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Mid-week Groups

Mid-week groups

Mid-week groups are a key part of church life at Christ Church Queensferry.

In these groups we meet together to be equipped for the Christian life through God's word and to speak to God in prayer. Church members meet for mid-week groups in members' homes on a fortnightly basis.

We have a number of small groups located in and around the area. Once you have become a member of our church, we can put you in touch with a mid-week group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Why are mid-week groups just for members?

  • Isn't that a bit unwelcoming?
  • Can I not go to church X for Sunday services and church Y for mid-week groups?
  • I'd never join a church if they said I had to be a member before I could become part of their mid-week groups?
Maybe you've thought these things or perhaps you've been in a church that has a different approach to mid-week groups than ours. Here's why we do what we do when it comes to our mid-week groups.

We live in a society where commitment is often seen as a bad thing and our individualism is to be prized above all things.

Sometimes people want to apply this individualistic and consumer mindset to church: they want the benefits of church but not the commitment, accountability and responsibility of being a member.

The Bible, however, has a higher view of what life together as a local church looks like.
 
In the New Testament, there are 59 'one another' commands. For example:
 

“…Love one another…” (John 13:34)
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love…” (Romans 12:10)
“…Honour one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)
“…Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)
“…Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)
“Encourage one another daily…” Hebrews 3:13)
“…Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)
“…Live in harmony with one another…” (I Peter 3:8)
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)
“…Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”(I Peter 5:5)

 
Now, who is the Bible talking about when it uses the phrase 'one another?' People who come to church services but who never commit to membership? No, that's not who these passages have in view. There is a distinct group of people in view, called a local church.
 
In fact, the Greek word that is translated as “church” in the Bible is ekklesia. This word is made up of a prefix and a root. The prefix is ek or ex, which means “out of ” or “from.” The root word is a form of the verb kaleo, which means “to call.” In other words, ekklesia means “those who are the called-out ones.”
 
Now, who are these 'called out ones?'

Well Acts 2:41 puts it like this: 'Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.'
 
Added to what number? To the church! The 3000 or so in Acts 2:41 were added to the 120 mentioned in Acts 2:15.
 
Here, at the beginning of Acts, as the gospel is spreading, there is a clarity about who is in the local church: namely, people who have responded to the gospel message through repentance (Acts 2:38) and baptism (also Acts 2:38). There are 3000 added (someone must've been keeping count!) but we can take it that there was a good number who were not added. They didn't respond to the gospel message and weren't baptised. This idea of 'their number being added to' continues in Acts 2:47 and Acts 5:14. In short, someone is keeping lists of who the members of the church are.
 
More than that, we see lists within lists! 1 Timothy 5:3 says, ‘Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.’

Paul then gives some criteria for which widows are meant to make it onto a care list. He says in verse 9, ‘No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.’
 
Paul is saying to Timothy, in effect: “within the church membership list there needs to be a care list. There’s a group of widows within the bigger church membership group. But even within the group of widows, there’s a particular group of widows who need particular help… so you need to be organised Timothy. You need to have a list."
 
Think too of the way Paul writes to different churches: 'To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae' (Colossians 1:2). 'To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Thessalonians 1:1). He's writing to specific groups of people who have joined together to form churches.
 
Or think of the language / metaphors that the New Testament uses to describe local churches. 'One flock comprised of many sheep (Acts 20), one body comprised of many members (1 Corinthians 12), a 'building,' a 'temple,' a 'household.' (Ephesians 2), a body (Ephesians 4:16). Each image is a 'corporate unity' i.e. one thing, made of many parts.
 
The Bible never encourages the sort of individualism that we see in society and that we increasingly see in the wider church.
 
At Christ Church Queensferry we believe that letting people who are not members of the church (or indeed not sure whether they even want to be members of the church!) embrace the privileges of church life (such as mid-week groups and serving in our various ministries) is unwise.
 
Our mid-week groups offer church members an opportunity to share deeply and pray about things that are personal to them in a safe setting with a small group of people who have committed to them through membership. To have people coming in and out of that setting who are not members yet, is unhelpful and can be a barrier to the openness and honesty that make our mid-week groups what they are.

In summary, we believe that it's wiser to wait until someone has become a member of our church before they become involved with mid-week groups. To find out more about becoming a member please visit our Membership page.

We recognise that churches have different approaches to their mid-week groups, but we hope all of the above explains why we do what we do. If you have any questions, please speak to one of the elders on Sunday or drop us a message through our contact form


Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and plan your visit.
Please click here.

Planning your Visit

Hello!

The following information will help you plan your first visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday. Below you'll find information about our location, parking options, accessibility, the format of our meetings and what we have on for children and babies.

If we have missed anything, just let us know by using the form at the bottom of this page.

Where and When

We meet at Rosebery Hall, 17 West Terrace, South Queensferry, EH30 9LL for our Sunday Service which starts at 2:30pm.

For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find somewhere to park and find somewhere to sit before the service begins.

When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard. If you have kids with you, the Welcome Team can tell you about our crèche and Sunday School.

Plan your journey

Here is a link where you can open Google Maps. Find our exact location using what3words: oblige.backswing.fallen

Parking

The building itself has no parking. There is free parking on Morison Gardens, Station Road and The BinksScotmid also has free parking but only for 2 hours so be careful to avoid a ticket!

Public Transport

We're on the Edinburgh side of the Forth Bridge so our nearest train station is Dalmeny. It is a 15-minute walk to our church building from the train station. The number 43 bus will bring you from Edinburgh almost to our church building. Ask to get off on 'The Loan' and head down the hill.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access to the rear of the building (accessed via the flats at the bottom of The Loan). We have a ramp set out each Sunday and someone from the Welcome Team is always standing by to assist. As you come along the corridor you'll find accessible toilets on your left. From there you'll enter the main corridor and our meeting room is only a few metres away. We have moveable seating rather than pews and we have plenty of space for wheel chairs.

If there is something we can do to improve access for you, please let us know. We want to make our church as accessible as we can because we want everyone to feel welcome.

Our Service

The service begins at 2:30pm with a warm welcome from the person leading the service. The service includes different aspects: songs (led by our musicians), prayers, Bible readings, as well as news and notices being shared.

One of our leaders will then give a talk based on a passage from the Bible. The talk will help us understand what the passage meant for the original hearers and us now, how it points to Jesus Christ, and how it applies to our everyday life. We then finish with a final song.

At least once a month we also take the Lord's Supper together. This is offered to all members who are in good standing with their church family and who aren't living in unrepentant sin. Visitors who belong to other gospel-preaching churches where they are in good standing, not living in unrepentant sin and where they'd normally take the Lord's Supper, are also welcome to participate. Everyone else is welcome to observe what is happening.

At the end of the service there is always someone around to talk with you about what you have heard or about anything else that you want to talk about!

What about my kids? 

We have a great programme lined up for kids:

  • Crèche (0 months to 3 years).
  • Sunday School (3 years to the end of Primary 7).
Children under 3 years old can be dropped off at crèche before the service begins. In crèche the children get a snack. Please let the crèche leader know if your child has any dietary requirements and please make sure you pack a water bottle for them to use during this time. 

Children over 3 years old stay with their parent or grown-up for the first part of the service. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. Part way through the service someone will announce that it’s time for Sunday School. If it is your first Sunday you will need to go with your children to register them as part of our child safety policy. Even if you come regularly you still need to take the children to Sunday School to sign them in.

In Sunday School there is a friendly welcome, bible stories and lessons, praying, music, craft, drama and fun games. Please remember to pick your children up when the service finishes!

Children

Nursing Mums' Room
If you would like somewhere discreet to feed your little one or you just need to settle them, we have a room specifically set aside for this near our main meeting hall. Just ask one of Welcome Team to show you the way.

You'll find baby changing facilities in the accessible toilet which is just off the main corridor.
 
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.
 
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.
  
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel very welcome when you visit!
 
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