YOU ARE WELCOME HERE

We hold our Sunday morning services at Thurston Community College and sometimes we’re back at our home building in Rougham. Make sure you check the homepage for details on where we’ll be gathering. If you’re joining us for the first time, we want to make joining us as simple as possible. We’ve put together all the information you might need below - we’re looking forward to meeting you soon!

 What Can I Expect?

What do I need to know before I come along?

We suggest that you aim to arrive in good time for a 10.30am start at Thurston. You’ll be directed to find a parking space and then to walk through the school to the auditorium and find a seat. If you have kids, you’ll also need to check them in before the service starts, so we advise leaving plenty of time to do just that. Please also bring along a reusable cup for your tea/coffee after the service!

How will I know where to go?

Whatever the location we’re gathering at we will have our fantastic Welcome Team to help you throughout the morning. Since Thurston has multiple entrances, please make sure to enter the school via the main front gates; you will see a BRBC Welcome flag there to help you spot the right entrance. You will be greeted in the car park and directed to a parking space. Parking is not allowed on the road outside the school, so please follow the directions of the Welcome Team. Once you have parked, please make your way to the front entrance of the school and then just follow the signs to the main auditorium.

What will the service be like?

The doors to the auditorium will open at 10.15am and the service will last around 1 hour, 20 minutes. There’s singing, Bible readings, prayers, and a message from Pastor James or one of our other speakers. The children and young people stay in our service until the mid-service break when they will go out to their groups.

What about my children?

If your kids would like to go to age specific kids ministries at the mid-service break, then please sign them in when you arrive. You will see a ‘Kids Check In’ banner when you enter the school, and we will have tablets set up where you can check your child in. Each child will have two stickers printed. One is to stick onto your child so that when they go out to their group, the leaders know who the children are. The second is for you to keep. Each family has an allocated number, and the tickets will show your family number. When you go to collect your child at the end of the service, you will need to show your pick-up ticket so that we can ensure the right child is collected by the right person. We will have members of the kids ministry teams available to help you with the check in; look out for the bright blue BBRC t-shirts which all of our kids leaders will be wearing. You can then enter the auditorium; your kids will stay with you until it is time to go to their groups at the mid-service break.

How do I know where to take my children?

We will have three age-specific groups where our children and young people can enjoy age-appropriate activities and Bible teaching. Please select the relevant drop down menu below to find out more information about how to drop off and collect your children and young people.

  • When you check your child in, you will be given two stickers; one for your child and one for their bag. This group will be in the dining room by the main cafeteria. The Pre School room will be split into age appropriate areas, with babies and young toddlers in one separated area and older children in another. Please exit the auditorium by the left hand doors and look out for the purple ‘Pre School’ banner. Members of the Pre School team will be there to meet you and welcome your little one into the room. At the end of the service, please go to the same place to collect your child. Remember to take your sticker with your family number on to collect your child.

  • This group will be meeting in the main cafeteria. The leaders will take the children to their group from the auditorium, so you will not need to go with them. During the mid-service break, the Leaders will wait at the front of the auditorium, so your child can go down to meet them. They will all go together out of the right hand side of the auditorium to their group. At the end of the service, you will need to collect them. Please exit through the left hand door and follow the corridor. Look out for the green ‘Primary School’ banner; this is where you will need to wait to collect your children. Please have your family sticker with your number on ready. The children won’t be released until you collect them.

  • This group will be meeting in the conference room near the right hand exit of the auditorium. The leaders will wait outside of the auditorium doors to show the young people where to go. They will see the orange ‘Secondary School’ banner to show them which room to go in. They can go to and leave their group by themselves. If you have concerns about this for your child, then please let us know.

What about after the service?

Please stick around for a coffee and a chat. Tea, coffee & biscuits will be served in the main cafeteria; please note that drinks and refreshments can’t be taken back into the auditorium. We will have a Connect Station at the front of the auditorium for anyone with questions.

 You‘ve probably got more questions; please see our FAQ below…

Practical Questions:

  • You will see a sign to the unisex toilets as you get near the auditorium doors. Instead of turning left directly into the auditorium, go straight ahead, and the toilets are on your left. If you are in the auditorium, you will need to exit via the right hand doors (as you face the front). Turn left down the stairs once you out of the auditorium and the toilets are on your left.

  • We will need to fill up the seats in the middle of the rows, so please do move to the middle of the rows to make space for people to sit on the ends as they arrive. Please also fill up on the far side of the auditorium as you go in.

  • If you do need some help for a drink, or something else, then please find a member of the Welcome Team who will be able to help you. There will be a member of the Welcome Team by each door for the duration of the service.

Children and Young People:

  • We love having children of all ages in our service but understand that sometimes you might need to take them out. There is a classroom that you can use if you need to go out with your child. If you exit the auditorium through the right hand doors as you face the stage, and go down the stairs to the left, there is a classroom opposite the toilets that you will be able to use.

  • You are most welcome to stay in the service if you need to feed your baby. However, if you would like to go somewhere quieter then there is a classroom you can use. If you exit the auditorium through the right hand doors and go down the stairs to the left, there is a classroom opposite the toilets that you will be able to use.

  • We understand that particularly during the first few weeks, it will all feel very unfamiliar to the children. If you need to go with them initially to settle them in their group for the first few minutes, then that is fine. Once they are settled, please make your way back to the auditorium as soon as you can. If you have long term worries about this, then please contact us.

  • We will have a system in place where your child’s number and group will be put up on the screen if you are needed for your child during the service. Please make your way out of the auditorium to and go to your child’s group if you see their number come up.

Practical Questions:

  • Please find a member of the Welcome Team who will be able to help you; there will be a member of the Welcome Team on both sides of the auditorium for the duration of the service. In the case of a medical emergency, we will have two dedicated first aiders on site. These are members of the Welcome Team; look for the red cross on their lanyard.

  • Yes. We only have use of the auditorium, the cafeteria area and the two classrooms by the toilets that we have access to. Please ensure that everyone stays in the designated areas before and after the service. We want to respect the school and their requests and so ask that we do stick to the designated areas at all times.

  • Yes, we have access at the side of the school and a designated space at the front of the auditorium. There are accessible toilets in the main cafeteria. If you need help or advice for any access needs, then please contact us here.

  • Yes. We live stream are services to allow those who are unwell to join us or for others serving in children's and youth groups to catch up. We encourage and emphasise the importance of being present in-person at our services. Online recordings of our services are not a replacement of being with us in-person.

Emergency Procedures:

  • Everyone will need to calmly exit the auditorium via both front doors marked on the map as Emergency Exits 1 & 2. We will then proceed to the front entrance of the school where we will gather on the astroturf. The Welcome Team will be there to assist with directions.

  • Children will be brought out by the kids ministry leaders, please do not try to go and find your children. The Leaders have plans in place to ensure that all children are safely brought out to a different area via Emergency Exit 3. Once the children are all out and accounted for, they will be brought round to the astroturf where then you can collect your child.

  • Thurston Community College will have a duty manager on site at all times while we are there. One of our Staff Team members will have a radio and will be able to contact the Duty Manager at all times. They will also be able to contact us if needed.

 

Location:

Thurston Community College,

Norton Road,

Thurston,

Suffolk.

IP31 3PB