Whether you’d like to save the world, conquer the universe, solve a murder, build a city, or perhaps become a pirate, there are plenty of board games for you! There will be Lego as well for kids who’d like to play with that.

The whole day (10am-9pm) is open to all (for free), but from 2-6pm the focus will be on shorter, lighter games that people of all ages can get into and enjoy, so that would be a good time to come if bringing younger children. There’ll be lots of games available to try, so don’t worry if you don’t have many yourself.

Please bring your own lunch (if necessary) and we’ll organise a takeaway supper on the day (please bring some cash if you’ll want that)

This will be the 3rd games day hosted at BGBC, and they’ve all been really fun so far! It’d be great to have even more people joining in this time- please do invite your friends and family!

The people of the Sevenoaks area have a long history of providing support to refugees fleeing war and oppression.
In 1685, after Louis XIV of France declared Protestantism to be illegal, tens of thousands of French Protestants – the Huguenots – came to England to start again. Some of these were given space in Sundridge and Chevening. Interestingly, the word “refugee” entered the English language with the arrival of the Huguenots.

In the 18th century we know that several African Americans fleeing slavery in the US spoke (and sang) of their trials and troubles on platforms and in pulpits in Sevenoaks. In the 1850’s Robert Owen, philanthropic social reformer and one of the founders of the cooperative movement, who lived his later years at Park Grange (now part of Sevenoaks School – the house at the very southern end of the upper High Street) gave a home to various European refugee politicians, including the Russian intellectual Alexander Herzen.

During the First World War thousands of refugees from Belgium were dispersed across the country, including here in the Sevenoaks area. The Sevenoaks Chronicle described how local people were engaged in raising money and collecting clothes for the refugees already in their midst. On 23 October 1915, the Sevenoaks Chronicle reported a whist drive being held in the Weald for the destitute Belgians Fund, while Mr Frank Robinson let it be known that the cinema was admitting Belgian refugees into the mid-week and Saturday matinee for free. In July 1916 the Sevenoaks Belgian Refugees’ Fund stated that since its foundation the Fund had “entirely supported or partially assisted over 80 persons”.

Greek children, refugees from Anatolia in 1923, were supported by a group in Sevenoaks. In 1936 clothing was collected in Sevenoaks for Spanish refugees.

In October 1939 there were some 6,000 refugees from Europe in Kent. The Sevenoaks Chronicle reports how in 1938-40 the Sevenoaks District Refugees’ Committee was planning the reception of children who were ‘victims of Nazi persecution’.

Sevenoaks families gave a kind reception to East African Asians expelled from Uganda in 1972.

And now the Syrian civil war has created the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time.

If you’d like to help support refugees from Syria now living in our community, or know more about what the local refugee support group is doing, please contact Humphrey Pring, chair of Sevenoaks Welcomes Refugees at sevenoakswelcomesrefugees@gmail.com

With thanks to David Killingray and Matt Ball

Join us for a ‘Bring and Share’ Church lunch, after the morning service, on Sunday 1st July 2018

To hear the recording of the worship from our Pentecost Praise Party click here.

Want to know what is happening with the young people at BGBC and the local area? Please read Josh’s Winter 2018 newsletter here.

The BGBC Afternoon Service is an informal church service for anyone; but was born out of a desire to keep in contact with those who has chosen to participate in sport on the Sunday morning.

The service is a relaxed hour, where children aged 6/7 years old and over are encouraged to stay in the service, worship and learn with their families. Activities are provided in the back hall for those younger.

During the hour you can expect a time of lively worship and singing, praying, interviews and interactivity. The sermon is short, often delivered in sections, and is interspersed with lots of activities and discussion.

Every week we finish a bring and share, “potluck” tea together, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

Hungry Harry (the big dustbin just inside the chapel doors at the front) has an empty tummy!

Harry is the collection point for all donations to the Sevenoaks Food Bank, which helps provide non-perishable food and groceries for families in need in the Sevenoaks area.  They are currently in need of donations of:

• breakfast cereals
• long life fruit juices
• pasta/curry/stir-fry sauces
• tinned meat
• tinned vegetables
• tinned fruit
• biscuits and cereal bars
• sugar
• honey/jam/marmalade
• toothpaste/toothbrushes
• tissues
• kitchen roll
• laundry cleaning products

Please donate what you can, and do check use by dates!

Please join us on Tuesday 24th April 2018, at 20:00, for our annual Church AGM.

Everyone who attends BGBC is an integral and important part of the Church Family and we’d love it if you could join us. If you would like to take a more active role in the life of the church and be involved in the decision making and are not yet a member please speak to Charlie or one of the Elders about becoming one (which would enable you to vote at Church Meetings).

The agenda can be found here.

If you would like further documents please contact the church office and we’ll be happy to send them out.

Start the year with prayer. The prayer team would like to call all of BGBC to a week of prayer.

The church will be open for a guided prayer time each day from Monday the 15th to Sunday the 21st of January 2018. Our theme will be ‘walking with Jesus into 2018 and beyond’.

Please make a note in your diary of the dates and times of the sessions.

Please click on the image below for a copy of the Walking with Jesus prayer guide. If you are unable to physically attend Week of Prayer events, you can still participate. This guide picks up the theme and readings for each day and offers a couple of thoughts and suggestions to guide your prayers and reflections.