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What to Expect on a Typical Sunday PDF Print E-mail
A warm and friendly welcome!
 
Our Sunday morning worship is our main weekly gathering of the church, starting at 10.30am. All ages come together at the beginning of service, typically for a period of about 15 to 20 minutes. At this point the children and young people go off into different groups appropriate for their ages. You are welcome to go out to the group with your child if you wish, for example to help them settle. A creche is available for the whole duration of the service, and you can also keep your baby with you in the main worship area. Baby-changing facilities are close by in the entrance hallway.

We celebrate with a range of worship styles, including contemporary songs led by a worship band often comprising guitars, keyboards and drums, as well as some traditional hymns accompanied by an organ. Video and multimedia clips are a regular feature of the worship.

The morning service lasts about 75 minutes, although communion may take slightly longer. The beginning of the month is an all age worship service - this is a shorter service with songs, illustrations and worship to inspire young and old alike.

At the end of the service there is a small team of people on hand at the front of the worship area to talk and pray with any who feel this would be helpful. Meanwhile coffee, tea and biscuits are served free in the hall, with many staying to chat.
Sunday Papers is a new informal space in the afternoon, running monthly (on the fourth Sunday of each month).

The afternoon starts at 1pm with a lunch, and will end around 3pm, although everyone is free to come and go as they wish. After the lunch there is space for discussion on a theme, and different options to suite different tastes. All ages are welcome, with activities in some of the options suitable for children and adults alike.
Our evening service is often quieter and more reflective. Normally starting at 6.30pm a variety of styles are used through the month:
  • First Sunday: Communion
    Similar to the morning communion, except with more time. More time for sung worship, for prayer, fo a slightly longer talk, for refection on the bread and wine, allowing us to go deeper, both personally and corporately.
  • Second Sunday: Tea Service
    We start at 5pm with a light tea of sandwiches, cakes, and all things nice, over which we can get to know one another. There is then, at 6pm, a quieter and more reflective service which is accompanied by the organ or piano to inspire us to give our worship to God.
  • Third Sunday: Interactive
    Here, we are encouraged to explore the Bible, the world and our own spirituality using various creative methods. People have been genuinely surprised at how art, music, film, and different forms of interaction are able to allow God to speak very deeply into our lives.
  • Fourth Sunday: Reflective
    An invitation to praise God through a quieter and more reflective time. Sometimes in the form of a mini-retreat, sometimes using Taizé chants, each time providing space to respond to the Spirit.
  • Fifth Sunday: Songs of Praise
    Whenever there is a fifth Sunday in the month, we have the chance to come together to worship through singing hymns and songs from across the years, and to listen to some readings and meditations.



At the back of the worship area, in one corner, there is a bookcase with a small collection of books for sale. Next to this there is also a rack with a selection of greetings cards for sale. For both of these, simply leave the appropriate money in the honesty tins provided.

In other corner of the worship area, there is another bookcase with various books (and some cassettes and videos) that are free to be borrowed. Simply sign your name in the book provided, and tick it off when you return the book.

There is also a rack with children's books for use during any of the services.

In the church entrance foyer there is a rack with audio cassettes of recent services (the whole service is recorded). If you would like to buy a copy of a recent service, please ask to speak to one of the sound team.

Typically after a morning service there is a stall in the hall selling various Fair Trade food products.


 

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