Our “Room for All” Promise”
At South Downs Gateway Churches, we believe that Jesus’ table always has room for one more. We describe ourselves as a community of “Graceful Mistakes.” We are honest enough to admit we aren’t perfect; we serve within beautiful, ancient buildings that were not built with modern needs in mind, and we recognise that we haven’t lived everyone’s life or experienced the same barriers that others do. However, we are deeply committed to learning, growing, and striving to ensure that no one feels like an outsider.
Inclusive of Every Identity
We are a church that celebrates you exactly as you are. Whether you are navigating diverse journeys of identity and relationship, come from a different cultural background, or are still figuring out what you believe, you are a guest of honour here. We are constantly reviewing our language and our leadership to better reflect the wonderfully diverse world we live in.
Inclusive in Ability
We don’t want you to have to “ask” for permission to belong. While the history and architecture of our buildings mean we cannot always offer full step-free access or the same hearing options in every one of our churches, we strive to be as proactive as possible. We are committed to:
Personal Assistance: Our welcome teams are there to help you find the most comfortable spot and assist with any physical hurdles our buildings might present.
Providing What We Can: We provide large-print materials as standard to help everyone follow the service more easily.
A Flexible Welcome: We welcome the “sounds of life!” Whether it’s a restless toddler or a need for a “quiet corner,” our tradition is flexible enough to hold us all.
Inclusive in Perspective
We value “Cultural Humility.” This means we recognise our own “blind spots” and are truly willing to be corrected. Because we haven’t walked in everyone’s shoes, we want to learn from your lived experience. If there is a way we can make our worship or our space more inclusive for you, even within the natural constraints of our heritage buildings, we don’t just want to hear it, we want to act on it.
Inclusive of the Next Generation