In this third instalment of our Sabbath series, Hannah Hylton explores the call to delight in God.

Building from the rhythm of Stop and Rest, she unpacks how Sabbath is not simply about withdrawal from work, but entering into joy, wonder, and relational communion with the Father.

Drawing from Isaiah 58, John 15, Nehemiah 8, and Jesus’ words in Mark 2, Hannah reminds us that God is a joyful God who sings over His children, and Sabbath is His gift to us — a time to remember who we are, delight in His presence, and taste the fullness of life that He intends.

With reflections on counterfeit joy, community, and learning to recognise the Shepherd’s voice, Hannah invites us to embrace Sabbath as a practice of delight that flows from rest and anchors us in our identity as beloved sons and daughters.

Rosie Carter begins our series on the Sabbath, looking at how it is a time to Stop.

Drawing from Genesis 2, she reminds us that God Himself rested not out of weariness, but to model a pattern for our lives. Rosie shares that Sabbath is an act of worship and trust, a time to stop striving and delight in God’s presence.

As we conclude our series, “The One,” David Bareham who is an Elder of Community Church, Thurrock, explores what it means to walk alongside those who have given their lives to Jesus. How do we help new believers grow in faith, establish deep roots and live as devoted disciples of Christ?

This message explores one of Jesus’ most powerful parables, often called The Prodigal Son, but more fittingly The Parable of the Two Sons. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories of what was lost and then found—the sheep, the coin, and finally, the sons—revealing God’s relentless heart for people.

Through the rebellion of the younger son and the resentment of the older, we see that both are lost in different ways. One runs away in open sin, the other hides behind self-righteousness. Yet the Father seeks both—running to embrace the prodigal and gently entreating the elder.

This sermon calls us to see ourselves in the story: Are we the younger, needing grace? Or the older, resenting grace? And ultimately, will we rejoice with God when the lost are found?

Today we were celebrating Freedom Church's first birthday. Here's what some of us had to say about the last year.

This week Freedom Church visited City Church Canterbury, along with 8 other churches, for our Relational Mission Community Day.

In this moving talk, John Kirkby — founder of Christians Against Poverty and leader of the Isaiah 61 movement — shares his personal story of transformation: from a lost, broken man living in deep debt and despair, to a life turned around by the kindness of a stranger, the love of a local church, and the redeeming power of Jesus.

This message is not just a testimony — it’s a call to action. John challenges us to rethink evangelism and take five seconds of courage to change someone’s eternity. Through his story and the vision behind Isaiah 61, you’ll be inspired to believe again that no life is too far gone.

Whether you’re struggling to share your faith or longing to see your church culture shift towards Jesus-sharing, this talk will move and motivate you.

Find out more about the Isaiah 61 movement and how you or your church can get involved: https://i61m.org/

Practising the Way 6 - Rule of Life

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been journeying through Practising the Way together, exploring what it means to truly follow Jesus. So far, we’ve looked at following Jesus, formation, spiritual practices, meeting God in pain and suffering, and last week Hugh shared about healing from sin.

This week, we turn our attention to the idea of a Rule of Life. While not a direct biblical concept, a Rule of Life is a time-tested Christian tool designed to help us stay anchored in our walk with God and open to transformation. It’s not about legalism, but about intentionally living in obedience to Jesus and creating a framework that helps us abide in Him.

Drawing on John 15:5–8 and the wisdom of early church saints like St. Basil and St. Benedict, we explore how a Rule of Life can support us in becoming more like Jesus. We all have a “rule of life” whether we realise it or not—the rhythms and routines that shape who we are becoming. The invitation is to reorder our lives around practices that help us abide in Christ: Sabbath, prayer, fasting, solitude, generosity, Scripture, community, service, and witness.

This is not about guilt or striving but about responding to the grace of God and choosing to grow, step by step, into the people He is calling us to be.

Please use the link below to access the Rule of Life Template.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11KQ31AE-jVR4-_54FpBiOeT3t1nYYA2P/view?usp=drivesdk

Practising the Way 5 - Healing from Sin

Sin is not just wrongdoing, but a distortion of our desires and a rupture in our relationship with God and others. Jesus offers healing and freedom from sin through confession, repentance, and grace-fueled transformation.

In this sermon, guest speaker Hugh Pearce—an elder at Redeemer Church Colchester—shares from Luke 5:27–32, exploring the themes of sin done by us, sin done to us, and sin done around us.

Practising the Way 4: Meeting God in Pain and Suffering

This reality is that following Jesus does not exempt us from suffering, but invites us to meet God in the midst of it. Rosie Carter shares that through practices of lament, trust, and perseverance, we learn to encounter Jesus' comfort and transformative presence in our pain.

This sermon also contains a moving testimony from a couple called James and Anna Palmer. Despite facing the heartbreaking loss of a first wife at 22 after only 9 months of marriage, the death of a baby nephew, mental health challenges, the pain of infertility, church hurt and intense work-related stress, they continue to put their trust and faith in the LORD. 🙏

Practising the Way 3 – Do as Jesus Did

This week, Kathryn Bailey from The City Church Canterbury speaks on what it means to Do as Jesus Did, focusing on Matthew 28:16–20.

The practices of Jesus are essential to our spiritual formation. They are how we do what we can do—Sabbath, prayer, reading Scripture—to make space for God to transform us into the kind of people who can do what we currently cannot do: live and love like Jesus.

Drawing from John 15:1-9, Luke 6:39-40 and John Mark Comer’s *Practicing the Way*, this preach explores the deep spiritual truth that transformation doesn’t come through striving harder, but through *abiding deeper* in Christ.Spiritual formation is intentional, not accidental. Jesus calls us not just to do things *for* Him, but to be *with* Him. Abiding in Christ is the foundation of becoming like Christ. Practices like prayer, silence, Sabbath, and community aren’t burdens—they’re lifelines.Whether you're single, married, working, retired in school, or simply navigating modern life, you’ll be encouraged to slow down, be present, and abide in the love of Jesus.Where is your life abiding today? In Christ—or in distraction, hurry, and self-sufficiency?

On Sunday, we explored what it truly means to follow Jesus—not just in belief but in practice. His call to “Come, follow me” (Matt. 4:19) is an invitation to a lifelong apprenticeship.

From Mark 8:34–37 and John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way, we learned that discipleship means denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and centering our lives around 3 goals:

1.⁠ ⁠Be with Jesus

2.⁠ ⁠Become like Jesus

3.⁠ ⁠Do what Jesus did

This requires reordering our lives through practices like prayer, Sabbath, Scripture, and community. This isn’t about guilt—but about accepting the gracious invitation to grow together in faith and formation.