Welcome to St Guthlac’s

If you’re new to the area, or just visiting, and would like to attend a church service but are a bit nervous about what you might encounter these pages are here to help.

St Guthlac’s is a light and airy building.  The path from Holbrook Road leads to the two large glass doors which open into our welcome area.  Here you will receive a friendly greeting from our welcomers and will be offered the relevant order of service for that particular day.    We do not have the same service every Sunday.  We usually have a Eucharist service on the first and third Sunday, an All Age Worship service on the second Sunday (without communion) and service of Morning Prayer on the 4^th Sunday.  (For more details of the specific services please see our services page.)

Our welcomers will guide you into the main church. If you have special requirements e.g you would like non-alcoholic wine or gluten free wafers for communion please mention this to the welcomers.

Please feel free to sit anywhere in the main body of the church – there are no reserved seats.  In the back of the chair in front of you, you will find a purple/brown hardback book.  This is the hymnbook we use and it also has the readings for the Sundays of the church’s year.  The hymn numbers for the service are displayed on a board on the front right-hand wall.  The person leading the service will also announce the hymn numbers before each hymn.

If you’re visiting with children, we have resources available for different ages so please ask the welcomers.   On the 4^th Sunday our young people have a special Church Club session in the adjacent Holbrook Hall. Our welcomers can assist you and your children to the hall if you feel that service would be more appropriate.  We do ask that children are accompanied by their parents at Church Club.

For Eucharistic service there may be a small altar (table covered with a white linen cloth) set up at front of the main body of the church.  To the right of it will be a lectern – this is where the Bible readings and prayers will be read from.  On the 4th Sunday when Morning Prayer is celebrated the church will look very similar except the small altar will not be in place.

If it is an All Age Worship service the church may be set out in a café style with tables and chairs, or simply in rows.  Again, please feel free to sit anywhere you feel comfortable.

The music is for the services is provided by the organ, piano or in some cases via backing tracks played through the sound system.

Before the service the candles on the main altar will be lit to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world.

At the Eucharist Service on the 1^st and 3^rd Sunday the choir process to their places in the choir stalls whilst the organ plays an introductory piece of music. The congregation stand as the choir and priest take their positions.   The priest leading the service will welcome everyone and will guide you through the service with pointers to the relevant pages in the red service book and hymn numbers. The priest will invite you to sit or stand at relevant parts of the service.

In general, we stand, if able, to sing the hymns, to hear the gospel read, to affirm our faith in the saying of the creed and for the first part of the act of holy communion.  We sit for the bible readings and prayers.   Please feel free to kneel for prayers: there are kneelers (hassocks) under the chair in front of you.  We stand and share the peace with people in the congregation, often by shaking hands or smiling whilst saying ‘peace be with you’. You are invited to share that peace in a way that feels most comfortable to you.

During communion the priest will bless the bread and wine and then invite people forward to receive communion.  The priest, and assistant, will take the bread and wine to those who have asked to receive communion at their seats.  The choir will then come forward to the small altar to receive communion after which the welcomers will invite the congregation row by row to come forward and receive communion standing up.   There is no expectation on you to take communion or receive a blessing – please feel free to do what is best for you.

Communion is offered with the priest dipping the wafer in the wine and offering you the dipped wafer to symbolise the body and blood of Jesus.  During communion the choir will often sing an anthem appropriate for the readings of the day.

After everyone has received communion and the post communion prayers have been said, the priest or another person from the congregation will give the notices of events of interest that may be coming up.  After this the final hymn is sung and the blessing given. 

On the 2^nd Sunday in the month the All Age Worship is a very relaxed service which is either led by a member of the congregation or one of the ministry team.  The format is flexible and can include bible readings, prayers, discussion,  a simple craft task, songs or hymns. This gives everyone a chance to explore the bible and faith in a less formal setting.  The person leading the service will guide the congregation through it with invitations to stand or sit as appropriate.

The 4^th Sunday’s service is Morning Prayer or Matins. It is  usually led by a member of the congregation or the ministry team.  The format follows the order of service for Morning Prayer or Matins from the Book of Common Prayer and usually includes bible readings, prayers, psalms, songs or hymns and an address or sermon.  The person leading the service will guide the congregation through it with invitations to stand or sit as appropriate.

After all services refreshments are served at the back of church and everyone is invited to stay and spend time together.