| We would love you to join us at one of our Benefice services, and if you're thinking of visiting church for the first time, then you are especially welcome. We invite you to come along to one of our range of services. We know it can sometimes feel daunting the first time, but a very warm welcome awaits you! If you would like to speak to someone first or to arrange for someone to come and visit you, or if you cannot find an answer below, please do not hesitate to contact us or send us your details using our contact form and we'll be in touch. |
| Frequently asked questions Who comes to your churches? What happens at your services? Are there differences between your services? How long are the services? Do you collect money during the service? Will I be asked to do anything during the service? Can I bring my children? What is the dress code? Can I park at the church? Do you have provision for the hard of hearing or partially sighted? |
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Who comes to your churches? Anyone and everyone is more than welcome. We have very mixed congregations who come together from a variety of backgrounds and traditions. |
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What happens at your services? While there are specific things we do at special times of the year (like Christmas or Easter), all our services tend to include the following: We sing together a variety of songs/hymns, from the contemporary to the traditional. We have a time of prayer. We hear the Bible read to us. We have a talk/sermon lasting about 15 minutes At some communion services we do not sing. |
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Are there differences between your services? We do have a variety of services. Some have a more informal style, some (and especially Communion) follow a more traditional style. Some services are especially for families and children. If you are not sure what a service would be like, please ask. |
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How long are the services? Most last about an hour but some, and especially including Communion services can be shorter. |
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Do you collect money during the service? In short, yes we do. We believe that giving some money to God's work in this Church is an act of worship and it helps support the church and keep it going. If you are not a regular attender of the church, please don't feel pressured into putting anything on the offertory dish. |
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Will I be asked to do anything during the service? No, nothing to fear! Whilst some people from the congregation play an active role in our services, we want our churches to be as safe and as unthreatening a place as possible, so you will never be asked to do anything you do not want to do. |
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Can I bring my children? Absolutely! Children's ministry is a big part of our work. We offer special family services and services where tehre are children's activities. All volunteers working with children have a current DBS (formerly CRB) certificate and we adhere to an up-to-date child protection policy. |
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What is the dress code? The simple answer is, there is no dress code - we want you to feel comfortable, so just wear what you most feel comfortable in. |
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Can I park at the church? Parking does vary between our churches. Sutton St James does have its own car park but at the other churches it will involve parking on the road or in a layby. If you have any particular needs please contact us. |
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Do you have provision for the hard of hearing? We aim to make our services accessible to everyone. We do operate a hearing loop system. |