On the Road with God (Part Two)

Well, what an adventure I have had over the last two weeks! It has been wonderful to spend time with family and friends, and to make some new ones too! I have also had an extremely challenging and profound experience with Simon Guillebaud and our little brotherhood at the Xtreme Character Challenge (XCC) in Scotland. Our team of nine was just one of 8 or 9 teams (about 60 guys in all) and we had what I might best call an immersive experience (in more ways than one!) over three days hiking, climbing, talking (a lot) and sleeping (not much!) in the Southern Highlands of Scotland.
 
XCC is led by a guy called James Ray, who is quite possibly the most engaging and charismatic person I’ve ever met. Try to imagine a blend of Bear Grylls and Thor, and you’ll be quite close! As James explained, the values of XCC are: Faith, Brotherhood, Adventure and Transformation, and we were invited to embrace all four and to live them out. What an incredible experience it has been. I am still processing the event (and my whole sabbatical) and reflecting on what exactly to do next with it all.
 
For sure, I want to explore with EBC the idea of a deliberate focus on men’s ministry. As part of this, I am inviting one of the guys from James’s XCC crew (his name is Pat) to come and speak on a Sunday morning. His story is amazing and deeply inspiring. I also want to think about what we might build into the life of EBC for men – whether it includes a mentoring programme, some mini-adventures of our own, or even an organised team to take part in a future XCC! Certainly I want to recommend that guys check out XCC for themselves, and think about taking part. The version I have just done was the ‘wilderness’ version, but there are other XCC experiences that might be a little less, er… full on! You can learn more here: https://www.xtremecharacterchallenge.com/

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Whilst XCC is intentionally for men only, they do have a partner organisation called ‘Arise’ for women only, and you can check this out here: https://www.4muk.com/arise/
 
The XCC was, for sure, the centrepiece of my sabbatical, but the whole two week experience has been wonderful. Visiting some special and beautiful places, spending time in deep conversations (with friends, family and – slightly randomly – the former Chaplain of Rydal!), and reflecting on things with God has reminded me again of the importance of connecting with people and places that nourish your soul. Let me encourage you to revisit your schedule and your plans, and to make sure that you build in some time to reconnect with important people in your life, to visit some beautiful places, and to bring God in on the scene with you both when you are alone with Him, and when you are having those conversations with others.

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We are about to run our annual take on “Family Values” at EBC, as we explore again our church values of Caring, Commitment, Community, Celebration and Communication. We have those values for really good reasons (as we shall remind ourselves in the month ahead!) but I invite you to consider thinking about what Faith, Brotherhood, Adventure and Transformation might look like in your own life. And if you want to talk some more about XCC and my trip, just let me know. There’s lots to tell, from snow-capped mountains to freezing cold plunge pools, from famine to feasting, beautiful churches, breath-taking scenery, the laying down of burdens and even being buzzed by a low-flying Eurofighter over Rydal Water!
 
Thanks again to everyone at EBC (and XCC) for an incredible experience.
 
Much  love,
 
Simon
 

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Welcome from all of us at Easthampstead Baptist Church!

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about us. As you explore our website, we hope that you catch a broader glimpse of what EBC is all about. It's about people - people just like you - who want to embark on a journey to discover more of God and his will for our lives.
 

What should I expect on a Sunday Morning?

Sometimes going to a church for the first time can be a little daunting. I promise we won't bite! To help ease any uncertainties below are the answers to some common questions people have before attending a Sunday morning.
 
What do I have to wear?
We are a 'come as you are' sort of people and have no formal dress-code for our Sunday services.
We can assure you that we don't have bouncers on the door vetting your attire!
If you are still not sure, feel free to check out our services on YouTube to have an idea.
 
What time do I need to be there?
At the moment we have one Sunday morning service which starts at 10.00am
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On the 4th Sunday of the month we run our All-sorts service which starts at 10:00am.

Check out our other services below!
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We would recommend you turn up 10 minutes before the service starts so you have a chance to say hi!
If you have children that need signing in to the children and youth work, they need to be signed in from 10:50am.
 
Parking
There is plenty of parking both out the front and at the back of the building. Just follow the signs!
 
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How safe is my child in your care?
We run separate children and youth work during our 10:00am service, which is run by a group of volunteers who have all been DBS checked.

Children ages 11 and under must be signed in and out by their parent/carer. The youth can sign themselves in and out.
 

For information about our safeguarding policy click here