Welcome to the website of the United Church, Crowborough (Methodist and URC).
The church is on Croft Road, at the corner with Myrtle Road - see sidebar for a map, and click on the icon there to enlarge.
This website is currently under development, so some information may not yet be available.
Admin June 11th, 2009
A six-part series at the United Church, commencing Sunday 14 June and concluding on Sunday 26 July.
For further information, including downloadable info leaflet, click below…
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Admin June 3rd, 2009
This Saturday, 7.30pm at the United Church: a concert given by the East Grinstead Chamber Orchestra, celebrating the life and work of Joseph Haydn who died 200 years ago this year.
Programme includes his Sinfonia Concertante and Symphonies no. 6, 7, 8 “Die Tageszeiten”.
Tickets £6 (concessions £5) available in advance from Broadway Books in Crowborough, or at the door.
Admin June 3rd, 2009
This Saturday, 10am-2pm at the United Church: annual Summer Fair with stalls including Books, Cards, Plants, Traidcraft, Homemade Cakes and more. Sideshows including Tombola, Bouncy Castle and Games. Light lunches available. A fun day for all!
Admin May 28th, 2009
On Saturday 6 June our annual Summer Fair takes place, and we look forward to a busy and enjoyable time for stallholders and visitors alike! Then at 7.30pm that day we host a concert by the East Grinstead Chamber Orchestra – the first time they will have performed at the United Church.
On Sunday 14 June we begin an exciting series exploring some of the key themes of the Old Testament and how they can relate to our life and worship today. The idea for this series (which runs until 17 July) emerged from discussions and requests at our church members’ meetings, and is in line with our commitment to deepen our engagement with the Bible during this first year of Vision4LifeIn addition to six Sunday morning services there will be two midweek workshop events, and the themes will be tied into another run of Film4Thought movie screenings.
Our annual Missions Weekend takes place on 27 & 28 June, and our visiting preacher on the Sunday morning will be Revd Marie-Anne Kent the previous minister at this church. Marie-Anne has much to tell us about her recent visit to link projects in Uganda; there’ll be an opportunity for us to support their work.
Also on the evening of Sunday 28 June, our friends at Wadhurst Methodist Church are hosting a talk on Judaism and Christianity given by Dr Edward Kessler, a leading thinker in contemporary interfaith relations. This promises to be an engaging and informative evening, and as agreed by our recent church members’ meeting there will be no evening service here on that date.
On Saturday 11 July there will be a music recital of works for Cello and Piano. This will be the third concert at our church in as many months, and it is good to see and hear our wonderful premises being used in this way.
Meanwhile our Boys’ Brigade company follow their Summer programme of outdoor activities during these two months. I know that the leaders, helpers and young people value the goodwill and prayers of church members and friends!
In all these and our ongoing regular activities, I hope that you will find much in which to participate - and much to enjoy – so that the bonds of fellowship and discipleship may be deepened among us.
Admin May 28th, 2009
A change of plan: Please note that this Sunday, 31 May (Pentecost Sunday) our 10.30am service will be the only service of the day at the United Church. This is because at 6.30pm our friends at Hawkhurst Methodist Church hold their last Sunday service in their present building, and we along with other churches in the Methodist Circuit are invited to join with them there in worship, to show our support and solidarity.
Admin May 6th, 2009
We are delighted to announce two concerts at the United Church over the coming weeks: on Friday 22 May at 8pm a programme of works for oboe quartet and string quartet by Haydn, Leclair and Mozart; and on Saturday 6 June at 7.30pm a Haydn bicentenary concert given by the East Grinstead Chamber Orchestra. Tickets for both concerts are now available: £7 for 22 May, £6 for 6 June, with a concessionary rate of £5 in both cases.
Admin April 28th, 2009
This Saturday (2 May) at 6.30pm we’re showing a movie: it’s a mainstream British comedy from 2007, certificate PG. All are welcome, there’s no admission fee (though donations are welcome), and popcorn etc will be available!
Phone or email the church office for further details (including the film title…)
Admin April 3rd, 2009
Holy Week is the name given to the last week of Lent, immediately before Easter. During Holy Week, Christians remember the culmination of Jesus’ ministry: his last meal with his disciples (from which our sacrament of Communion derives); his arrest and overnight trial; his death on a cross.
(Why is it called Good Friday? Christians believe that at his crucifixion Jesus took upon himself the sins of the world - the depth of our alienation from God. That his death - which to all the world would have seemed like a final failure - was in fact the moment of victory as the power of sin over us was extinguished. And that, surely, is good news!)
Then on Easter Day we remember and celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus - the Gospel testimony that his tomb was found empty and that he appeared to his friends. And throughout the centuries, countless people have added their testimony to the truth of these events: through Jesus Christ, God has continued to touch the lives of many millions of people.
This Easter-tide, whether you’re a regular at church or whether you’ve never come before, we invite you to join us in celebrating the transforming power of Jesus - who died, and who rose again. All are welcome!
7.30pm Worship: the Table and the Garden - including the sacrament of Communion
10.00am Worship: the Way of the Cross
11.00am United Walk of Witness - starting at Chapel Green
2pm-4pm Worship: Seven Last Words - come at any time during the two hours to make use of the interactive ‘prayer stations’ around the church
10.30am Celebration Worship: He is Risen! - including reception into church membership
& the sacraments of Baptism and Communion
6.30pm Worship: Behind Closed Doors - including the sacrament of Communion
Admin April 3rd, 2009
As you may know we’ve been running an occasional series of film evenings at the church, under the title Film4Thought.
Unfortunately we’ve had to postpone the film that was due to be shown tomorrow (Saturday 4th April). We hope instead to show it on Saturday 2 May at 6pm. Watch this space!
Admin April 1st, 2009
The last few months have shown us all that, despite the grandest of hopes and the best of intentions, the old cycle of Boom and Bust is anything but broken. The effects of a shrinking economy are reflected on our high street, where more shop premises now lie empty. And they’re played out most painfully in homes and families where redundancy and repossession are real threats (Crowborough & Rotherfield Churches Together are working to respond in care and practical help to those in our community who find themselves facing money and debt issues; please speak to one of our Churches Together reps to find out more).
There is, however, one cycle that has been decisively broken – and this not by any feat of fiscal prowess or political acumen. For God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves: the terrible, damning tragedy of human violence and alienation has been addressed once and for all upon the Cross of Calvary. The crucifixion of Jesus exposes the human tendency always to seek out and identify someone upon whom all our indignation and anger can be vented – someone whom we can blame. And the punishment of this victim, it is supposed, will restore calm to the community.
So Jesus was chosen to be this victim, to bear the brunt of our wrath. The one who was like us, and yet somehow different from us (for this has always been the mark of a scapegoat), was condemned and executed with the intention that one man’s death should ensure peace for the nation (John 11:49-52).
Yet his death was not the final word: for Jesus rose in power on the third day, overturning the judgement that had been laid upon him and declaring that in him healing and restoration are to be found. In the risen Christ, the victim returns not to exact revenge but to breathe forgiveness; and the Cross shall forever stand, not as the place of condemnation, but as the sign and standard of God’s boundless love.
This same love which reached across the chasm of crucifixion, was then poured into human hearts in the coming of God’s Spirit at Pentecost. And we who affirm this love, are summoned to demonstrate it also in our lives: love that is no mere feeling or attitude, but love that is measured and constituted by its deeds.
So let us learn how to serve, and in our lives enthrone him;
each other’s needs to prefer – for it is Christ we’re serving.