Worship With Us
What Happens in Church
If you haven't been before, or not for a long time, it can be a bit daunting to come to church and we hope the information here will help you to know what to expect. If you used to visit us before the pandemic we hope you will now find most things comfortingly familiar.
Have a look at the Visitors page for information about how to get to us, and the Our Church and the Halls and Rooms pages for help with getting your bearings.
Please get in touch with us through the office if you need any help or encouragement to come and join us for a service. The person who greets you at the door will be happy to show you inside, answer any questions you may have, or can introduce you to someone who is a "regular" if you like.
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Times of services are on the Come to Church page.
Most services last around 60-70 minutes. The weekly Wednesday morning service is a bit shorter, although not if you have time to stay for a cup of tea and a chat afterwards! The Monday afternoon fellowship varies a little because the format is flexible and determined by the people who arrange it - it often includes a guest speaker for example, more often than not on a secular subject.
When you arrive
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When you come into the building to attend a regular service someone will greet you and will usually offer you a copy of this week's notice sheet. They will be happy to answer any questions you have or help you get your bearings. There will be some of our church stewards around - the people with the red name badges - and they will also be ready to help.
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Please go on into church and find a seat. Occasionally on Sunday mornings you might find a few seats at the front marked with a little card reserving them, for example for some family members when there is going to be a baptism in the service, but that isn't common. Basically, just sit wherever suits you.
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There are always crèche facilities available at the 10.30 am Sunday service.
What to expect
The format of the service and the person leading it should make it clear as the service goes along what's happening. But nudge your neighbour and ask them if you aren't sure! Any service books or hymn books you might need will be in the pews already so you won't have to juggle with an armful of books when you arrive. The words of hymns are mostly on the screens, but there are hymnbooks if you prefer.
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Services are a mixture of prayers, hymns or songs, and readings. An "average" service will include about five hymns or songs, prayers for others, a talk, and two or three readings from the Bible.
Generally speaking, we only stand to sing and also when the collection has been taken and is being brought to the front of church to be blessed. Please don't stand up if that's a struggle for you. And please don't feel obliged to contribute to the collection - many church regulars contribute through their bank account so you won't by any means be the only person who lets the collection pass by so you won't feel any pressure.