Frequently Asked Questions

Northgate Church is on Upper Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 4EF, close to Chester city centre and the University of Chester.

We are situated near the Fountains Roundabout at the northern end of the city centre.

Our main Sunday gatherings usually begin at 10.30am.

Our programme varies during the month and includes Sunday worship services, children’s and youth groups, all-age services, Bible teaching, prayer and communion.

Because our programme occasionally changes for special events and holidays, please check our website for the latest information before visiting.

You can expect a warm and friendly welcome.

Northgate is a family-friendly church made up of people of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Our Sunday gatherings normally include contemporary worship, prayer, Bible-based teaching and time to meet people.

There is no particular dress code and you don’t need to know what to do beforehand. You are welcome to simply come along.

Yes, absolutely!

You don’t need to contact us or tell us you are coming. Whether you are looking for a church in Chester, exploring Christianity, new to the city, studying at university or simply wondering whether Northgate might be a place where you could belong, you are welcome to come and meet us.

We want Northgate to be welcoming and accessible to people with different needs.

We have portable wheelchair ramps which are set up before every service at the main entrance. To access our disabled toilets you can travel down the side of the church, and through the blue door to the left of our Back Hall.

If you have a particular mobility, accessibility or additional requirement, please contact us before your visit and we’ll be happy to explain the facilities available and help you plan your visit.

Garden Lane Pay & Display Car Park is approximately two minutes’ walk from Northgate Church.

There is also some on-street parking in the surrounding area.

Walking directions from the city centre, Parkgate Road and the Garden Quarter are available on our Getting Here page.

Northgate Church is within easy walking distance of Chester city centre.

From the city centre, walk north towards the Fountains Roundabout. After walking through the subway, take the exit marked Parkgate Road / Northgate Church and the church is immediately nearby.

Yes. Northgate Church is conveniently located for students at the University of Chester, particularly the Exton Park campus.

Students are warmly invited to make Northgate their church family while studying in Chester.

Absolutley yes! Children and families are an important part of Northgate Church.

On many Sunday mornings, children spend the first part of the service with the whole church before joining age-appropriate children’s activities.

There is also provision for babies and younger children, and we regularly hold all-age services where children and adults worship and learn together.

Our children’s team members are appropriately DBS checked.

Yes. Young people are an important part of our church family and we provide opportunities for them to build friendships, explore Christian faith and become involved in church life.

Please contact us for details of the current youth programme.

Yes. Northgate Church is close to the University of Chester and welcomes students and young adults who are studying, working or living in Chester.

We are a multi-national church where young adults can make friends, explore faith, worship and become part of a wider church family.

Whether Chester is your permanent home or you are here for university, you are very welcome.

Northgate Church is a Bible-believing Christian church in Chester centred on Jesus Christ and committed to the work and presence of the Holy Spirit. Our leadership team affirms the truths set out by the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds. Find out more about our beliefs and values here.

We are a vibrant, multi-generational and international Christian community. We want people to encounter God, grow in their Christian faith, experience genuine community and discover God’s purpose for their lives.

We believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The Bible is central to our faith and teaching. We believe the good news of Jesus has the power to transform individual lives and communities.

We seek to be wholehearted followers of Jesus who demonstrate God’s love in both what we say and how we live.

No. Everyone is welcome.

You may have been a Christian for many years, be exploring Christianity for the first time, have questions about faith, or simply want to find out what church is like.

You don’t have to believe before you belong.

Definitely.

We welcome questions and believe people should have the freedom to explore Christianity for themselves.

If you are interested in discovering who Jesus is, understanding the Bible or discussing questions about God and faith, we would be very happy to talk with you.

Worship is an important part of Northgate’s identity.

Our Sunday worship is generally contemporary and is led by musicians and singers from our worship team. We sing contemporary Christian worship songs, some hymns and songs written by members of our own Northgate Music team.

Biblical teaching is central to Northgate Church.

Teaching is normally practical, accessible and focused on helping us understand the Bible and apply Christian faith to everyday life.

Recordings of our Sunday teaching are also available through the Northgate Church Chester podcast.

Absolutely.

Northgate is a multi-national church in Chester and our church family includes people from many different countries and cultural backgrounds.

We believe the Church is a family in which people from every nation and background can belong.

Yes. Northgate Church has a growing Iranian and Kurdish Christian community in Chester.

Over recent years we have welcomed many Iranian and Kurdish people into our church family, including people who are exploring Christianity as well as established Christians.

We want everyone to be treated as an individual, valued and welcomed into genuine community.

Find out more about our Iranian and Kurdish community on our page written in Farsi.

Yes. Farsi interpretation is available for people attending Northgate Church who need it.

We also provide opportunities to explore Christianity and learn about the Bible in both English and Farsi.

Please contact us before visiting if you would particularly benefit from Farsi language support.

Yes.

Northgate has considerable experience of welcoming people who have arrived in the UK as asylum seekers and refugees.

Alongside spiritual and pastoral support, we seek to help people understand life in the UK and provide friendship and community during what can be a difficult and uncertain period.

We particularly want people to know that they will be seen and valued as individuals.

Yes. We have Life Groups where people meet during the week to build friendships, study the Bible, pray and support one another.

Life Groups are a good way to become part of the Northgate community beyond Sunday services.

Yes.

We believe strongly in the unity of the wider Christian Church and work alongside other churches and Christian leaders in Chester.

We want to contribute to what God is doing across the whole city rather than seeing Northgate in isolation.

Gerald and Lin Sidery are the Lead Pastors of Northgate Church Chester.

They serve alongside Northgate’s wider leadership and ministry teams.

Northgate believes in servant leadership modelled on Jesus, with different people using their gifts to serve the church and wider community.

Yes.

Sunday teaching is recorded and made available through the Northgate Church Chester podcast, so you can listen to recent teaching before or after visiting us.

Yes.

Northgate Church has several spaces available for community groups, meetings, courses and events, including our Main Hall, Back Hall, Bistro and Kitchen, Studio and meeting rooms.

Please contact the church for current availability, suitability and hire charges, and visit our Hall Hire page.

You can contact Northgate Church at:

Northgate Church
Upper Northgate Street
Chester
CH1 4EF

Telephone: 01244 394670
Email: church@northgate.org.uk

You can also contact us through the contact form on our website.