About Us
Who Are We?
Ark began in 2009 with a group of people wanting to create a different kind of church. One that was missional and free to develop in the gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit. To begin with we rented space on Sundays and met in homes mid-week, but all the time we were asking God to provide us with land or a building to call our own.
After four years we appointed our pastor and two years later were given a church building with land. We renovated and modernised, but space was limited and children’s ministry took place in a static caravan out in the garden! Three years after moving in we began a building expansion project that doubled the size of the church. At the same time we joined LifeSpring Apostolic Family and are now part of a regional and worldwide group of churches with shared values and passion for Jesus.
Since emerging from COVID, Ark has seen dramatic change. We have welcomed many families from Hong Kong, Ukraine and Honduras and have grown to the point that we now need two services each Sunday. The children’s ministry has mushroomed too, and we are beginning to need more space. We now have three full-time members of staff, with a Pastor, Assistant Pastor and Worship & Tech leader. God has been wonderfully faithful thus far, and we are excited for all he has in store and the journey ahead!
Our Values
We have established and maintained a number of key values over the years. These defining characteristics are part of our spiritual DNA, and can be summed up as:
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We are a Bible based church where we believe in the Word of God and are guided by its teachings (Ps 119:105, Heb 4:12).
Jesus is central to our worship, prayer and ministry, and these flow from our passion and love for him (Jud 20-21). We seek to encounter his presence, experience his love and know him more every time we meet (Jn 15:5, 2 Cor 5:14-15).
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We enjoy and exercise the freedom God gives us. We value all parts of The Trinity and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us as we meet together to worship.
It was for freedom that Christ has set us free (Gal 5:1, Jn 8:36) and we know that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17). We welcome the use of the gifts of the Spirit, expect the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and encourage prayer ministry among the body of believers.
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We are generous with all that God has given to us. We believe in tithing as individuals and model this as a church.
Jesus said “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt 10:8). “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). We have always given gifts and shown God’s love in practical ways to everyone. We know that this reflects God’s heart as a loving Father.
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Ark is a place where we can feel part of the family of God, where everyone is welcome, where there is safety and support, and where each person can develop and grow.
Just like in families, Ark is made up of different generations who love and care for one another (Rom 8:16-17, Rom 12:9-18, Jn 15:12). It is a place of learning and innovation, where things don’t have to be perfect and mistakes are okay (Col 3:12-17). It’s a place where we can be real and honest with one another in love (Jam 5:16, Eph 4:15).
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Ark is a church that is outward in focus, aiming to transform the lives of people in our local community, across the UK, and in other nations of the world (Mat 28:19).
We believe that God’s heart is for everyone, but especially for those who don’t yet know him (Jn 3:16-17). We believe in Kingdom building, not empire building (2 Cor 5:20). We make friendships with and accept people who do not share our faith, because we know that by loving others we reveal Jesus to them and earn the right to share the gospel with them (2 Cor 2:14-15, 1 Pet 4:8-10, 1 Cor 9:22, Rom 10v17).
Meet the Team
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Stephen Eaves
Pastor
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Lynn Jennings
Assistant Pastor