Back in 2020, Battle Baptist Football Club was 'gifted' to the community as Battle Town Football Club came into existence. It was at this point that the role of chaplain was created. Taking on this role Ed Jones joined Sports Chaplaincy UK and became one of what is now over 850 chaplains in the UK and Ireland, providing pastoral and spiritual care to professional and amateur sport. Sports Chaplaincy UK helps train and facilitate the appointment of sports chaplains. To find out more about Sports Chaplaincy UK click here.

Ed says of the role:

"I may be the chaplain, but I believe the chaplaincy model in many ways shapes and informs the way we as a church seek to engage with the community through BTFC and furthermore can feed out into our whole lives, wherever our personal frontlines may be. Where BTFC is concerned, for me it’s initially about being pastoral proactive, seeking to care for and support those I encounter through the Football Club. As well as this, it's about being spiritually reactive, ready to share my faith, talk about Jesus, seeking to answer questions or respond to comments that may come.

As a church we are aware this is a different model of ministry to what some may be used to or expect. Ed is upfront about who he is and what he believes, but it’s not about forcing that on people. It’s about being there, building those relationships, so that when life takes a turn or questions arise, there’s a strength of connection that we pray leads to Ed being invited in to provide support, offer guidance, input and to hopefully be the light of Jesus into people’s lives!

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

Hi there!

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you have an idea of what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Gathering, which starts at 10:00am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get to find somewhere to sit before the gathering begins. Unfortunately on-site parking is very limited, and reserved for those with mobility issues. There is a large Council Car-Park very near by on the opposite side of Mount Street.
When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

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 is a fully accessible toilet in the main foyer.

Our Morning Gathering

The morning gathering begins at 10am. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by one of our bands. We typically have 1 song, a few family matters or notices, before the children and youth head to age appropriate activities. We then usually 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 15 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. One of the ministers or the preaching team will then give a talk that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with another song or two. There is also the opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

Children join us for the beginning of the gathering, as we really value worshipping God all together as a family. There is a table with a craft or colouring activity for them to enjoy before they head out to their own 'Sunday Club'. All of our leaders have been DBS checked and trained to at least Level 2 in Safeguarding. We ask you to accompany your children to Sunday Club and register them as part of our child safety policy. During Sunday Club, the kids enjoy a range of activities including Bible stories, singing and dancing, games, craft, prayer and free play.

Please pick your children up as soon as the gathering finishes.

For teenagers, we offer separate activities on three Sundays out of every four.

We hope that whoever you are, we hope to see you soon.