This autumn term, we plan to begin a third service on Sundays. This new congregation will meet across the river in Holborn, from 13th October, Lord willing.

The decision to plant another congregation has come after much prayer and discussion among the elders. There is always a temptation to keep things as they are, not least because church life is so rich. Why mess with that?!

But the gospel is designed to multiply. Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae about ‘the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth…’ And Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.’

If you’ve ever fermented anything – sourdough starter, kimchi, sauerkraut – you’ll know that the fermenting jar can explode if there isn’t a release valve. The yeast (or leaven) multiplies rapidly, releasing carbon dioxide, and causing the pressure to build. That’s the vivid picture Jesus is using when he talks about this inherent power of the gospel to bubble and ferment with explosive growth.

For quite some time now, we have been facing a significant pressure on space, especially in the morning service. We have felt the need for more capacity, but so far the Lord has not opened the doors to a larger venue. Instead, it seems that the Lord has (quite unexpectedly) provided an opportunity for us to use a suitable venue just north of Waterloo Bridge. This piqued our interest because, around eight years ago, we felt the Lord speak to us about planting a congregation north of the river, and meeting both sides of the Thames. We have not wanted to force this, or cause it to happen prematurely. But now it feels clear that this is the right step for the church. It’s now time to release the pressure and give space for the church to multiply.

Therefore, Sundays at Grace will most likely look like this: 10am Waterloo, 11.30am Holborn, 5pm Waterloo. This is a big change and we’re going to feel the stretch. As we take this big step forward, please continue praying for our church – its health, maturing, and spiritual life.

Our expectation is that most of you will remain committed to your current congregation, which is ideal. But equally, you may feel led to help start this new congregation in Holborn. If that is the case, we’d like to hear from you and would ask you to fill in the form and then join us on Sunday, 22nd September, at 1.30pm for a meeting to talk and pray this through.