Church is boring. Right? 

Tell that to all the friends I have made through the church. This is a stereotype that JD Church disproves week in and week out. Led by pastors Adriano and Lucy Schoeps, from Brazil, JD Church is a constantly growing, vibrant church based in Old Town, Swindon. They aim to ‘scatter the seeds of the kingdom of God’ through their actions of ‘unconditional love’ and the ‘truth of God’s word’. They further aim to ‘empower a generation of disciples continue the work of Christ on Earth’. 

Youth 

The church’s youth group is called Emerge. Led by youth leader Ben Crathorne, they aim to create a space for young people between the ages of 11 and 18 to feel loved and a part of something big. Speaking from my personal experience of being a part of the youth group, I can attest to the family atmosphere of the group. Prior to joining, I was a Christian but didn’t feel the sense of belonging that I had craved from it. Once I started attending Emerge, I immediately found that feeling. When I showed to a random youth group one day in the spring of 2019, I could never have imagined that I would still be there in 2022. 

The group meets on a Friday and a Sunday. During a Friday evening, the group are given a mini preach by one of the youth leaders or by a visiting/guest speaker. They also play a game and are provided food and drink. On a Sunday morning, they meet separately from the rest of the church, where they do a Bible study together. The Friday session is focussed on having fun, while still being grounded in the word of God. However, the Sunday session is more grounded in the word of God, though there is still an aspect of fun, for example they can play games like Uno and can play games like FIFA on the Xbox. 

Creative Team 

The creative team is led by the incredibly talented Maria Schoeps, and it encompasses everything from tech (sound, lights and visuals) to worship. If you are unaware, worship refers to anything that Christians can do to bring glory to God, though in this case I am referring to the music that is performed in church. The creative team meet every Wednesday to rehearse for the Sunday services. This is very helpful as it allows for the team to iron out any issues that may arise before the Sunday service. Furthermore, it allows for anybody who is new to the team to get settled in before they start serving. In addition to this, this allows for them to get used to the church’s style. This is a ministry I serve in. One of my roles is to record the livestreams for the Sunday services. Also, I have started to teach people who are new to the team how to use the cameras. 

As explained by Jamie, who is a member of the creative team it is our job as members of the creative team to create an environment where people can ‘meet with God and experience His love’ whenever the church comes to worship. 

Hospitality 

Hospitality is one of the most important aspects of any church. Luckily for JD, it is one they are a master of. From the moment that walk the doors they aim to make you feel welcome. If it is your first time at the church you are provided with a welcome bag, which contains a box of chocolates and some cards to fill out, if you would like to stay in contact with the church. Many people say that the reason that they keep coming back to the church is how welcome they were made to feel on their first-time attending. Refreshments, such as tea, coffee and baked goods, such as cookies and donuts, are offered after each service in the church’s café. In addition to this, the pastors allow people to come to the front of the church, if they have any prayer requests. 

Outreach 

JD church has some outreach projects in Swindon and beyond. In Swindon they offer support to the Swindon Night Shelter. The Night Shelter is a Christian charity, which aims to help the homeless and vulnerable in the Swindon area. JD also supports charities outside of the UK.