).

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a couple of groups that meet every week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to Join a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries and regularly support various missionaries who are part of the Elim Missions work:

Toddlers & Co weekly group
Foodbag provision
Open Doors Team
Church in the Cafe
Youth Community Outreach

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at the church.

Best Wishes
The Gatehouse Church Team

About us

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you. (*Mandatory Fields)

*Name:

Telephone:

*Email Address:
*Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.