What can I expect if I come on a Sunday morning?

It can be a bit daunting going somewhere new. If you are visiting our church for the first time, you may be concerned about what to expect.
You may have been into a variety of different church buildings for Weddings or funerals or this maybe this is your first time to a church.
On this page we will try to answer your questions.
If you are not ready to join us in person yet why not join us online via our YouTube channel where you can find details of our livestream and previous services.

So what happens on a Sunday?

 You are so very welcome to join us. We want you to have a great experience at church, so our welcome team will be ready to greet you when you arrive. You can sit anywhere you like and our service is pretty relaxed. We sing a few songs, (the words come up on our two screens) and each week someone will talk for about 30 minutes. The talk is usually on a theme, (but will make sense as a stand alone talk), and centres on a passage from the Bible. Hopefully it will inspire you and be helpful to you. There are printed translations in various languages, if English is not your first language. Please ask one of the welcomers for a translation if you would like one. In addition, we take communion (bread and wine) once a month during the service.

You can wear whatever you want to church, or indeed to any or our activities.

Our morning service starts at 10.30 am lasts for about 1 ½ hours. There is an offering, but please just let this pass you by as this is for regular attendees, who wish to give to the work of the church. Afterwards we provide refreshments, served at the back, and are always happy to chat. If you would rather leave immediately that is fine too.
 
During the service we have provision for children and young people. See below.
 
Every other month we have a Welcome Get Together for any new people. It takes place after the church service in the same building. This is an opportunity to meet our ministers, the children’s and youth leaders and someone who can talk to you about opportunities to meet others during the week if that’s is something you might be interested in. We provide light refreshments and toys and crayons for children. There will be box drinks and food for children as well as baby changing facilities.
 
In addition, every month we share lunch after the service in the same room as the service. (This will not be at the same time as the Welcome Get Together.) We share a simple bring and share lunch with drinks and tea and coffee. You are very welcome to join us, whether its your first time to church, whether you came on your own, with friends or children, or whether you have brought a food contribution or not. There is always enough for everyone. Its very informal and we are a friendly bunch. Equally there is no pressure to stay if you have other plans or just want to get off home.

What if a service feels a bit to much to start with?

Every month we hold Inclusion, which meets on a Sunday morning at the Hub from 10.00am to 12.00noon. You are very welcome to come along to Inclusion at any time, alone or with others. You can just come along or if you want what to contact us beforehand please fill in our Get Connected form and someone will contact you.

We enjoy a bring and share brunch in our cafe area in the Hub in a relaxed easy atmosphere. Please don’t feel however that you need to bring a food contribution, you will be welcomed and supported so don’t feel worried about coming along. You can listen to a short talk and then have the opportunity to chat about what you have heard, or about anything else.
 
You can find out more about Inclusion by clicking on the link here

What about my children and teenagers?

 
Families of any and all description, including those with children and young people, grandparents and carers are very welcome at  ABC.
 
We provide ABC kids and ABC Youth activities for children and young people on a Sunday morning during the service and Inclusion. We have a dedicated team of DBS checked staff and volunteers who will look after them and help them to get loads out of church.

Your children and young people can join in this provision or stay with you. If you want to settle your children into ABC Kids you are very welcome to go with them until you feel happy leaving them.  

We have a crèche for pre-school children with baby changing facilities, where parents and carers are welcome to take their children. The service is streamed into this room from youTube so you still have the opportunity to engage with the rest of the congregation.

 You can find out more about ABC kids and ABC youth by clicking on the links.

 

How can I get to church or the Hub?

 
We aim to make church and Inclusion accessible to as many people as possible so if you have trouble getting around, let us know and we may be able to help.  We do not have a car park at Hale Rd so you will need to park on a nearby street (please be considerate to our neighbours when parking). There is a small car park at the Hub which is 200 meters from the Hale Rd Building and there is 2 hours parking available in Sainsbury's. Both venues are within walking distance of the Altrincham Tram and Bus Stations. Please contact us for more detailed directions by filling in our Get Connected form here and someone will contact you.
 

How accessible and inclusive is a service or Inclusion?

You are welcome whatever your age, gender, ethnicity, gender identities, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, neuro-diversities, education, class, economic status or political outlook. You are welcome on your own, with your friends or with you family.
We will provide a translated copy of the talk into your language every week, if English is not your first language and you struggle to understand what is being said.
We have wheelchair access to all levels within the church building. The Hub is all on one level. There is a Hearing loop for Hearing impaired.
 

We so look forward to meeting you.