Norwich Evangelical Free Church (Railway Mission)

Our regular meetings are on Sunday at 10:30am and at 3pm, and on a Wednesday evening at 7:30pm. We welcome newcomers to each of these. Please read the following section.

It has been good to experience the Lord's blessing in restrictive and trying times. We are seeking the chart the right course back to normality, in terms of our meeting arrangements.

As of 19th July we have new freedoms and new responsibilities! We will try and regularly review what is best, for church-life to be God-glorifying, and for the vulnerable, and all, to be protected and reassured amidst the news of rising infection rates. We are aware that a gathering in an enclosed space for a significant length of time is exactly the kind of situation where Covid could spread.

In our Sunday morning service at 10:30am, we recommend facemasks as a safety measure to protect others, whilst respecting the personal choice of each individual whether or not to wear one. We sing one or two hymns, near the end of the service. Seats are placed approximately 1 meter apart, except for within family groups, but there is now more liberty in moving seats to make room for others if attendance becomes higher, or to sit closer in friendship groups. The church welcomer will check that the moving of seats is done sensibly and the individuals concerned are happy about it.

Our Sunday afternoon meeting at 3pm, and our Wednesday evening meeting at 7:30pm, are more Covid secure meetings, particularly for the protection and reassurance of individuals whose age, health, or care of others, gives them special reason for carefulness. We ask that all attenders wear facemasks on a Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening unless there is a special reason that makes this difficult. These meetings will not yet include singing.

For all meetings, we’ll continue to do what we can to help ventilation (doors open etc.), and to ask that attenders wash or santitise their hands on entering and before exiting.

Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings, regardless of age, ethnicity, background or belief.
If you’re planning to come along for the first time, we’ll be pleased to see you and here’s what to expect..

Sunday Services begin at 10.30am (and normally at 3pm also) and usually last between an hour and an hour and a quarter. You do not need to wear ‘Sunday best’ - we don’t judge anyone according to how they are dressed. You’ll be greeted at the door and given a hymnbook, and a Bible if you haven’t brought one.

There is no reserved seating and you can sit where you feel most comfortable. The building is wheelchair accessible and has an induction loop system for the benefit of hearing-aid wearers.

Our services usually include singing, a Bible reading or two, prayers and a sermon (a talk based on part of the Bible), generally led by one person on each occasion. We usually stand up to sing and remain seated for everything else. There’s no obligation to join in with the singing and you won’t be asked to pray out loud, come forward or to introduce yourself to everyone. We don't pass round a collection bag for donations.

After the morning service, tea or coffee is served and shortly afterwards there is also a light lunch to which all are invited. This is a good opportunity to get to know us better and to ask questions – but only if you want to – no one will force you to talk about what you’ve heard.

On Wednesday evening there is usually a slightly more in depth study of the Bible, sometimes involving discussion, and a time of open prayer but again, only those who wish to comment or pray out loud do so.

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