New to Church?

If you are new to church, new to East Sheen, or simply curious about Christian faith, you are very welcome at Parkside Christian Centre.

We know that coming to a church for the first time can feel like a big step. You might wonder what to wear, where to sit, what will happen, or whether you will know what to do. Please do not worry. We are a friendly Elim church family and we would love to help you feel at home.

You are welcome here

Parkside Christian Centre is a welcoming Christian church based at:

173 Upper Richmond Road West
East Sheen
SW14 8DU

Whether you have been a Christian for many years, have not been to church for a long time, or are exploring faith for the first time, you are welcome to come along.

You do not need to have everything worked out before visiting. You can come with faith, questions, doubts, or simply a desire to find out more.

What happens on a Sunday?

Our Sunday service normally begins at 10:30am.

A typical service includes a warm welcome, worship, prayer, Bible teaching and time together as a church family. As an Elim Pentecostal church, we believe that God is present with us as we worship, pray and listen to his Word.

Services are designed to help people encounter God, grow in faith and be encouraged for everyday life.

What should I wear?

There is no dress code. Some people come smartly dressed, others come more casually. Please wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

Will I have to do anything?

No. You will not be put on the spot or asked to introduce yourself publicly. You are welcome to join in as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

If you are not familiar with church, that is completely fine. You can simply watch, listen and take things at your own pace.

Can I bring children?

Children and families are very welcome at Parkside Christian Centre.

If you are visiting with children, please speak to someone from the welcome team when you arrive and they will be happy to help you.

What is the worship like?

Worship is an important part of our life together. We sing, pray and make space to focus on God.

As part of the Elim Pentecostal Church movement, we believe the Holy Spirit is active today and that worship is a time when people can be encouraged, strengthened and drawn closer to Jesus.

Do I need to be a Christian to come?

No. You do not need to be a Christian to visit Parkside Christian Centre.

Church is a good place to explore faith, ask questions and find out more about Jesus. We would be very happy to welcome you wherever you are on your journey.

What happens after the service?

There is usually time to talk, meet people and find out more about church life. If you are new, please do stay and say hello. We would love to meet you.

If you would like someone to pray with you, or if you have questions about faith, church or getting involved, please speak to one of the team.

Part of the Elim family

Parkside Christian Centre is part of the Elim Pentecostal Church movement.

Elim is a family of Pentecostal churches across the UK, Ireland and beyond. Elim churches are centred on Jesus, open to the work of the Holy Spirit, and committed to sharing the good news of God’s love with their communities.

Come as you are

Our hope is that Parkside Christian Centre will be a place where you feel welcomed, encouraged and able to discover more about God.

We would love to welcome you soon.

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Livewires (3-7 years)
Encounter (7-11 years)
Katalyst (11-15 years)
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Night Shelter
Foodbank

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)