Facilities and features
Accessibility
Toilets are in the church hall, but we now have an accessible toilet in both the hall and church parts of the complex.
A baby changing facility is in the church hall accessible toilet.
Although we don't have an actual rack, there are several sets of railings which bikes can be locked to.
There is a good size car park which is only full for major services or large celebrations.
One of these in both the church hall and church.
We have experience of people with ASD, both adults and children.
There is a defibrillator in the entrance to the church hall.
There is a good ramped entrance to the church, and a less good one to the hall.
We use the hearing loop at all church services.
If we know a couple of days in advance, we can produce a braille copy of the service.
We produce large print copies of the morning services, and are able to do the same for any service if needed.
You are welcome to bring an assistance dog into our building.
We have an increasing number of people with dementia in our church family, and many of us have experience with relatives who have suffered in this way.
Our Building
Music and Worship
We have very occasional concerts, but live music at every service, both band and organ at most services.
We use the organ for most services, but not for all worship songs/hymns as we also use a live worship band.
We have a choir (usually called the singing group) which is re-assembled for different parts of the year. It is therefore easy to join or leave. We value what they bring to our worship, and is made up of regular members of St John's.
Groups, Courses and Activities
Two youth groups (10-14, 14-18) meet weekly on Sunday evenings, and the 10-14's group also meets during morning services. There is a full programme of youth group activities. We also join in with other church youth groups in the area for joint worship and activities, and occasionally Youth Alpha courses. We go to camp together in the summer (Soul Survivor or whatever replaces it). See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/youth/
We run regular Alpha Courses, both daytime and evening. These are approximately annual.
We have quite a few people in recovery from addictions, so have embraced the issues that they live with. We don't offer formal advice, but do encourage people to access recovery groups or Cornerstone Recovery Through Christ in Bexleyheath (Sunday and Tuesday evenings) and Albany Park (Thursday evenings), see https://www.cornerstonebexley.org/
Approximately annually, both daytime and evening courses.
Beavers, Cubs and Scouts meet on Tuesday evenings
Brownies, Rainbows and Guides meet on Wednesday evenings
We share responsibility for CAP Debt Erith & Thamesmead.
Beavers, Cubs and Scouts meet on Tuesday evenings
We share responsibility for CAP Debt Erith & Thamesmead, and refer people to this centre. Sidcup Community Money Advice (CMA) is also within easy reach (see www.transformbexleyborough.com) and provides debt advice.
We run about 15 housegroups, and there's usually a group which is helping new Christians or post-Alpha guests into discipleship. Our housegroups have access to a number of courses, some of which would be called discipleship courses.
Brownies, Rainbows and Guides meet on Wednesday evenings
There is usually an annual holiday club for 4-11s in the Spring Term or around Easter.
We participate in Bexley's Winter Shelter.
Inspire is a monthly mental health awareness group which meets in the church hall on Saturday mornings 10.00am-12.30pm. Each meeting has a particular topic and these are open meetings.
See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/inspire-mental-health/ and the Inspire Facebook page (closed group).
Messy Church meets monthly on Thursdays 3.45-5.45pm. See the events section of A Church Near You.
We have a CAP Money Course deliverer at St John's, and publicise CAP Money courses that are being run both here and in wider Bexley.
We participate in Bexley's Winter Shelter.
There is a monthly TOFFs group (Those Over Fifty-Five). See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/toffs-those-over-55/
We have run parenting courses in the past for parents of both children and teenagers. There is nothing running at the moment.
Open Door is a parent (carers) and toddler group which has been running for about 35 years at St John's. See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/children-and-young-people/carers-and-toddlers/
There is a 6 session a week Ofsted regulated Playgroup at St John's (Mon-Fri mornings, Mon afternoons). See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/children-and-young-people/playgroup/
Brownies, Rainbows and Guides meet on Wednesday evenings
We would encourage access to Cornerstone Recovery in Bexleyheath. See https://www.cornerstonebexley.org/
Beavers, Cubs and Scouts meet on Tuesday evenings
We participate in Bexley Street Pastors and Bexley School Pastors, see https://streetpastors.org/locations/bexley/
Two youth groups (10-14, 14-18) meet weekly on Sunday evenings, and the 10-14's group also meets during morning services. There is a full programme of youth group activities. We also join in with other church youth groups in the area for joint worship and activities, and occasionally Youth Alpha courses. We go to camp together in the summer (Soul Survivor or whatever replaces it). See http://www.stjohnswelling.org.uk/groups17/youth/
Help for Visitors
Let us know if you would like to visit the church and we can meet you there.
We have an interesting booklet which details the history of the church until the 1990s, which is currently being updated.
The church is generally open on weekday mornings except Wednesdays 9am-1.30pm, and at other times. For specific guidance, contact the church office on 020 8303 1107 or [email protected].
Other Features
We are a Fairtrade Church.
We participate in Bexley Foodbank, see https://bexley.foodbank.org.uk/
We use overhead facilities for Sunday morning worship but also produce printed copies including large print. We can do the same for evening services.
We have a hearing loop which is used for all services.
We are on the edge of Danson Park.
We recommend Kent Savers Credit Union.
Every Sunday is a Back To Church Sunday for us, we nearly always have visitors, so we major on helping people to find their feet and work out what it is to go to church. Some of our visitors stay and others do not, we don't mind if they find that we are not the church they're looking for. We can recommend other local churches.