Newton Mearns Baptist Church – Maidenhill
By Rev Dave Lazonby, Pastor, Newton Mearns Baptist Church
Maidenhill is a brand new housing estate, on the southern edge of Newton Mearns. Even before the first bricks we’re laid, we felt moved as a church to pray for this area, sensing that this community would be better with a church in its heart.
We started prayer walking and church planting training and wondering what God would have us do. One theme throughout has been God making a way where there is no way.
At first we were told that the school would not do weekend lets. Then we prayed, and they could!
Next we were told that holidays simply wouldn’t be possible. Then we prayed, and they were!
And so, we have progressed to meeting weekly in the Primary School, first fortnightly in term-times only. Then weekly, and now through the school holidays too. Our small team has grown as others have sensed God’s call and joined in, and we’ve had the joy of seeing God drawing others. Most recently we have been joined by one young woman who is clearly seeking God, and a mother and daughter who have connected through the SU group we run in the school.
We are now one church in two locations, keeping strong links with our Greenfarm Road congregation, sharing evening services, youth work, Alpha and more, as we seek to multiply our gospel witness in our community.
Our weekly worship has been complemented by outreach events in the community. Delivering daffodils sparked some online gratitude. Easter and Christmas events have gathered a crowd. And we’re now test-running a whole variety of activities to find out what the community needs and what can become a regular outreach in the area.
We’d love you to pray:
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Thanking God for how he has answered prayers and made a way for us
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Praying for those who are seeking faith to find it!
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Seeking God for a space in the community where we can meet midweek (currently there is nothing, but we have some creative ideas)
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Praying for the right regular outreach to be started which will build connections in the community