All Saints Together

All Saints Together is held three times a year on a Thursday evening when the whole of All Saints gathers together for teaching and prayer.

All Saints has developed a multiple service and congregation model of church.  This model, sometimes called a multiplex church, has many attractions.  It has enabled us to develop five Sunday services, each of which has an intentionally distinctive style of worship.  These services are focussed at different people groups in order to build up multiple congregations, partly but not exclusively, defined by age.  The model has been partially responsible for the growth in the church in recent years. 

However, there are some drawbacks.  Belonging in a large church with multiple congregations means that many people find it hard to sense that they belong to the whole church.  Additionally, many members have probably never attended all the different services so do not come into contact with some of their fellow members.  So it is difficult to affirm the corporate and shared identity of the church.

Also, there is the challenge of finding an appropriate place for addressing the whole church through preaching and teaching.  It is very difficult to teach the whole church through Sunday services, especially with a visiting speaker.  It is a little daunting to be asked to preach at five services on a Sunday! 

Consequently, we have created "All Saints Together" - an event which brings the church together three times a year for quality teaching and prayer.  These are  held on Thursday evenings in the church.  All home groups etc are strongly encouraged not to meet that week and all groups would be encouraged to attend.  A significant preacher/speaker is invited to speak for up to 45 minutes on a key theme. There is then discussion and prayer following.