Our creche is run by Margaret King. Margaret says: One of the greatest honours that our Lord has bestowed on me is teaching his very youngest of children. He showed me exactly how he wanted his children taught. Firstly, he wanted them to be able to speak to him as soon as they could talk, and instead of saying "let's pray" the Lord taught me to say "let's speak to Jesus". Then we say a simple prayer with a drink and a biscuit so that the children learn to thank him for what he provides. Also he wanted a blanket laid on the floor so that the children could sit on it and be read to from the Bible and prayer books; he wanted them to learn action songs and colouring activites and have plenty of toys; and he wanted us to end creche for the day by holding hands in a circle so that we could thank Jesus for our time together, tell him anything we want to say, and ask Jesus to make anybody better who wasn't very well. It is such a joy and a blessing to hear a small child name the name of Jesus for the very first time. We hope the children grow up with a strong sense of God's love for them.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Still got questions? Email us now - we look forward to hearing from you!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

As well as our Sunday morning service, we meet to pray Sunday evenings in the church at 6.30pm. You don't need to be in a church or with a group of people to pray; praying is just talking to God and you can do it walking along the street, doing the housework, while fetching a coffee from the vending machine in the office... but sometimes it's really good to get together and have other people back-up your prayers.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Then someone from the leadership team, or sometimes a guest speaker from another church, will spend 30 to 40 minutes teaching us about what the Bible says and how that applies to our lives today. We have two BSL (British Sign Language for the deaf) signers in our church who interpret for our deaf members. Once a month the service will include taking Communion (also known as Holy Communion or the Eucharist). This is when Christians eat a piece of bread and drink a little bit of wine or red grape/currant juice as a symbolic reminder of Jesus' body being broken for us (the bread) and his blood spilt (the wine) when he died on the cross and how grateful and amazed we should be that he went through all that suffering to pay the price for our sins and reunite us with God the Father.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Richmond Park Church is what is sometimes known as a "happy clappy" church!! We do indeed sing our praise songs (modern hymns) along to the music of a guitar, keyboard, trombone, and drums, sometimes clapping along, and a couple of people even shake a tambourine! No organs or pews or stained glass windows for us! With have chairs set in rows, or sometimes in a big circle; an overhead projector beams the words of our songs onto a screen, we don't have hymn books; we don't have prayer books either - people pray out loud when they feel able to, from where they are standing or sitting. Sometimes some of the ladies dance to the songs, using expressive hand movements, or waving flags. Sometimes before the sermon a bunch of amateur dramatists will invade the stage to act out their five minute interpretation of a Bible story or theme! Sometimes they use puppets!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

On Sunday mornings we meet at 10.30am. There is a creche for the tiny tots, and Sunday School for the slightly older kids - except about once a month when we put on a shorter service with activties especially for the children and they sit in the main part of church all the time, instead of disappearing into the back room or upstairs. We stay behind in church for tea and coffee after our "family service". All the church folk that work with the kids are CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) checked and cleared.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

The "Good News After Schools Club" for 7 to 11 year olds meets on Fridays at 3.30pm until 5.00pm. The aim of the club is to teach children about the love of God and respect for one another. Creative activities include painting, drawing, making things, cooking and fun and games. During the summer months there are additional outdoor activities.

We follow normal child protection guidelines and all staff are CRB checked.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

We welcome news, updates and general chat from our ex-students!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

We work closely with Friends International South Wessex.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Our main activity for students is our International Student Meal Evening (ISME), held every other Thursday at 6pm, to which you are warmly invited. The evening includes food, a short English language session, a time of worship and short message about the Christian faith.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

As Bournemouth is a centre for language schools we have the privilege of meeting students from all over the world, and because of this we are happy to provide opportunities for friendship and language learning. It is our great joy to have welcomed many, many international students to the church.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

We are aware that during our get-togethers lasting relationships have been formed among the parents and the children are often asking them when the next "toy time at that church" is!

We follow normal child protection guidelines and all staff are CRB checked.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

We warmly invite you to our Parents & Toddlers morning, "Step By Step", Tuesdays term time between 9.30-11.30am.This is a great time to come together in a secure, relaxed and informal atmosphere where parents and carers can unwind as their children enjoy playing with toys, creating different things, sliding down the slide, singing and learning to relate to one another at a young age

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

So now you know!

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Because of it's Celtic history it is only popular in the UK, and the USA and Canada, taken there by the Irish who emigrated to America in their tens of thousands after the 1845 potato famine.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

By the 9th century, Samhain traditions were still going strong, so the church tried to take-over the evening of the 31st of October itself by making it another feast day, "All Hallows Even" (evening) and this and Samhain (remember, it's pronounced something like "sow-een") merged to become "Halloween".

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

The date was chosen on purpose to rival Samhain and involved similar traditions, including dressing up as a saint, an angel or a devil and joining a parade, with the aim of weaning people off of the pagan festival.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

These were usually local festivals, though the martyrdom of some of the apostles were more widely celebrated. Pope Gregory III (731-741AD) decided to have one day a year in the church calendar to celebrate all the martyrs or saints, instead of lots of different regional saint's days, and this was set as the 1st of November, and known as the "Feast of All Saints" or "All Saint's Day" or "All Hallows Day" ("hallow" is an old English word for saint or holy person).

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Meanwhile, after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in 30AD, the "new" controversial religion, Christianity, spread to Asia Minor, Greece and to Rome, and so through the Roman Empire, largely as a result of persecuted Christians having to flee Jerusalem. As Christians were killed for preaching about Jesus and standing up for their beliefs, those surviving chose to commemorate the death of these martyrs or saints by celebrating "martyrs days" or "saints days".

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

They also left out treats, like cakes, as a peace offering. When the Romans came to Britain (successfully in 43AD after failed attempts in 55BC and 54BC) they added the traditions of their own harvest festival, "Pomona", to Samhain, such as bobbing for apples in water barrels and putting nuts in the fire to watch where they jump to.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

People tried to protect themselves from attack by disguising themselves as witches, devils and ghosts, and carved grotesque faces in things like pumpkins, which they kept illuminated by candlelight, to ward off evil spirits.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

marking the beginning of winter and the first day of the Celtic new year, celebrated on the evening of the 31st of October. The Druids (Celtic priests) also believed that on this day (exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice) the barriers between the human and supernatural worlds were broken, allowing demons, witches and lost souls to harass the living and play tricks on them.

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

What About Halloween?

Halloween was originally called "Samhain" -a Gaelic word pronounced "sow-in" (in Ireland), or "sow-een" (in Wales), or "sav-en" (in Scotland) - meaning "summer's end." The Celtic culture had established itself throughout the British Isles from approx. 600 BC to 50 AD, and Samhain was an ancient Celtic type of harvest festival,

richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:19-21
richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

In October 2007 we will be starting a "Prayer Surgery" on Wednesday between 10am and 2pm at the church, meaning anyone can drop in and have someone pray with them.
richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset UK