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Church is a community of people who gather to live life well. We believe that exploring who we are in relationship with Jesus helps us understand ourselves better, connection with others and our world. We press into the big issues of life: grace, peace, forgiveness, hope, justice and what it means to be truly human. Together we celebrate, encounter wonder, discover how to live integrated and authentic lives and work through the doubts we experience on our journey of faith.

Jesus whom we follow, invites us to embrace a subversive way of living, such as: loving our enemies, caring for the powerless, overlooking personal offences and living as good stewards of that which is entrusted to us. This subversive life is not easy, and it’s one of the key reasons we meet together formally and informally, in large and smaller settings to provide support to one another as we seek to interweave Jesus’ way of doing life well into our own.

If you have connected with a church before, they often lean towards one of three areas of emphasis, sometimes referred to as Words, Works, and Worship.

Words

Some churches have a primary focus on a teaching or strong emphasis on exploring the Bible and unpacking what it has to say, then applying it to our life. They will still do Works (acts of service or community work) and Worship (singing, prayer, etc.) but they are especially passionate about the Biblical Word.

Works

Some churches have a primary focus on Works of service and emphasise community work and social justice issues. They still do Words (engage with the Bible), and Worship (through singing and see their acts of Works as worship) but they are especially passionate about Works.

Worship

Some churches have a primary focus on Worship and the priority of celebrating the creativity and diversity of the arts (with or without smoke machines and flashy lights). They still do Words (engage with the Bible) and Works (acts of service), but they are especially passionate about Worship.

Consider what you would naturally gravitate towards, and what you might need to grow in and explore more. Perhaps this next chapter in your life is an opportunity to explore something new.

Northern Community is a church that has a primary focus on Word and Works. Worship is definitely evident in our Sunday services and through our acts of service. But if we were to choose between a smoke machine or a community garden, we would pick the community garden.

Learn more about our regular services and opportunities to connect.