Launching in Pimlico

Each week, our life groups meet in homes across London, from Blackheath to Battersea, from Kensington to Kennington. We share a meal, study scripture, and pray together. It's simple gospel-centred hospitality in a big and busy city.

Our newest life group has just launched in Pimlico. We spoke to its leaders, Graham and Lucy, who tell us more.

Tell us about yourselves.
 

Hey!  Graham here (don’t worry, Lucy mostly approves of what follows):

Lucy is Scottish/Brazilian (Scozilian), and as an oil-child she grew up in and out of Nigeria, Oman, UAE, Brazil, and Aberdeen. I’m from Bolton, and it doesn’t get much more exotic than that. We’ve been coming to Grace for nine years now - we just missed out on being part of the elect few in that sticky-floored pub at the beginning.


Graham and Lucy aren’t new to being life group leaders but also led a group between 2018 - 2023. What did life group look like back then?

We’ve been married for 15 years, and around 18 years ago (in Uxbridge), I was co-leading a life group that Lucy attended, which is how we got to know each other better. So, my favourite thing about life group is probably picking up a wife.

Joking aside, we’ve led life groups together on and off over the years in Uxbridge, Salisbury, and now London. We’ve loved being in various groups at Grace (shout-out to the Tans and the Van-Nierkerks), and we led a group, ‘It is Camberwell with my soul’, for a few years before we moved to Pimlico.

Our Camberwell group was lovely, but the period was not an easy one in our lives — spanning lockdowns and some work and health challenges for us. We disbanded but are coming back refreshed and excited for our new group!


What was your favourite thing about being a life group leader?

One thing I love about life group leading is real talk (when it happens). I’m not much for small talk, but the conversations at life group can get pretty interesting (spicy, even). Some members bring provoking ideas or have cultural takes that you might not have considered before.

We both love the opportunity to open the word together, to get to know people deeper, and to have friends to share life with and sharpen each other. In big cities, that's not a given, and it’s something that reflects the beauty of the church to the world.

Graham & Lucy, with friends and life group hosts Luke & Janice

What’s your vision for the group?

The key thing for me is trust. As in any big city, London makes it easy to avoid having anyone input into your life (that’s often why people come here). Anonymity can feel comfortable, for a while. But we don’t thrive like that for long.

We want to get to a point where we trust each other — we open up, bringing our genuine selves along, making real friends (not that sub-species, ‘friends from life group’).

So, I hope we reflect something of Jesus’ weird combo of being both straight-talking and yet super caring. It takes time and a lot of regular meeting to earn the trust required with each other to make that stuff happen.


How can we pray for you?

It is by no means unique to our group, but where are all the fellas at? While Luke and I do admittedly exhibit an embarrassing amount of (Christian) masculinity, we would love a few more lads to join and even things out.

As I’ve mentioned, we’d also love to get to a place where we trust one another and be open and honest in a caring manner. So please pray that the Holy Spirit works among us in this way too.

Finally, Janice keeps mentioning one past life group where she got them all to shout ‘YeeHaw’ in worship, so please pray that she forgets about that.
 

Part of something bigger

At Grace London, we give away at least 10% of our finances to support other churches in the UK and abroad. One partner church we’ve recently supported is GodFirst in Barry, Wales. We spoke with pastor Rhys Gronow to hear their story.

GodFirst Barry is also part of the Advance Movement.

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Please tell us about yourself and GodFirst Barry.

I live in Barry, South Wales, with my wife, Rachel, and our two sons - Elliot (12) and Jude (9). Rachel and I will celebrate 18 years of marriage this October. 

In January 2019, we planted GodFirst Barry, starting in our living room with just six adults and five children. By God’s grace, we’ve grown into a vibrant community with around 60 people gathering on Sundays, including more than 20 children.

Rhys, Rachel, Elliot & Jude
 

Tell us the story of how you planted the church.

During a visit to Barry in 2013 for a friend's baptism, we had a conversation that changed everything.

I started chatting with the church pastor where the baptism was taking place and asked him to tell me a bit about the church in Barry. He shared that there were only four or five gospel-affirming churches, each with around 40 to 50 people. It didn’t take long for Rachel and I to realise that, in a town of around 55,000 people, the number of Bible-believing Christians was incredibly small. 

It broke our hearts. In that moment, we felt God stir something deep within us. We were convicted that Barry needed more gospel witness, and we were called to be part of it.

That conversation became the turning point. Over the next few years, we prayed and prepared, and in 2019, we moved back to Barry and planted GodFirst, trusting that God had brought us home for a purpose.


How have you seen God move in surprising ways?

God's provision has astounded us since we planted the church. When I stepped out in faith, leaving my job as a driving instructor to commit fully to church planting, we had no certainty about our financial situation. But God has sustained us. And a significant part of that has been through the kindness of Grace London!

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your financial support over the past year - it truly has been a tangible expression of God's provision and kindness. Through yourselves and others, especially within Advance, God has ensured that we have everything we need—not always in excess, but always enough.
 

Sundays at GodFirst

Last year's Weekend Away
 

Anything you wish you knew before church planting?!

If there’s one thing I wish I had fully grasped before planting, it’s the unique nature of ministry in a settled town like Barry.

Barry is not a transient place—it’s a town where people put down deep roots. Those who grow up here tend to stay, raise their families, and remain connected to long-standing social circles. Building trust, integrating into the community, and seeing gospel fruit is a long-term investment. People don’t just jump into new things—they watch and wait before fully committing.

The blessing, however, is that once people commit, they are here for the long haul. Ministry in Barry is not about quick growth but deep roots. If you plant well, if you disciple well, and if you build strong foundations, the result is a long-term, sustainable church community where people grow together over generations.

So, if I could go back and prepare myself for one thing, it would be this: church planting in Barry is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build, but what you build lasts.


How can we pray for you and the church?

1) Please pray for God to raise up strong, godly leaders who can take on key ministry roles. As we grow, we need more people equipped to disciple others, serve in leadership, and help carry the vision forward.

2) A pressing need right now is for a new building. We're at maximum capacity, with no room for further growth, and suitable venues are scarce. Please pray for wisdom on timing and finances and a clear way forward. We need God's guidance and provision.

3) Finally, please pray for our evangelistic efforts. Despite the limitations of our meeting space, we long to present the gospel so that people encounter Jesus for themselves. Several individuals regularly attend our services but have not yet committed their lives to Christ. Please pray that God draws them to salvation and that we would see baptisms in the months ahead.

We are so grateful for your prayers and partnership in the gospel. Thank you for standing with us as we seek to see Jesus glorified in Barry.

Bible & Brekkie

Ever scrolled through the Grace London WhatsApp community, stumbled across a group chat, and wondered, 'What is that?'

Maybe it's just me.

One chat you may have seen is the Women's Bible Study & Breakfast Club. The group has met at the church office every other Saturday morning since the beginning of January and is led by Bisi, Paulina and Naomi, who tell us more.

Bisi, Paulina & Naomi

It's been so amazing getting to know many new sisters from the Grace family as we've studied the Bible together. These Saturday mornings are a place to reconnect with friends we don't often see and make new ones.

We've been studying 1 Peter alongside a study guide from Jen Wilkin. We hear teaching, study in smaller groups, and use online resources to chew over the incredible truths found here - our inheritance in Christ, the call to look different from the world, and what it means to live sacrificially for Christ.

We're also practising different study techniques along the way, such as looking for links and repetition in biblical texts, the importance of context and pursuing the author's intentions for the text before exploring its present-day meaning for us. It has been rich and eye-opening, and I'm grateful for the amazing, raw, and honest discussions we've had as we've explored this text over an (extremely satisfying!) breakfast spread.

The time has been precious, and we're looking forward to studying many more books in the coming months. We want to create a space for any ladies who call Grace London their home to come and prioritise reading the word with other sisters.

What others are saying

Lisa

"When I first heard about the Saturday morning Bible study, I immediately shut it down because I like a slow Saturday morning and am a creature of habit! I missed the intro, but praise God for leading me to sign up for the second session. Now, I can't think of a better way to start my Saturday morning than Bible 'n' brekkie with the girls. I've met ladies from other services who I wouldn't normally bump into, and analysing the word to the depth that Jen Wilkins's book encourages us to is mind-blowing."


Rachel

“So much kindness, wisdom, prayers & testimonies shared amongst sisters. Sometimes scripture can be confusing, but having the space and time to zoom in on a passage with other believers is a real privilege. I’ve learnt some transformative ways to study the Bible! Plus, there are charcuterie boards...”
 

If you'd like to join for the remainder of our sessions on 1 Peter or find out when we're starting our next study, please join our Bible study breakfast WhatsApp group via the Grace London WhatsApp Community.

Why give thanks?

Psalm 92 verse 1 says, 'It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High'. Scripture is full of exhortations and encouragements to thank God, prayers and songs of thanksgiving, and cautionary tales about the danger of ungratefulness. Most of us know thanksgiving is something we should do, yet many of us struggle to practice it intentionally. We must ask, Why is it ‘good to give thanks to the Lord’? 


Thanksgiving blesses God

Scripture tells us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 100.4), to make our requests known to him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4.6), and to give thanks to him in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5.18). It is possible to see texts like this and wrongly perceive thanksgiving as another duty to perform or a ritual we do to appease God, but scripture is emphatic that while God delights in our thanksgiving, he does not need it. He doesn't call for it from a place of insecurity or a desire to be encouraged. Rather, thanking God is the natural response when we see God for who he is.

We are not called to baseless thanksgiving but are repeatedly told why to thank God. We thank him because he deserves it. ‘Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ is a repeated refrain in scripture (e.g. Psalms 107, 118, 136, 1 Chronicles 16). We thank God because ‘every good and perfect gift’ comes from him, every breath we take, every ray of sunshine, everything comes to us from his merciful hand. When we truly grasp this, thanking God should be our instinctive response. When we give thanks, we are saying true things about God. We are treating God as God. 


Thanksgiving blesses us

But when Psalm 92 says it is good to thank God, it is not just saying ‘It’s the right thing to do’ or ‘It’s good for God’, but also that it is good for us. How so? There are many ways, but I’ll touch on three briefly – faith, hope and love.

There is much in life to distract and disappoint us, to provoke us to ignore or doubt God. Without intentional effort to fix our minds on God, we drift towards unbelief. But giving thanks reminds us of who God is, what he’s done and what he’s doing, and it builds faith in us. Thanksgiving also gives us hope. Difficult situations can drive us to despair, but recalling the good things God has done gives us perspective. Our challenges are big but our God is bigger, so we can have hope.

Finally, thanksgiving blesses us as it stirs our hearts to love God. Left to their own devices, our hearts focus on what we don’t have, growing cold and bitter to God. But when we ‘bless the Lord and remember his benefits’ (Psalm 103), we are reminded that God loves us and means to do us good, and this enables us to love him.


Thanksgiving blesses others

Christian thanksgiving differs from the secular idea of “practising gratitude” in that our thanks are directed to God. But another key distinction is that Christian thanksgiving has a strong communal aspect. Throughout scripture, thanksgiving is something others are invited into. Psalm 34 says, ‘Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!’

Why? Because thanksgiving not only blesses God and the person giving thanks but it blesses others too. It builds faith in those joining in, as they hear how God is still at work, answering prayers, saving and bringing deliverance. It stirs hope and warms their hearts with love for this God who constantly lavishes mercy on undeserving people.


So friend, I encourage you to take time today to write down some things for which you are thankful to God. Make a regular habit of doing this. Don’t stop there, but invite others into your thanksgiving. It’s as simple as asking, 'What are you thankful for?' or 'How have you seen God at work lately?' Let us thank the Lord, for he is good and giving thanks is good.

Events you won't want to miss

The church's unity is only possible through the Holy Spirit drawing us together in love. In that sense, it's supernatural. Left to ourselves, we prefer only comfortable isolation or tight cliques. We need the Spirit for deep and diverse community to thrive.

We would love for you to get stuck into this community that the Holy Spirit is building. If you're new to Grace London, please push yourself out of your comfort zone, throw yourself in, and join us in all God is doing here.

Practically, here are some events for your calendars. Do take a read and sign up!

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Weekend Away '25

25th - 27th April @ Ashburnham Place

In just two months, we'll head to the Sussex countryside for one of the year's highlights. There'll be worship, teaching, fun and relaxation, delicious food and plenty of quality time together. We will also have social time together including meals, walks, outdoor activities and Saturday evening entertainment.

Sign up for our Weekend Away.

Together Sunday

Sunday 30th March, 4.30pm @ Westminster Chapel, SW1E 6BS

Every few months, we gather our three congregations in one service for a Together Sunday. To mark the occasion, we're serving up a jerk chicken feast (see below). Vegan option available. Please sign up for food in advance (£5 if you sign up now or £10 on the day).

Sign up for our Together Sunday dinner.

Women's Day

Saturday 15th March, 10am - 4pm @ London Nautical School

Our upcoming Women's Day is an excellent way to form deep friendships and encourage each other in the faith. The topic for the day is, Every Moment Holy: How worship transforms all of life.

Sign up for our Women's Day.

Men's Retreat

Thursday 30th October - Saturday 1st November @ De Vere Beaumont

From experience, the Men's Retreat is an investment worth making. We'll hear how God's word speaks to us, particularly as men, and spend time over good food and (probably) a campfire. If finance is an issue, please let us know. Email info@grace.london and we can make a plan.

Sign up for our Men's Retreat.

Who manages our money?

Who sets Grace London's salaries? Who tracks our cash flow? Who signs off hiring plans or significant costs?

Behind the scenes at Grace London, we have a team of experienced accountants, administrators, lawyers, and bankers, who hold these responsibilities and more, mostly as volunteers. Paul Nicholas is our Finance Team Manager and a Trustee. He tells us more about himself and the finance team below.

Please tell us about yourself.

I’m married to Gloria, and we have two daughters, Abigail (Abby, 4) and Eleanor (Ellie, 3). We’ve been at Grace for around three years and love the community and fellowship. I grew up in South London (mainly Peckham), so I’m one of the few born and bred South Londoners at Grace! We live in North Kennington, close to Elephant & Castle, where we lead a life group. I work as a fixed-income fund manager in the City of London.

Paul, Gloria, Abigail & Eleanor

What do your roles involve?

As Trustees, we focus on the more administrative aspects of church life. We have formal meetings once a quarter where the Finance Team produce a financial update to review income (i.e. giving), compare expenses against budgets, and assess the ongoing financial position of the church. We then discuss key business items, such as hiring plans or potential significant expenditures.

We also communicate regularly over email to make ad hoc spending or staffing decisions. I also sit on the Remuneration Committee, which reviews salaries for current employees and sets the initial pay for new joiners.


What does the finance team do?

We have a theological (as well as legal and regulatory) obligation to steward the church finances well. It includes:
 

• Categorising every item of income and expenditure so we can track against budgets and prepare detailed accounts.

• Maintaining appropriate reserves and managing cash flow.

• Helping to set budgets once a year so the ministry teams know how much they can spend.

Zach Kellett on the staff team does most of the day-to-day work with oversight from Pete Mills. Kat Miller will shortly take up a finance role on the staff team. Cezar Rugasira, Naomi Wang and I help in a voluntary capacity.
 

Our finance team, minus Cezar (Pete, Paul, Naomi, Zach & Luke)

Why did you step up to the role? How do you see your role connecting with your faith?

It’s somewhat niche – Luke said I was the first person ever to mention ‘Trusteeship’ as one of my gifts in the membership interview!

One of the first problems the early church encountered was administrative - "[some] widows were being neglected in the daily distribution" (Acts 6:1). The apostles had to choose “men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom” (v3), including Stephen, the first martyr. Paul lists ‘administrating’ as a spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Although it’s mostly behind the scenes, doing this work well has a big impact on helping all our ministries to flourish and thrive, as well as taking some of the burden off the elders.


What's a highlight from the last year?

We’re so blessed by God’s faithfulness and all of your generosity! We have a policy to give 10% of our income away to kingdom causes. It’s a huge joy to support churches that are faithfully witnessing but struggling financially, and they are so grateful for our support.


How can we pray for/support the team?

Pray for wisdom, discernment and faith! It would also be great to have one or two more people with relevant experience/gifts join the team.

As a church, let's get behind them in prayer! If you'd like to join the team, contact Paul via finance@grace.london. For more info about giving to support the church, head to grace.london/give.

Grace London Wants You

I’ll refrain from fully impersonating Lord Kitchener (that moustache is beyond my capabilities), but you have to admit it was an effective recruitment campaign during World War I.

There are currently many people, both employees and volunteers, who work together to facilitate everything happening at Grace London. We’re deeply grateful for each of these people and I’m always so encouraged whenever I see the church family come together to serve one another.

You may or may not know, but alongside our ongoing need for volunteers on Sunday service teams, we have some opportunities to join the Grace London staff team in pastoral and operational roles. If you’d consider working for Grace, or perhaps know someone who would, take a look at the job descriptions below and get in touch if you feel drawn towards any of them.

Children’s Ministry Lead

We are seeking a leader to oversee and nurture our growing children’s ministry. In this role, you will steward and communicate our vision for the ministry, manage and support the volunteer team, and design engaging curriculum and Sunday teaching for our children’s groups. You will also play a vital role in integrating the children’s ministry into the broader life of the church – collaborating with the staff team, communicating with families, and fostering greater awareness and involvement within the church community.


See full job description.

Pastoral Residency

The Pastoral Residency is designed to offer a pathway into church ministry for those who have limited or no prior experience. There are general contours to the role described in the job description below. But there is also the opportunity to design a more person-specific role in accordance with age, experience, gifting, and so on. We would expect a Pastoral Resident to work as a generalist and get involved in various aspects of ministry and church life. The aim is to give broad exposure to church ministry and pastoral leadership, enabling growth in different areas.


See full job description.

Operations Coordinator

This role is one of a team of three Operations Coordinators. Each takes an operational lead for each of our three congregations at Grace London - Waterloo AM (10am), Holborn (11:30am) and Waterloo PM (5pm). The Operations Coordinator takes responsibility for the logistics of a Sunday service, including leading volunteers and organising the various events related to the particular congregation. The role also includes the ongoing administration related to the congregation, such as managing the Welcome process and working with the whole Operations team to deliver church-wide events, such as Upper Room or Church Weekend Away.


See full job description.

Sunday Volunteers

We are always looking for those willing and able to serve on one of our Sunday service teams. Our Sunday volunteers are essential in facilitating our gatherings and there are multiple ways that you get involved, including Hospitality, Kids, Tech, Venue, and Worship. Please fill out the form below (less than 2 mins!) if you’re interested in joining any of these teams.


Join a serving team form.

Grace London's loudest life group?

If one word could summarise Zach, Rebs & Julie's life group, it would be LOUD. These three extroverts lead a young group in north London which, like them, exudes energy and enthusiasm. On any given Wednesday, expect plenty of laughter, Gen Z humour, and raving about the food. Hear more from them below.

Rebs, Zach & Julie

Tell us about yourself.

Zach: I was born in London but moved around England as a kid with my family. I've been at Grace London since September 2019, where I also work as an Operations & Finance Coordinator.

Rebs: I was born in Korea but grew up in Sydney, Australia, with my parents, two siblings (I ofc am the favourite last-child :)), and my cousin. I have been at Grace since I moved to London in 2022, and I love pretty much anything and everything - food, people, walking, you name it.

Julie: I'm also a third-culture kid, born in China, raised in Canada, and have lived in London for the last 8 years. I joined Grace in 2019, and it’s been my core London family ever since. I work as a freelancer in fashion, and my side-quests are food making, food offering and food exploring! I also occasionally host pop-up cafés.


Please tell us a bit about your group.

We currently meet at Julie's flat, and our group has people from all over the globe, with a majority from SE Asia. We meet every Wednesday for a delicious meal cooked by one of our members before studying the Bible together and praying about the passage and for each other's prayer requests.


What's one highlight from the last year?

We had a weekend away together last summer, and it was so encouraging to see the group get on so well. Friendships were deepened, and people who had just joined the group felt like part of the furniture by the end of the trip.
 

Life group weekend away

What’s your hope for the life group in the year ahead?

Zach: My hope is that we grow in maturity in Jesus. We'd love to see our group get to the stage where everyone is contributing in their unique way, becoming a community like in Acts 2.

Rebs: Similar to Zach, I hope that we all help one another grow in Christ, digging deep into the word, genuinely praying for one another, and reminding each other of the things that are unseen.

Julie: That we become prayer warriors who break barriers. And that the world we pray for knows us not primarily for our knowledge or wisdom but for our love.

How can we pray for you and the group?

Our group has been together for some time now, and we want to continue thanking God for our challenges & growth.

Inward: Please pray for greater love for Jesus and each other. That we love like him and devote ourselves to each other like family in this big and busy city. We want to keep growing within.

Outward: For us to be sent on mission to the nations and into the city. Please pray that our hearts may be present and attuned to the great commission and our personal callings.


Find out more about our life groups here.

Dreaming of Milan

Two Sundays ago, we announced that Jeremy & Jen Moses are hoping to move to Milan later in 2025 to learn language, and, God-willing, plant a church. Jeremy is one of our pastors and has been on staff since 2017. We've caught up with them to find out more. 

Tell us more about your journey towards planting?

Our planting journey began before we even met each other. When we came to faith, each of us had a strong sense of God’s call to take the hope we’d found in Christ to people who had never heard it before. The dream of doing this together was part of our decision to get married! We joined Grace excited to be a part of a church that faithfully and engagingly preached the Gospel to people of many backgrounds in London, but we felt strongly that one day we would go out to take the Gospel to new places. The time never seemed right for us to plant until now. 

Nine years after joining Grace, having grown in pastoral experience, received theological training, developed a greater heart for the Church  - along with an increasing awareness of our flaws - we felt a stirring that the time was right to plant. Wise counsel and prophetic words have seemed to confirm this so we are ready to step out in faith.

What led you to decide to seek to plant in Milan?

Italy was the home of Jeremy’s maternal grandfather and he has always felt a natural affinity for it as a country. As we sought the Lord about where he wanted to send us, we heard a prophetic word from a church leader at an Advance conference that spoke of someone being sent 'from a successful context to what could be considered a barren land that would become a gateway to the nations'. The words immediately resonated deeply with us both, as we have always thought of Italy as a 'barren land' spiritually.

Italy, like much of mainland Europe, has an incredibly sparse number of Gospel-preaching churches and is in much need of hope in Christ. Our thoughts soon turned to Milan as a strategic place to plant a church, given its cultural and economic importance in Italy (and geographical placement at the heart of mainland Europe). As we prayed about this tiny seed of an idea, prophetic words from a variety of contexts, thoughtful insights from trusted Christian friends, and our growing sense of conviction have led us to set our eyes on Milan as the place where we think God is leading us to.

What practical things do you need to put in place?

Our most immediate practical priority is to make a successful visa application. We are preparing our application now and we hope to be approved in the coming months, to be able to move in July this year, God-willing! 

We are also asking God for a team of people to go with us. We’re looking for folk who are willing to uproot their lives and come with us, to plant the gospel, and see God grow a Christ-exalting, spirit-filled community in the centre of Milan. We hope to build a team over the next 18 months, both here (before we go) and in Milan. 

Language is also vital. The whole family has started learning Italian and we need to intensify our language-learning in the coming months. 

How can Grace support you? 

We would really appreciate your prayers. We are saying with Moses “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). We are going with a strong sense of dependence on God, asking that the Lord would glorify his name, and that he would accomplish his purposes through us, in our weakness. 

Please do pray for us (and our family) as we go through this significant transition. Please pray for Grace London, as we're asking the Lord to grow the team here, as Jeremy steps off staff. Please do consider joining our WhatsApp prayer group (link below) where we'll be sharing regular updates. 

And of course, if you'd like to explore joining the team, you can get in touch, and If you know anyone with a heart for Europe, do share what we're doing with them. As ever, we're praying for labourers for the harvest! 

Jeremy & Jen will be hosting a monthly online prayer meeting for Milan. The first one will be on Monday 10th February at 8-9pm. All are welcome to join. 

Bored and addicted to our phones

Less than 20 years after the birth of the iPhone, screens have become the dominant presence in modern life. We work, plan, socialise, read, and entertain ourselves through them. Barely a minute goes by without a pick-up. 

And yet, we’re increasingly aware that too much screen time is harmful. Heightened anxiety from constant doomscrolling. Brain-rot from too much YouTube. Insecurity from perpetual comparison. We’re bored and addicted to our phones.  

We feel like something is wrong. But buying a dumbphone or reducing screen time isn’t enough. What if the problem is deeper? Do we need to understand the roots of our habits?

Behind our restless scrolling is a longing for deep connection. Underneath our influencer-obsession is a search for wisdom. We don’t have a way of dealing with pain, so we distract ourselves with hours of mindless entertainment. What if there’s a better way? 

How do we reimagine what it means to be human in the digital age? Join us as Jeremy explores the roots of our screen habits and considers how the ancient truths of the Christian faith give us a better vision of human flourishing.


Date: Tuesday 4th February
Time: 7.30pm
Price: Free
Location: London Nautical School, SE1 9NA


We would love to see you there and please consider who you could invite. Expect a thought-provoking talk, lots of nibbles, and plenty of time for Q&A. But even if you can't make it, please join us in prayer. Our Salt Live events allow those who would never usually step foot in a church to hear the gospel. Pray that lives will be changed!

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Notices and Events

Giving

If you call Grace London your home, please consider giving financially to support the work of the church. You can find all the details you'll need on our website here. Please email the finance team if you have any questions (accounts@grace.london).

Pre-service Prayer

Prayer is vital to the church. We pray before each service and ask God to be powerfully at work among the church congregation. Anyone is welcome to join! 9.15am & 4.15pm @ LNS Staff Room | 10.45am @ Holborn crèche area.

Winter clothes collection

If you have any spare winter clothes (coats, jumpers, gloves, etc), please consider donating them. We're taking a collection to give to the homeless people we know through Webber Street. Drop them off in the container at the back of our Waterloo services or contact Amy.

Ending the year well

In four days, 2024 will be over. I don’t know how you feel about that. Maybe a sense of relief in closing a hard and unpleasant chapter. Maybe gratitude for a year that exceeded expectations and brought delight. Maybe even cynicism after a year of setbacks and disappointments. Wherever you find yourself as the curtains close on 2024, I want to share some thoughts on how you might finish it well.


Remember
Psalm 77.19–20

New Year’s festivities provide ample opportunity to avoid being alone with our thoughts. We can distract ourselves with meals, movies, board games, live sports and a litany of other options. However, we do ourselves a disservice if we don’t intentionally carve out time to reflect. Scripture shows us that the discipline of remembrance is vital for our joy in God and faithfulness to him. So, why not cast your mind over the past year and write down some things you are grateful to God for? He is worthy of your praise - and giving thanks blesses you even more than it blesses him.

You might think, “This has been a tough year. The last thing I need is to ruin the holidays by dredging up all the painful stuff”. But friend, choosing to remember can also help you savour all the ways God has been good to you despite the pain. As you take stock, you might begin seeing how your heavenly Father has worked amidst the hardship, bringing blessing, refining and sustaining you. Your lament might turn into thanksgiving. But even for those things for which there is no discernible reason to give thanks, remembering still serves a good purpose as it provides an opportunity for a Godward response.


Respond
1 Peter 5.6–7

The beauty of reflecting as a Christian is that you are not left helpless, even when you happen upon a hurt that bears the weight of an immovable boulder. No, you have your heavenly Father whose shoulders are broad enough and arms strong enough to lift the heaviest hurt. He calls you to cast your anxieties - alongside every disappointment, sorrow and sin - onto him. He has new mercies for you every new day and every new year.

You need not hide or run from the difficult realities of life, the grief or the areas of persistent failure. You need not throw up your hands in frustration. As you reflect, you can bring everything and anything to him in prayer, whether for the first or thousandth time. Why? Because he cares for you. He really does care. Enough to send his Son into this world of sin to die to rescue you. There is no safer place, no more hopeful place to bring your problems than to your Maker.


Rest
Psalm 3.3–4

What now? Processing the past year's joys, sorrows, successes and failures can be mentally and emotionally taxing work, but it is not without reward. Having deposited the year's reflections with God, you can rest. You can enjoy God himself. You can enjoy his good gifts, like family, meals, movies and board games. You can sleep. You can slow down, quieten your mind and approach the new year with a sense of peace, knowing you are not approaching it alone.

My Favourite Reads of 2024

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. My dad was fanatical about Westerns, and he inflicted many boring ones on me and my brothers. But one exception was the Lonesome Dove miniseries. At six hours long, it’s definitely not everyone’s idea of fun. But I loved it, and the story has lived with me ever since. This year, I finally picked up the (rather large) novel upon which the TV series is based. It was an absolute joy to read. As one pastor friend put it, ‘Best thing on male friendship ever written.’

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The Toxic War on Masculinity by Nancy Pearcey. Most of us can sense that not all is okay with men these days. They are seen as both villains and victims, as oppressors and oppressed. Somehow, we’ve arrived at a point where men are despised for their innate strengths, yet also pitied for their besetting weaknesses. This leaves men unsure of how to behave, with no substantial vision for authentic and godly masculinity to fill the void opened up by the relentless critiques. Pearcey’s book is a compelling take on what’s gone wrong with men, from a sister in Christ, that helps inspire men to live up to the Scriptural vision for masculinity. And I think women should read it too.

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Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield. When I read Rosaria’s books, I often sense that she is able to say things that others cannot say. This is partly on account of her background and the radical transformation of her life, from lesbian professor of English at a liberal college to Presbyterian pastor’s wife. It’s also to do with the deep authenticity of her spirituality that combines with her intelligence to make her a force to be reckoned with. This is a book to challenge you at every turn, especially where you find yourself in disagreement. Read at your peril.

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The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. It’s always worth reading Haidt for a refreshing and insightful take on cultural issues. He is a Jewish atheist whose instincts often (but not always) resonate as true. This book delves into the phenomenon of a generation whose mental health has seen a catastrophic and alarming decline. While there are other brilliant authors speaking into these matters (such as Jean Twenge and Cal Newport), Haidt’s book is particularly accessible, persuasive, and interesting. Even though Haidt offers some slightly hollow solutions because of his non-religious perspective, I think his book is a helpful starting point for believers, shedding light on some massive problems. There are obvious benefits to Christians who read this book thoughtfully and reflectively. Prepare to ditch your smartphone and social media accounts on your road to renewed sanity and serenity.

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The Man Christ Jesus by Bruce Ware. Nothing is more important for the history of the human race than the incarnation of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that God became man changes everything. Everything. This short book is a brilliant and highly accessible explanation of the significance of Jesus being human. If you want to stretch your understanding and learn more about Jesus, this is a book worth reading.

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Notices and events

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Sunday Services

Our services will run as usual in the coming weeks, but note that on 5th January we have no Waterloo service, and will meet at 11am & 5pm in Holborn.

Winter Clothes Collection

If you have any spare winter clothes (coats, jumpers, gloves, etc), please consider donating them. We're taking a collection to give to the homeless people we know through Webber Street. Drop them off in the container at the back of our Waterloo services or contact Amy.

Together Sunday

We're gathering our three congregations in one service for our Together Sunday. To celebrate the moment, we’ll have a bring-and-share dinner afterwards. Sunday 12th January, 4.30pm @ Westminster Chapel, SW1E 6BS. No Sunday services in Waterloo or Holborn.

Investing yourself

Christmas is coming. Hallelujah! It’s a time for celebration, family, rest and hopefully, spiritual restoration. After a busy term, we probably feel like we need it! But, as well as enjoying time with loved ones, the holidays are also a time to step back, to reflect, and to consider our priorities, particularly as we begin a new year.  

As you reflect on your resolutions for the coming year, let me give you one more question to consider: Who will you invest your life in? 

As we grow older, I suspect we’ll want to consider what kind of legacy we’re leaving behind. For most of us, our legacy will probably not be in the institutions that we’ve established, but in the impact we’ve left on other people. Have we inspired and encouraged them? Have we helped them spiritually? Or have we hindered them?

Most of the time, this will happen passively. As you share your life with others in the church, you’ll naturally rub off on them. For example, if you pursue God wholeheartedly and without compromise, you’ll (almost inevitably) inspire others with your zeal. 

But perhaps the greatest impact we can have is when we're intentional about investing in others. You might call it mentoring, discipleship, or even just intentional spiritual friendship. The times when I've grown the most spiritually have been when someone has taken the initiative to spend time with me personally, helping me to grow. When I first became a Christian, 16 years ago, I benefitted from 1-to-1 discipleship from an Agapé staff worker, Rich. He taught me the fundamentals of following Jesus, how to share my faith, and even how to teach others to do the same. I'll be forever grateful for what he taught me.

Where to start? First, consider who God has placed in your life, who you'd like to help grow. They might be a peer, or someone younger in faith. You might not be that close to them, but it's probably helpful if you see teachability and a desire to grow in them.

Next, go for a drink, and ask them if they'd like to commit to a regular rhythm of meeting (e.g. fortnightly or monthly) for a set period. You might read a Christian book that you've found helpful and reflect on it each time you meet. Or read through a book of the bible. And of course, be intentional about sharing your struggles and joys.

It's not rocket science! But, I think many of the younger folk in our church would love someone older (or wiser) to do this with them! And if you find yourself wanting this kind of input, just ask someone you respect. And if you can't find anyone, email me and we'll help you find someone to walk with you.

Whether you take me up on the suggestion or not, I hope you have some time to rest and personally meet with Jesus over the Christmas holidays, amidst the celebration and feasting!

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Notices and events

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Winter Clothes Collection

If you have any spare winter clothes (coats, jumpers, gloves, etc), please consider donating them. We're taking a collection to give to the homeless people we know through Webber Street. Drop them off in the container at the back of our Waterloo services or contact Amy.

Christmas Services

Our services will run as usual in the coming weeks, but note that on 29th December, we will have no Holborn service and will meet at 11am & 5pm in Waterloo; then on 5th January we have no Waterloo service, and will meet at 11am & 5pm in Holborn.

Together Sunday

We're gathering our three congregations in one service for our Together Sunday. To celebrate the moment, we’ll have a bring-and-share dinner afterwards. Sunday 12th January, 4.30pm @ Westminster Chapel, SW1E 6BS. No Sunday services in Waterloo or Holborn.

Jemima, David & Tom's reflections

Our Weekend Away may feel like a daunting prospect if you’re new to Grace, but it needn't. It's one of the best opportunities to meet others and build relationships. Some of my best Grace London memories - and indeed friendships - have been forged here.

Jemima, David & Tom came on our Weekend Away last June. It was their first experience, so we asked them to share how they found it.

The Weekend Away was such a highlight of this year! Not only was I challenged and encouraged by the teaching, but it really helped me to feel more part of the church family. I loved having time to strengthen friendships and get to know new people!

Jemima

Amid the fast pace London, it's easy to forget to slow down and hear God's still small voice. The Weekend Away provided me with a safe opportunity to do that within the warmth of community. I was able to experience God's presence in such a familiar yet refreshing way through alone time, conversations, worship and the Word.

David

It was captivating having a series of sermons over two days, which gave a narrow and wide lens perspective on the story of Jonah. 

The games evening on Saturday was full of thrills, laughs and entertaining yet impressive performances during various challenges. It was a great (and very joyful) way to bring the church together.

Tom

If you'd like to sign up, now is the time! Early bird discount ends (1st March) so book your ticket below.

We're Hiring

We’re in an exciting season of change in the life of our church. As we gather together on Sundays and attend our midweek Life Groups, it may feel like not much has changed recently, particularly if you attend one of our Waterloo services. However, behind-the-scenes at Grace London HQ, there is a growing complexity in how we facilitate church life, especially since we established another congregation in Holborn. Across three congregations in two locations, volunteer teams are growing, more newcomers are coming through the doors and our financial operations are becoming increasingly important as our church family expands.

With this in mind, I’m pleased to say that we have two new vacancies on the staff team; one is for an Operations Coordinator to take charge of operations related to one of our congregations, and the other is for a part-time Finance Officer to run the day-to-day financial operations at Grace London.

You can find out more about both roles below, including details on how to apply. If you’re drawn to either of these roles, then I’d love to hear from you. Or perhaps there’s someone you know that would be interested? In any case, please pray that God will continue to bless us with His wisdom and that the right people come along to strengthen our operational muscle.

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Operations Coordinator

This role is one of a team of three Operations Coordinators. Each takes an operational lead for each of our three congregations at Grace London - Waterloo AM (10am), Holborn (11:30am) and Waterloo PM (5pm). The Operations Coordinator takes responsibility for the logistics of a Sunday service, including leading volunteers and organising the various events related to the particular congregation. The role also includes the ongoing administration related to the congregation, such as managing the Welcome process, as well as working with the whole Operations team to deliver church-wide events, such as Upper Room or Church Weekend Away.

View job description.

Finance Officer

The Finance Officer plays an important role in the life of Grace London in ensuring that the church’s finances are well-managed and accurately tracked. There is a variety of regular tasks in the day-to-day finance operations that need to be fulfilled in order to maintain the smooth running of the church and the effective stewardship of our finances. The role sits within a broader Finance Team, largely made up of volunteers, who assist with budgeting, reporting and strategy.

View job description.

We’re also looking for an experienced pastor to join our team. Head to our vacancies page to find out more.

What's happening in December?

Many of us are nailing down Christmas plans. There’s a rush of activity as we coordinate hosting duties and travel arrangements, and fill up our schedules. So, to help you plan well, we wanted to share what’s happening in church life during the festive season. Please note these events in your calendar, as we’d love to see you there and celebrate this time together.

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Carols

Sunday 1st December, 4pm* & 7pm @ Cheng Kin Ku Building, WC2A 3LJ

Our Christmas celebration is one of the highlights of the year. Join us for carols, a message and plenty of festive treats. Do consider who you could bring along! No need to sign up.

*There will be children's groups at the 4pm service only.

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Upper Room

Wednesday 4th December, 7.30pm @ London Nautical School

Upper Room is one of our regular church rhythms. On the first Wednesday of the month, we gather to praise God and intercede for our church and city. We hope to see you for our last Upper Room of 2024.
 

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Webber Street Christmas Meal

Thursday 5th December, 6.30pm

Each month, we support homeless people in Waterloo by providing a meal, a listening ear, and an opportunity to hear the gospel. We’re making our meal in December extra special by cooking a Christmas dinner, baking festive treats, and writing Christmas cards for our guests. Location TBC.

If you’d like to help volunteer on the day, bake or write cards, contact Amy (amy@grace.london).

December/Jan services

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New song out now

Our debut single, ‘Crucible’, is available on all streaming platforms. Over the last two years, this song has morphed from a voice memo idea to a studio-recorded single, and we’re so excited to share it with you.

Artwork by Emily Ikoshi

Crucible was an obvious choice for our first release and was truly a team effort. Cezar, Daniel and I wrote its first iteration in February ‘23. Their lyrical and musical talent helped add verses and a bridge to a simple chorus idea. We then took our first draft to Pete, Nats and Bekah, who added finesse and coherence. Through many collaborative sessions, it became the song we sing today and quickly cemented itself as a firm favourite.

Then came the recording. Riley and I went to the studio earlier this year to lay down the drums. Naomi later recorded piano, and Zoe added the lead vocal. Electric guitar, bass, and backing vocals came later. Eventually, after many listens and second opinions, we sent it to a mixing and mastering engineer.

Finally, we have a finished song to share with you! God has equipped our church with many gifted people - Emily created our cover art too! - and it’s been amazing to see how he’s brought us together to complete the project. He does all this for his glory, and our prayer is that this song will lift your eyes to behold and worship Jesus. We constantly need reminding of his forgiving kindness, and we hope this single, whether streamed on the Tube or in the kitchen, will do just that.

P.S. Head to grace.london/music to find lyrics and chord sheets.

Think FAST

Kafui is committed to making a difference in the lives of young people. Alongside being part of our church family, he's CEO of FAST, a charity dedicated to supporting youth in Battersea. In this conversation, Kafui shares his journey, the mission behind FAST, and how we can support their work. Read on to learn more.

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Tell us about yourself.

I am of Ghanaian descent but was born and grew up in North-East London. I joined Grace London in March 2020 after moving to Battersea for work and was blessed to marry Etornam the following September. In June 2023, we welcomed to the world our bundle of joy and very opinionated daughter, Xorlase.

Etornam, Kafui & Xorlase

Please tell us more about FAST.

FAST London is a youth charity based on the Patmore estate that works to support young people aged 10-19. The estate is statistically deprived, and young people have less access to opportunities and are at high risk of all forms of abuse.

We provide three levels of support: 1) open access sessions, including football and cooking,  2) small group interventions and mentoring and 3) ‘keywork’ where we work with parents, social workers and other professionals.

I have been the CEO since 2019 and am responsible for strategy, fundraising, partnerships and governance. I also play a leading role in our Christian youth project.
 

Afterschool cooking session

What’s the vision behind FAST?

The ultimate goal of FAST is to glorify God in how we approach our work and through the impact we make in our community. Our vision is to create, "a community where young people grow up with a healthy sense of trust, resilience and hope for the future." It consists of four key elements:
 

Community. We want young people to belong and know they are unconditionally loved regardless of their gifts and shortcomings.

Trusted relationships. We seek to model and facilitate healthy relationships between young people and ourselves (as authority figures), and between peers.

Resilience. We seek to equip young people to deal with life’s challenges.

Hope for the future. We explore what the Christian faith says about life’s big questions. We also encourage young people to work hard and aspire to a better future in their careers and personal relationships.

We want to model Jesus by practically providing for young people whilst also telling them the spiritual truth of the gospel. Another key desire of ours is to provide opportunities for people who are passionate about sharing the gospel an opportunity to serve whether full-time or volunteering.
 

FAST football training

How can we pray for you and FAST?

Personally, please pray that I grow more in love with God and find complete satisfaction in him. As an extension of this, please also pray for protection over my family.

Secondly, we are blessed to have great relationships with young people and their parents. Please pray for wisdom and boldness to share the gospel, particularly through our Exploring Christianity sessions where there has been real spiritual hunger.

Finally, please pray for partners and finances to further our mission. We have an urgent need to try to raise an extra £150k in the next 18 months and are seeking God’s provision. Please consider becoming a foundational partner and giving monthly to us. 

Praise God for what he’s doing through Kafui and FAST. If you’d like to support FAST financially or through volunteering, please contact them (info@fastlondon.co.uk). They’re looking for volunteers to help deliver their weekly sessions (4-8.30pm) and those with expertise in photography, social media, and fundraising.

More than a meal

As Londoners, we love sharing a good meal, whether hosting a dinner party, meeting for life group, or exploring the hundreds of restaurants that line our streets. Food is always a great way to bring people together from all backgrounds and cultures. But, I wonder how often we consider the command in Luke 14 when Jesus says, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind”  (v13). This kind of hospitality is profoundly counter-cultural.

Over the last 18 months, Grace London has partnered with London City Mission’s homeless ministry in Waterloo, Webber Street. It flows from our passion to practically love our neighbour and share the gospel with our local community. On the first Thursday evening of each month, a team of volunteers hosts a community meal, including a short evangelistic talk.

Here are a few things I’ve learned through this ministry since we began in 2023.


Dignity is powerful.

Jesus shows us the power of dignifying the least, the last, and the lost. Dining with the sick, the sinners, and the outcasts, he demonstrates and calls us to be a community that loves those others overlook.

One of the precious things about Webber Street is the dignity it bestows. Guests leave feeling hopeful and lighter in spirit, having been genuinely listened to and encouraged. Our team of chefs also blesses them with a lavish meal, even as fancy as ‘Coq no vin’! Putting in extra effort is one way to honour and love our guests. 
 

Three of our volunteers, Paulina, Estera & Lucy

Building relationships is key.

Webber Street does much more than feed people. One guest commented that if he needed food, he could sit outside Tesco and wait for someone to buy him a sandwich. But at Webber Street, he finds not just food but community: a place where he can build genuine relationships and be known. Building a community here displays Christ’s compassion for the marginalised, who often feel ignored and isolated.

As Christians, we recognise the importance of fellowship, and it has been a blessing to build relationships through this ministry. We have had deeper conversations as we've built trust, opening up evangelistic opportunities.

The fields are white for harvest. 

It has been exciting to see fruit from this ministry, and in recent months several guests have shown receptivity to the gospel. Praise God for the way he is softening their hearts and drawing these men and women to himself! By God’s grace, more guests have been attending our Sunday services, and as a church, it is vital that we welcome them with the love of Christ. May God continue to use us as his hands and feet!

Please pray 1) that more guests respond to the gospel, 2) that the Lord expands and uses our volunteer team and 3) that we would be ready to welcome these guests into the church with love, care and sensitivity. 

If you are interested in learning more about this ministry or are keen to get more involved, please attend our Information Session & Lunch on Sunday, 27th October, from 1.30-3.30pm at London Nautical School. The session is open to anyone and will be an opportunity to discuss the ministry, give updates, share encouragements and testimonies, and answer any questions.

 

P.S. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to meet up and chat about our Webber Street ministry. Contact me at amy@grace.london.

Rachel and the Salt Course

Rachel first attended the Salt Course in 2022. Since then, she's become a member of Grace London and a Salt Course facilitator herself. She shared her experience with us and her advice to those considering joining the upcoming course.

(The Salt Course is a space to explore life’s big questions from a Christian perspective. Each week involves dinner, a short talk, and discussion in groups. The next course begins on 29th October, 7.30–9.15pm @ Costa Coffee, SE1 8LP. Sign up here.)

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Tell us about yourselves.

I was born and raised in Malaysia and have lived in the UK for seven years. I hadn’t planned to stay for long, but every year, I found myself saying, "Maybe one more year”. And here I am still!

Currently, I’m a physiotherapist working with amputees and prosthetic rehabilitation. I discovered Grace through a friend and attended my first service just before Grace London’s 8th birthday celebration. 


What was your first impression of the Salt Course?

When I first came across the Salt Course, I was not a member of Grace but was intrigued and decided to attend. It was a great opportunity to bring a few friends for whom I was praying. My first impression was free food, passionate leaders and a welcoming atmosphere. 

The sessions challenged me, and I faced questions I hadn't considered before. The experience helped deepen my faith as I conversed with people from many backgrounds and faiths. It felt comfortable, non-judgemental, and a safe space to ask questions.

I’ve also made a few lifelong friends from the Salt Course, one of whom has continued to walk with me as a mentor-like figure and a dear sister in Christ. You never know who you’ll meet!
 

What would you say to someone considering the course for themselves?

Why not! Sacrificing seven Tuesday evenings may seem like a big commitment, but I’m glad I made room. I made room for new questions, new perspectives and new memories. We all come from individual backgrounds, rationales, and experiences. An environment like the Salt Course doesn’t intend to create division through different perspectives but understanding and a path to truth. Attending both initially and as a facilitator has affirmed that there’s beauty in vulnerability and questions - and at some point, we all need them answered.

Do you have any advice for those considering inviting a friend to the course?

I’m so glad I brought mine. It’s been a privilege to witness how God has moved in their lives and my own. Pray for eyes to see those around you the way Jesus does. Be bold and ask. You’re probably in the best position to do so and are more equipped than you think you are. Even if it ends with a rejection or it’s perhaps not the right time, the seed’s been sown.