Home » Weekly Church Prayer Focuses » Barnwell Baptist Church

Weekly Prayer Focus: Barnwell Baptist Church

Week 10

Barnwell is located in the north-east of Cambridge and Barnwell Baptist church is based there on a large estate with many social issues. Rev Stuart Wood has been the minister for twenty years and is leading this outward-looking fellowship through a time of change and opportunity.

The congregation of about forty people meet on Sundays at the Howard Road building and there are also many weekday activities that take place. Eleven years ago, a Community Association, “Abbey People”, was established that continues to develop work in the local community, including running a Food Hub. The Church has an Alpha Supper event planned for the end of April, with an Alpha course starting in May. Midweek small groups will take a break over the summer and will be refreshed and relaunched in September.

The church has seized the initiative with the building of the new Marleigh development of 1,400 new homes close by. A couple of years ago the church took on Catrin Horrex as Minister in Training and have agreed to appoint her as a full-time minister for Marleigh when she graduates from Spurgeon’s College this summer. The church has bought a house on the Marleigh estate for Catrin and her family as she develops a new congregation there.

There is a new video about this at https://youtu.be/VmFV_spW1vU?si=CmoSmuHCERkzJ1pn

The church has stepped out in faith and has taken on the financial challenge to buy the house and to employ Catrin. And so far, God has provided at every step, and they are certain He will continue!

There are challenges ahead with the development and integration of two congregations as one church and with the new leadership structure. There are also long-term plans to redevelop the Howard Road premises to provide better facilities and more sustainable buildings.

These are exciting and changing times for the church at Barnwell and Marleigh.

Pray for:

The engagement with deeper discipleship and the refreshing of small groups.
Expanding the fringe of the church and the Alpha Supper event in April and the Alpha Course running in the summer term.
For Catrin as she completes her training and goes full-time from September.
For wisdom and guidance for the future for the potential development of the church site.