Welcome

We are delighted that you have visited us and that you have either watched us online or been along to a service before the COVID shutdown.

Everyone is warmly welcome to come along and become part of our parish community.

We hope that this part of the website will help to answer some of your questions.

Services

If you haven’t experienced Christian worship before, attending in the early days can feel daunting. Please don’t worry. We are very used to newcomers at St Paul’s and delighted to help you find your way around any of the services.

Our Sunday morning services are always a Eucharist (which means ‘Thanksgiving’). This service has several stages we journey through using a book (the “Prayer Book”) of which we all have a copy. The vicar will provide appropriate instruction on how to use the Prayer Book during the service as well as when to stand or sit down.

You are welcome to sit anywhere you like in the church. The Prayer Book will guide you through the service (see below), and the words in bold type are the words everyone says together. You will also be given a printed booklet called a “Pew Sheet” which has the Prayer for the Day, Bible readings and other useful material to enable you to fully participate in the day’s service.

A Step By Step Guide to the Sunday 10am Service

Before the service starts the congregation is welcomed informally.

The Processional Hymn - We stand, the choir and priests are led in behind servers carrying a cross and candles.

The Gathering and Welcome - The priest shares a traditional Christian greeting.

The Confession and Absolution - We pray a prayer of sorrow for our sin and words of forgiveness are given.

The Gloria - We stand to sing words of praise to God.

The Collect - A special prayer for the week.

The Psalm - A musical setting of words from the Book of Psalms sung by the Choir.

Children’s Talk- A short informal talk to the children with a Christian message (Sunday 10am service only) .

The Liturgy of the Word - Readings from the Old and New Testaments

The Sermon - A short talk is given.

The Creed - We stand and speak out what Christians have believed for centuries.

The Intercessions - A member of the congregation leads us in prayers for the church, the world, the sick, and we remember those who have died.

The Peace - We are reminded of the importance of living in peace with others and we share a sign of this by shaking hands with those around us saying ‘peace be with you’.

The Offertory Hymn - We sing a hymn and the collection is taken. This is money given for the work of the church. There is no obligation to give. Just pass the plate along.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament - Bread and wine are brought to the altar and the priest retells the story of the Last Supper and Jesus’ invitation to remember him.

Receiving Communion - Everyone baptised Christian is invited to share in the blessed bread and wine. If you do not feel ready to take communion, please come up and receive a blessing. Please just bring your service booklet with you. This will indicate that you would like a blessing.

The Notices - After communion the church notices are given.

The Blessing - Everyone stands and the priest gives a blessing.

The Recessional Hymn - The choir are led by the servers carrying the cross and candles to the back of the church.

The Sending Out - We all turn and face the doors leading out into the community and are sent out ‘to love and serve the Lord’.