Services
Our three churches work togther as a group called a benefice, and each church has a service every week. We use a booklet for our services (so everyone knows what to do, and when), but we're also fairly relaxed. We sing a mixture of traditional and modern hymns which are accompanied by either a pipe or electric organ. Everyone is very welcome at all our services.
The Church of England is broadcasting a Sunday service on Radio 4 at 8:10. You can download an order of service
St Edmundsbury Cathedral is streaming live services on Sundays
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Communion
As morning worship & we commemorate Jesus last meal by sharing bread and wine. You can join in this part if you've been confirmed. If you haven't, you're very welcome to have a blessing
All-Age Service
This service is for everyone and anyone. We especially welcome children. Witnesham church has 'Sunday Club' once a month for 0-16 year olds
Benefice
The 5th Sunday is when all three churches get together, along with Witnesham Baptist Church, for a joint non-communion service
Morning Service
This is a service without communion. It lasts about 45 minutes and has hymns, Bible readings, a sermon (which lasts about 10 minutes) and prayers. Everthing is set out in a service booklet so you'll know when to stand or sit; when to listen and when to join in.
Our hymns are a mixure of modern and traditional, and the words are all in a hymn book.
During the last hymn there's a collection and you're free to give as much or as little as you like. Some people don't put anything in because they've got a direct debit set up to do it automatically.
As with all our services, everyone, whatever their age, is very welcome; it's quite relaxed and no-one will put any pressure on you to do or say anything.
Communion
This is similar to Morning Worship, but also includes a Eucharistic Prayer where we remember Jesus' last meal by sharing bread and wine. Some parts of the Eucharistic Prayer are said, and others sung; the booklet and the priest explain what to do as we go along. If you’re confirmed, or you take communion in a different church, even one of a different denomination e.g. Catholic, then you’re very welcome to take communion with us. But if you can’t, or don’t want to, you’re still very welcome to come up to the alter rail for a blessing. Children are very welcome to come up for a blessing too. The whole service lasts about an hour
All-Age Service
This service is aimed particularly at the younger people, but is still suitable for everyone. And indeed lots of our older members love the all-age service; it's much more informal than Morning Worship or Communion, and the person leading the service often wears ordinary clothes, not robes. The hymns tend to be more modern, and may be familiar to some from school. Like all our services, there's an an opportunity to stay afterwards, have a chat, and a cup of tea, coffee, or squash. (Oh, and no-one will mind if children or babies get restless during the service - we kind of expect that!)
Joint Benefice Service
The congregations from all three churches get together with our friends and fellow christians from Witnesham Baptist Church and we have a joint service. It's on the 5th Sunday of the month - so that means we only do it four times a year. And we rotate around all four churches. Check the Calendar for the time.