Broadfield Christian Fellowship

Thought for the Week – from Caroline (2nd August 2020)

THE QUILT

As I faced my Maker at the last Judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with the other souls. Each of us laid our lives out, like the squares of a quilt, in many piles.

An Angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that was our life.

But as my Angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes! Each square was labelled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I had endured (which were the largest holes of all).

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Others had a tiny hole here and there; other tapestries were filled with rich colour and the bright hues of worldly fortune.

I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My Angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light and the scrutiny of truth. The others rose each in turn, holding up their tapestries. How full their lives had been.

My Angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn’t had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, death, and false accusations that took from me my world as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I had spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father, in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it had been.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with eyes wide. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded through the many holes, creating an image:

THE FACE OF CHRIST.

Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said,

“Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you … Welcome Home My Child.”

(Author unknown)

Welcome to the Broadfield Christian Fellowship Website

Broadfield Christian Fellowship is a local church made up of people from all backgrounds. We are based in the Broadfield Community Centre, which we share with the Church of England and Roman Catholic churches. We are adjacent to the local shopping parade, which includes a large free car park, and opposite the library and Neighbourhood Hub, ideally situated for the local community.

Broadfield is the largest neighbourhood in the new town of Crawley in West Sussex, situated in its south-western corner within the triangle formed by the A23, A264 and A2220. It is predominantly made up of estates of council, housing trust and former council housing, with private housing estates around the perimeter. Broadfield has a population of over 13,000. Click here for a map showing our location.

Broadfield Christian Fellowship is a Link Church within the Ichthus Christian Fellowship, which is based in South London, and a member of the Evangelical Alliance. We are in fellowship with other evangelical churches in Crawley and have links with various local Christian groups, such as The Lighthouse Project, a Christian ministry to the children of Crawley, The Christians Against Poverty Crawley Debt Centre, Holmsted Manor near Cuckfield, run by Youth With A Mission, the International Bible Training Institute in Burgess Hill, and The Easter Team, a local Christian charity that serves people who are homeless or in need in and around Crawley.  We also support and have a number of members actively involved with Street Pastors Crawley.

We meet every Sunday morning at 10.30 am (10.00 am for refreshments) in the Community Centre Social Hall for worship and teaching. Our worship style is informal and generally led by people from within the Fellowship, with occasional visiting speakers. We normally celebrate communion on the third or fourth Sunday in each month and at other times as arranged. We have weekly house group meetings, usually on Tuesday evenings.

Every Wednesday at 9.30 am we run the Triangle Coffee Shop in the Social Hall, at which coffee, tea, biscuits and cakes are served for a nominal donation. Second-hand clothes and other items are also freely available. This provides an important service to the community and many people drop in during this time. We also host the Friday Meal, a free drop-in cooked meal at 5.00 pm every Friday. The Coffee Shop and the Friday Meal have been awarded the highest 5-star Food Standards Agency rating for Food Hygiene by the local authority.

On the first Sunday of each month at 7.00 pm we join with other churches in Crawley for celebration, teaching, prayer and fellowship at Crawley Baptist Church, Crabtree Road, West Green.

Email Contact Details

You can contact us by email at fellowship@broadfield.org.uk with any queries you may have about our activities or this web site. If you wish to contact one of the leaders, please use the same address and your message will be passed on. Thank you.