Sundays
Everything we do at St John’s flows from worship and prayer. It's the most important thing we do as a community.
We believe that humans were made to worship God and that we find freedom and joy when we do.
10.30am Family Worship
Our morning services are a riot of joy and song open to everyone!
At 10.30am we gather in our church building (or online wherever you are*) for worship, church family news, bible readings, a talk and prayer.
On the 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month we celebrate Holy Communion.
On the 1st Sunday of each month we all stay together for ‘all-age worship’.
On other Sundays, SJH Kids & Youth also meet in groups during the service.
We usually offer BSL interpretation at the 3rd Sunday morning service of each month. (But email the office to check - as sometimes the schedule changes.)
4pm - Informal Worship & Prayer
We gather on Sunday afternoons for worship, bible teaching and prayer at 4pm. All ages are welcome – adults and children alike!
On the 1st Sunday of each month we focus on worship, prayer and intercession.
On the 2nd & 4th Sundays of each month we celebrate Holy Communion.
On the 3rd Sunday of each month we usually hold a service with a special focus on children and families with additional needs.
Church Online
We recognise that some people are unable to attend Sunday services in person, due to old age, sickness, travel, caring responsibilities, shift work, or various other reasons. For this reason, we live stream our Sunday services so that they can be accessed online. We still encourage as many as are able to join us in person, principally so that you can join in with Holy Communion and face-to-face contact with other people. But to access church online, click the button below.
What To Expect
You’ll usually be welcomed at the door by members of our church. They’ll give you bible and a noticesheet and show you where you can go and answer any questions.
We spend a good deal of time singing songs of praise and worship to God. These are usually led by a band of musicians at the front of church. All the words for songs and the words of prayers that we say together are on the screens at the front of church.
We always read from the Bible. We believe it’s a special way that God guides us and inspires our living. We use a modern English version, with accessible inclusive language. There’s always a talk or sermon. Our preachers make a priority of careful preparation, seeking to be both faithful to the Bible’s message and relevant to contemporary questions.
We celebrate Holy Communion every week at our Sunday morning service. This traditional celebration goes back to the very first days of the Christian faith, and reminds us of who Jesus is and what he has done.
We always offer prayer for anyone who would like it. You don’t have to have a special need – you may just want to experience God’s blessing. (But if you do have a special need, just speak to the person who prays for you, and they’ll be happy to pray specifically.)
Some Questions You Might Have…
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Yes. We meet for Morning Prayer from 9-9.45am Monday to Thursday and we hold a midweek prayer gathering once a month. Please check the church calendar.
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If you are baptised and you usually receive Communion (the bread and wine) then you’re welcome to do so here.
If you don’t usually receive Communion, or you have no idea what we’re talking about, then you can come forward with everyone else at this point in the service and receive a blessing. (The priest will say a very short prayer for you.)
If you keep your hands by your side when you come up the priest will know that you don’t intend to receive Communion.
Or, if you prefer, you can stay in your seat. If you’re unsure, just ask someone.
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Our 10.30am service usually lasts about 90 minutes, though we aim for our all-age worship service to only last about 70 minutes.
The 4pm services usually lasts just about an hour. .
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Absolutely. Everyone’s welcome.
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Not if you don’t want to! There is one part of the service called The Peace when people shake hands with one another, and say ‘Peace be with you’, and you’re welcome to get involved in that as much or as little as you wish. If you need to dash after the service and can’t stay for tea and coffee, that’s fine.
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Yes. We have a ramp to the main doors and there’s also an accessible toilet. Please ask a member of the welcome team if you need help.
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We don’t take up a collection during the service, but we do invite people to give a donation as they leave if they wish.
We have two devices for making donations by card, and also a wooden box for cash donations.
Most regular members of the church give their financial contributions weekly or monthly by direct debit. To do this, visit our Giving page.
Please don’t feel you have to make a donation and don’t worry if you haven’t brought any money with you.
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Just come in! If the welcomer is still in the foyer, they will give you a service sheet and show you where to sit. If they’ve already sat down themselves then just come in and find a seat.
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Don’t worry! Give it a chance, and let God speak to you through it. Some people have said that they had to come a few times before it really ‘clicked’ and made sense. So if you’re not sure the first time, please come back. If you have any questions about the worship or want something explaining, please speak to any of the clergy, staff or welcome team. They love talking about these things, and no question is too stupid!
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There’s no dress code, so come as you are comfortable. Some people at St John’s like to dress smartly for the church, and some people don’t. Nobody will judge you!
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There is no one ‘type’ of person who comes to St John’s. We are a very diverse group of people. There will almost certainly be someone like you and a lot of people who aren’t too!
Music & Worship
We tend to spend quite a bit of time in our worship services expressing our devotion to God through music and song. This is sometimes known in church circles as ‘a time of praise and worship’. We believe that God ‘inhabits the praises of His people’ (Psalm 22:3 KJV) and that when we spend time worshipping God in song, we often experience the joy of his presence with us. James 4:8 also invites us to ‘come near to God’ promising that when we do he will ‘come near to you’. For this reason, we often glorify God in songs of worship for as much as a third of our Sunday service.
We sing a wide range of songs, including traditional hymns as well as contemporary songs and choruses. The singing is almost always led by a group of musicians and singers playing keyboards, guitars, percussion instruments and using their voices.
In the playlists below you can usually find the songs that we have most recently sung, or will be singing in the week ahead.