Search

Type your text, and hit enter to search:
Close This site uses cookies. If you continue to use the site you agree to this. For more details please see our cookies policy.

Baptisms 2024-10-16 14.38.38-1

Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in response to God’s love.  Many people are baptised early in their lives, and it is through baptism that the birth of a new life can be celebrated and the baby introduced to the community.

St Mary's welcomes baptisms.  The usual time for a baptism at St Mary’s would be during the 10.00am All-age Service on the first Sunday of the month.  If you are looking to baptise your new born, please contact our Church Administrator, Shirley Squires on 01273 812417 or via email ad-sasquires@talktalk.net.  Do look at our notes
on baptism (here), and for guidance on the service, the Church of England website is very helpful (here).

Baptism does not have to be held when you are very young.  People of all ages may seek baptism as they recognise their Christian faith and wish to join the Christian community.  For some people, having not
being baptised as an infant is a blessing.  When they do seek baptism it is then a conscious and deliberate decision for them to make.

So, St Mary's can also provide a service of welcome for a new born child.  Such a service is not a formal baptism, but rather a wonderful way to celebrate the birth, and the new member of the family and of our community.
 

David
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect.

Where and When

Our Church is open everyday between 8.30am and 4pm.  Do just drop in, whether for a time of quiet and prayer, or just to enjoy the historical richness and beauty of the building.

On Sundays we meet, in the Church (details here), for our Sunday Service, which starts at 10:00am. When you arrive you will be given a warm greeting by our sidespersons (who will be wearing lanyards, so you can spot them).  They will give you the hymn book and service booklet, and will happily help with any queries you might have.  Do sit wherever you like! 

By the way, there is no need to dress up (unless you want to).  Informal, comfortable, clothes are very acceptable... but do wear warm clothes on cold days.  Our pew seats are heated in winter, but we no longer heat the church itself, only the  congregation, so the building can be chilly on frosty days.

IMG 1068

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it.

Our Services

The service begins at 10am.  On the first Sunday of every month we hold an informal family service, with hymns, talks, prayers, and activities (for everyone who wants to join in).  Other Sunday services are more traditional Eucharists.  We follow the modern Anglican liturgy, with hymns, readings from the Old and New Testaments, a sermon, and prayers.  The choir will sing an anthem. 

At the end of all our services there is an opportunity to meet and chat with members of the congregation and the clergy over a tea or coffee (and biscuit or two).

We also hold weekday prayers and services, with a spoken Eucharist on Thursday at 10, and prayers at 8.30 every day of the week.  (For more details, click here.)


 

Groups and Volunteering


You might like to join one of our groups, or becoming involved with our activities for young people.  We also welcome volunteers to help with everything from flower arranging and cleaning to being a sidesperson.  If you are interested, do get in touch using the form below.
 

Getting Connected

 
Get in touch with us to plan your visit or make any other inquiries
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Our Clergy

David   Pat
Rev'd David Bouskill   Rev'd Pat Benton
David has been the Vicar in charge of St Mary the Virgin since 2022.   Pat is the Curate at St Mary's as well as being a hospital chaplain.
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Revd David

Rev'd David