Logo with the words 'Spiritual Home' on the left and 'Equipping Base' on the right, featuring abstract shapes.

VISION

Our vision is to build a spiritual home for the people of Carterton & the east Cotswolds and an equipping base from which to send people out to the towns and villages around us with the love of Jesus and the life-changing gospel.

home

Family & Hospitality

We see church as a family that welcomes people from all ages and all backgrounds. We seek to share life together: meeting regularly, often eating together, loving and supporting one another.

Identity & Growth

Horizon Church is a place where people deepen their understanding of who God has made them to be. It's a place where everyone can grow in their relationship with God - Father, Son & Holy Spirit - and where we grow in function and fruitfulness together.

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base

Worship & Encounter

Worship is the foundation of our community. We seek to worship God in freedom, living lives that overflow with praise and thanksgiving. We prioritise time in God’s presence, expecting that each time we gather He will meet with us and speak to us. And we are joining with many others in praying for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully in our nation, helping many to encounter the love of God.

Equipping & Sending

God has called us to be an equipping and sending base, where we receive training and are equipped to find our purpose in God’s mission, being sent out together to reach our postcodes, nation and the world.

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towns & villages

God has spoken to us about reaching our neighbouring towns and villages so we will gather people on a Sunday morning, in Carterton, prioritising Worship & Encounter along with relevant bible teaching and vibrant kids & youth work.

We will also serve our town and villages by developing thriving LifeGroups that prioritise studying the bible together and seeking to live by its teaching, prayer and reaching out to those around us.

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Meet the team

Leadership Team

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John Gridley

Jen Gridley

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John Ellwood

Celia Ellwood

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Andy Tull

Kirsty Tull

Matt Pearson

Ruth Pearson

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Abi Ross

Josh Marlow

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Gemma Marlow

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Laura Theobald

Church Administrator

Lynda Timms

Children’s Ministry Leader

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Salt & Light Advance

We are a part of a family of churches called Salt & Light Advance – a family together on mission!

Advance churches are located in Wales, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Berkshire. We have a rich history, over many years, of relationships and shared activity. Our Church is overseen by the Salt & Light Advance Team and in particular by Liam Thatcher

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Liam Thatcher

Rich & Anna Ellwood

Salt & Light Advance Leaders

Salt & Light Advance Church Oversight

FAQs

  • Our LifeGroups are small groups of 4-8 people meeting regularly, deepening relationship with one another and God and seeking to be ‘hearers and doers’ of the word of God. As in the early church (Acts 2.42-47), the goal of each group is to become a place:

    • To cultivate the family or household of God. (Acts 2:42-46; Galatians 6:10; Eph. 2:29)

    • To cultivate thanksgiving and prayer. (Acts 2:42; Philippians 4:6-7)

    • To cultivate life in the Spirit (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:1-11)

    • To cultivate obedience to God (Acts 2:42; Matthew 28:18-20)

    • To somehow engage with the neighbourhood (Acts 2:47)

  • CHILDREN

    Children are such an important part of our church family. We want to support parents as they bring up their children to know about God by giving opportunities to learn about the Bible and who Jesus is as well as who they are in Christ. 

    Our kids have their own groups each Sunday when we meet which is a mixture of worship songs, bible stories, games, craft, and videos. 

    YOUTH

    Ages 11-18 are critical years for a young person's faith. So our youth have regular sessions where they go deeper with their faith through conversation, reading the bible, and videos. We also encourage all our youth to find a place in the church where they can serve.

  • We enjoy a range of modern praise and worship songs. We have playlists on Spotify and YouTube of current songs we are singing regularly