New Life Family Church

New Life Church is a family-orientated, contemporary-styled church that has been meeting in or around Stowmarket for over fifteen years. Our meetings are informal and easy to engage with, with something for everyone.

A live band leads off the meeting with upbeat songs that generally speak of God’s goodness, power and works. We then listen to what’s going on in church with Church News. The kids head off to their own sessions, packed with more songs, games, quizzes, stories, videos and loads more, whilst the band continue with some slower-paced songs, more reflective and focused on Jesus.

Then there’ll be a message, usually given by Pastor Mike, or by one of the other leaders, or occasionally by a guest speaker (we’ve had guest speakers from all over the world come visit!).

At the end we’ll finish with an upbeat song, with the kids coming back to join us, and then there’s the chance to catch up with everyone over a cup of tea or coffee. Church is as much about our relationships with each other as it is about our relationship with God.

Our Vision

From the very beginning, God’s vision for Suffolk has been at the heart of all that New Life Church has done, and continues to do. This is our Vision Statement.

God is calling a people out of all religious traditions to live on the cutting edge of faith; to powerfully speak, live and act the good news of Jesus Christ.

  • Speaking out – faith’s confession;
  • Living out – powerful lifestyle – actions speak louder than words;
  • Standing on God’s Word as absolute truth; powerfully enforcing the victory Jesus Christ has won on the cross!
  • Death defeated, satan defeated, Christ alive! Moving forward as God’s army into battle, claiming ground, tearing down strongholds, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Walking in the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit; being filled and renewed, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Fulfilling the Great Commission:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: in My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:15-18

SUFFOLK SHALL BE SAVED!

Kid's Church

Kid’s Church happens every Sunday morning while the adults are in the main meeting. It’s a great, action-packed morning for children and young people aged from 3 to 13.

Our vision is for kids of all ages to see how real and relevant Jesus is, and for them to have a solid relationship with God, now and as they get older.

We have designed Kid’s Church to be a reflection of adult church. We always begin each session with high energy praise and worship. We have been learning lots of new songs and the children are growing more confident in expressing themselves through praise and worship.

Each month we help the children to memorise a new Bible verse. These are key verses from the Bible – words to encourage and inspire faith, promises of God. They bring the Bible alive and help the children to take hold of it and see how relevant it is to their lives.

We also include a time of teaching. Each month we have a new theme that is tied in with what gets taught in the main meeting – but set at a level that can be easily understood by the children. All the teaching is relevant to their lives and is brought in a fun and interesting way.

There are lots of different ways that we use to present the teaching, including drama, quizzes, visual aids, puppets, face-painting, object lessons, worksheets, puzzles, craft activities and lots and lots of games. Each morning is packed with fun, exciting and relevant activities, all with the purpose of teaching the children about our fun, exciting and relevant Saviour!

Sozo UK – Inner Healing

Sozo UK

Sozo UK is a relational network of churches committed to bringing inner healing and wholeness to individuals, through Sozo ministry as practised at Bethel Church in Redding, California. Its main functions are to:

  • Help develop the fast-growing Bethel Sozo ministry within the UK.
  • Coordinate between those churches and ministries in the UK who are using Bethel Sozo’s ministry.
  • Provide information about the various Bethel Sozo training courses held around the UK and distribute training resources.
  • Facilitate the mentoring of church teams who have completed Bethel Sozo Training courses and wish to be released to minister Bethel Sozo themselves.

David and Gwen Archer head up Sozo at New Life Family Church. Contact the office for more details.

You can find out more about Bethel Sozo UK here.

House of Prayer Network

Prayer

We believe that the DNA of the Church is prayer and that we are called to a lifestyle of prayerfulness corporately and personally. We are privileged to respond to Gods call to pray assured that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

We often get busy with everything else in life, and prayer can be the last thing we think of. When Jesus came across this kind of lifestyle he had something to say about it:

  • Matthew 21:12-14 says that when Jesus went into the temple he drove out those that bought and sold in the temple.
  • He said, “It is written, my house shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”
  • Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple and He healed them.

House of Prayer Network

Here at New Life Family Church, we want to make a stand, to turn what Jesus spoke about into reality in each of our lives.

  • Our lives are a temple which we need to dedicate to God, get rid of everything that isn’t pleasing to God.
  • We need to respond to this word and commit to making our life a life of prayer.
  • Then we will see miracles happening in our lives and in the areas we are believing for.

We want to give you all an opportunity to be part of the House of Prayer network, providing an umbrella of protection over our families, cities and nations!

We already have partners in prayer all over the world.

House of Prayer International is live on Facebook on Wednesday nights at 7:30 pm (GMT).

Sign up today and become a partner in prayer.

House of Prayer Network

Join the House of Prayer Network

Add your name and email address below and click Join to become part of the House of Prayer Network. We’ll get straight back in contact with you.

    Connect Groups

    Our Connect Groups meet Thursday night via Zoom and Friday morning in-person.

    They are great opportunities for people to connect with the Word of God and others. It’s a chance to meet together to discuss the Word, ask questions and go deeper in our relationships with God. If you are interested in joining a connect group, contact the office.

    Trustees

    New Life Family Church is a charitable organisation, and is accountable to a team of trustees who oversee the management of the charity accounts and administration.

    The Trustees for New Life Family Church are:

    Mike Smith

    Pastor Mike Smith leads the team at New Life Family Church, Stowmarket, now in its 16th year of impacting the county of Suffolk. Mike also has a passion to see lives changed in Uganda and Rwanda, regularly taking God’s message of hope and love to the people, planting churches and building orphanages and schools. Mike’s desire is to see lives changed through God’s Word, “raising champions in life to fulfil their full potential!” Mike is married to Hazel, and they have three children, all grown up and married, and seven grandchildren.

    Simon Ginns

    Simon has over thirty years of senior management experience in the Private, Learning and Skills and Third (Charities) Sectors, in particular the Telecoms, Airline, the Further Education and the Adoption, Fostering and Social Care Sectors. As well as being a Trustee of New Life Family Church, Simon is Chair of Governors at Combs Middle School and a Parent Governor at Hardwick Middle, both in Suffolk. He has four children, and enjoys playing and watching most sports including cycling, golf, cricket and motorsport, and is also a solo BGA glider pilot. In his younger days, he played semi-professional football and has also completed four marathons.

    Richard Fenning

    Richard Fenning is a businessman in the UK with over thirty years experience in agriculture. He has had involvement in Church planting and preaching, with a focus on prayer and intimacy with God. He is married to Alison, who holds a BA (Hons) Degree in Biblical Studies and Cross-cultural Mission. She is an itinerant evangelistic preacher and mission leader. They are both devoted to God and travel internationally, investing in extending God’s kingdom.