On World Mission Sunday we were blessed to be joined by Revd Dr Jason Roach, Director of Ministries at London City Mission, as he preached on ‘The Nations on our Doorstep’ from Romans 10:14-15.
It was a wonderful encouragement to be reminded of God’s role and our role in evangelism, and how we can play our part in our everyday interactions with the people God has placed in our lives. Simple questions like ‘Do you have a faith?’ and ‘What are you doing this weekend?’ were suggested as easy and effective ways to introduce gospel conversations, and it was encouraging too hear Jason’s stories of both the open and closed (!) doors that these questions had led to for him!
Who could you pray for opportunities to ask one of those questions to this week?
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God’ — Romans 15:7
Wouldn’t you love it if every person who comes to Saint James left saying (positively!) “Wow! I’ve never experienced a welcome like that!”?
In case you’re reading this in a hurry (or the length of this feature already makes you want to skip past it!) Here’s the highlights of what I’d love us to consider: (1) pray before you come, (2) strive to arrive early, and (3) make sure no-one walks to coffee alone!
However, I would love to you read on!
It well worth reading again Paul’s words in Romans, ‘Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God’
The way that we welcome reflects what we believe Jesus has done for us. We want every person walking through the doors at Saint James to experience a Christ-centred welcome, one that is warm and intentional, but not intense!
And here’s the key: If you come on Sunday, you’re part of that welcome (lanyard or not)!
Membership is all about people going from simply attending to truly belonging—being connected, committed, and cared for. And the first step in that journey is our welcome. So, how can we play our part?
Imagine if we all prayed for our Sunday gatherings before we arrived—praying for newcomers, for the person preaching, and for ourselves, that God would use us to serve others.
It’s amazing how through prayer the Lord transforms our perspective of church. If we make any step, please pray before you come.
I know, I know, but hear me out! We always want to celebrate that someone gets to church at all, let alone gets to church on time. There will no doubt be times when getting out the house comes with all kinds of unforeseen problems.
However, the newcomer often arrives early because they assume every else will too! Recently, we’ve welcomed people on Sunday and there’s been no-one else there, even just minutes before the service begins! So of course, next Sunday, what do they do? They come later because they don’t want to arrive before everyone else.
We don’t serve, or love newcomers well (or the wider church family) if we set a pattern of turning up late. Arriving 5-10 mins before makes a huge difference!
It’s easy to forget, but imagine walking into coffee by yourself for the first time! It’s daunting. And so, if there’s an option of walking to the car or walking into coffee, we all know which option is going to appeal more!
But if we overcome that hurdle, coffee provides one of the best opportunities to connect with those who are new and invite them to all that’s happening in the life of the church. We really don’t want to miss out on that!
If you sit next to, or notice someone new (or new-ish), don’t assume someone else will speak to them. Take the initiative! Warmly introduce yourself and invite them to join you for coffee.
Let our collective motto be like Anfield, “You’ll never walk [to coffee] alone!” Having someone to walk with you into coffee makes all the difference (that’s constant feedback we get from newcomers!)
💬 Daunted about where start a conversation? Perhaps reflect on what’s below and make it your own!
Behind all this, there are teams working hard to connect and follow-up with newcomers and those on the edges—but a truly transformative welcome takes all of us. If we want to be a church where people don’t just attend but truly belong, then each of us has a part to play.
If you’re still reading this… I hope you treat yourself to an extra biscuit!
Which job should I take? Where should we live? Churches…schools…relationships. How will I know which is the ‘right’ one?
Guidance is always a hot topic for Christians. So, how can we discern God’s will for our lives? And how should we make decisions? We’ll look at what the Bible has to say about God’s will for our lives and how to make godly decisions in light of that. As always, there’ll be good food, with plenty of time for discussion and prayer.
The breakfast will be in the Saint James Centre.
£4/head
On 27th April 2026 we will be holding our APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting), and APM (Annual Parish Meeting). Everyone is welcome to attend. To find out what will be discussed the meeting documentation, please click the link below, or you can pick up a printed copy from the Church Centre.
Give thanks for the those standing for election/re-election; pray that they would be gospel minded as they serve:
Churchwardens: Francesca Hall-Drinkwater, John Young, Gary Palmer
Standing for re-election: Heather Ashby-Rose; Francesca Hall-Drinkwater; Mark Nicholas; Tim Ogunelye, Liz Lee
Standing for election: Benjamin Rajapandian
There are 3 other vacancies, please pray for churchwardens and staff involved in those conversations, and for those positions to be filled.
Our Explore term is off to a great start, and it’s not too late to join in! On Tuesday we will be looking at the question of “What happens when we die?” We would love for you to bring friends and family to Explore!
As you think and pray about those you would like to be intentional with, please keep the next big date of Tuesday 2nd June in mind to be bring them along, as this is the second natural point of entry this term.
Who are you praying for to bring along?
A wonderful opportunity as Saint James for the women to come together from across our three congregations to grow in maturity in Christ, as we are encouraged and equipped from God’s Word. With our speaker Jan Palmer, it promises to be a great time of fellowship over discussion, good food and prayer. Save the date!
3rd May: Family Picnic
Informal lunch after the 10:00 for families with kids 11 years old and under, to build community and enjoy fellowship.
6th May: Prayer Central
Everyone gathering before God together to pray for the Church, our community and our world.
9th May: Men’s Breakfast
A breakfast for the men in the church with a talk, discussions and great food
14th May: Friendship Lunch
A lunch for the retired members of our community. A chance to hear a Bible talk, have discussions, build friendships and enjoy good food.
15 – 17th May: Dangerous Camping
A weekend of camping for Dad’s and their kids (school years 3-6) with games, activities, meals and Bible times.
4rd June: Prayer Central
Everyone gathering before God together to pray for the Church, our community and our world.
6th June: Women’s Breakfast
A breakfast for the women in the church with a talk, discussions and great food.
11th June: Friendship Lunch
A lunch for the retired members of our community. A chance to hear a Bible talk, have discussions, build friendships and enjoy good food.
12th June: Ignite
A monthly club for children in school years 3-6 full of big games, messy craft and a short talk that looks at the person of Jesus.
26-28th June: The Saint James Weekend
1st July: Prayer Central
Everyone gathering before God together to pray for the Church, our community and our world
9th July: Friendship Lunch
A lunch for the retired members of our community. A chance to hear a Bible talk, have discussions, build friendships and enjoy good food
10th July: Ignite
A monthly club for children in school years 3-6 full of big games, messy craft and a short talk that looks at the person of Jesus.
12th July: Family Picnic
Informal lunch after the 10:00 for families with kids 11 and under to build community and enjoy fellowship
‘And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”’ — Romans 10:13-15
It was a real joy to mark World Mission Sunday last week — a chance to remember God’s heart for the nations and his call to make disciples of all peoples.
At Gerrards Cross, Jason Roach spoke on Romans 10:13-15, ‘The Nations on our Doorstep’. If you’d like to catch up or listen again, find the sermon link here.
It’s a privilege to support Global Mission with our mission partners. As Jason said on Sunday, “even if you’ve never met them, pray for them till they become like friends”. You can find all the information, plus prayer points by going to our Mission Partner webpage.
You might also like to read more about Global Mission. We were recommending ‘Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global’ by Andy Johnson. There are a few copies on the bookstall or buy the book online.
As we reflect on each of us being sent locally. You might want to read ‘Honest Evangelism’ by Rico Tice. This book, in a simple and profound way, unpacks how we can be those who have beautiful feet, sharing the good news of Jesus with those we meet.
30 minutes, each week, open to everyone at Saint James, to pray for our church and its impact on the wider world, to the glory of God. Monday at 9am. Join via the Zoom link here.
