Why City Church?

What's so special about City United Reformed Church?

It was City Church's mission statement that attracted me to the church. 

City Church is an Open and Affirming Church, welcoming all people regardless of race, colour gender, age, nationality, economic circumstance, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability or emotional condition.

I remember thinking, "That's a pretty bold statement for a church to make! I wonder if it really is true?" So, I decided to attend their Sunday morning service to find out. Eight years later and I'm still attending! 

It's a nerve-racking experience attending a church for the first time, especially if it's a different denomination from what you're used to. Being a disillusioned Catholic, my first United Reformed Church service was completely alien! At City, communion happens once a month. Having come from a Catholic church this felt scandalous! I remember sitting there for a few minutes after the service finished and thinking, "Is this a real church?! How come there was no communion?" That was my first surprise.

The second was seeing such a varied community of people. Women played a full and active role in the service and the congregation had a great representation of black and minority ethnic people. I found out later that City Church is particularly supportive of asylum seekers and welcomes those seeking asylum to church services. Add to that the fact that I spotted a few familiar faces from the local gay scene and I was feeling right at home!

City Church was one of a number of churches I had visited while shopping around for a church community where I felt genuinely welcomed. I had left some churches feeling despondent when no one spoke to me the whole time I was there. Hardly a Christian welcome! At City, I was made to feel very welcome. Elders were on hand to greet people as they came in and as I was a newbie they handed me an order of service, walked me into the church and encouraged me to stay for tea and coffee after the service. If I'm honest, there was no opportunity to sneak out after as quite a few people came up to me to welcome me and find out more about why I decided to visit. 

I left that day with a big smile on face. I had finally found a church that reflected my idea of a Christian community.

City Church is very proud of its outreach work and rightly so. Everyone is welcome. That's not to say there haven't been challenges along the way. Of course there have. In the past, there have been some difficult discussions about civil partnerships and those discussions play a healthy role in keeping City Church's open and affirming mission at the heart of every discussion. 

Eight years on and I'm now an Elder. This is a role I am very proud of because it gives me an opportunity to give something back to a church community that has had such a positive impact in my own life. 

Thank goodness I had the courage to attend that first service and was made to feel so very welcome. First impressions really do make a lasting impression.

With best wishes,

Matt the Elder