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+ Sunday at 10am

+ Children

+ Quieter services on Sunday

+ Regular Services during the week

+ Tuesday Mornings

+ Saturday Mornings

+ Special Services

+ Discussion and Study Groups

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+ Sundays at 10am

Our most popular service is a sung eucharist on Sundays at 10am. Typically, around one hundred and forty people come to this service, including around thirty children, and it’s a notably mixed bunch. We welcome everyone, and whether you’re twentysomething or seventysomething, there will be several people of the same age as you also in the congregation.

We offer worship in the liberal catholic tradition of the Church of England. Our music is a mix of traditional hymns and some newer music, and is led by an organ and choir. We work hard to make our sermons relevant and inspiring, and we make sure our liturgy has drama and meaning (but without being too precious about it). We aim for people to go away from Church inspired, stimulated and re-energised.

Some people leave straight after the service; others stay on for coffee and biscuits, for upto an hour afterwards. It’s a lovely time to meet people or to catch up on how people are. And it doesn’t have the feel of a ‘exclusive’ club: just stay on for however long as you feel you want to.

+ Children

Children are very welcome, so do bring them along. It lasts about an hour and twenty minutes. There is a Sunday school each week for children aged four and above, held during the first half of the service in the studio room next to the main body of the Church, and most children present go to that. Some, though, prefer to stay in the main body of the Church with their parents. For young children, we offer ‘activity bags’ with colouring pens and activities to keep them happily occupied: these are available for free from the welcoming team. Just ask before the service starts.

The 10am service on the second Sunday of each month is an All age ‘parade’ service, which is still in the liberal catholic tradition but particularly geared around meeting the needs and interests of children: members of the cubs, brownies and beavers make a particular effort to come to that service.

+ Quieter services on Sunday

There is a short, said eucharist at 8am each Sunday, for a dozen or so people. This suits people who like a more peaceful atmosphere and those for whom an 8am service fits their Sunday schedule.

Then at 9am, there is a similarly short said service of Matins, using the beautiful text of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. This is also a small, meditative gathering, of around ten people, and takes just fifteen minutes.

+ Regular services during the week

Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer (using ‘Common Worship’, the Church of England’s main prayer book) are said by the clergy every day in Church at 8.30am and 6pm. At these services, we are sustained by reading regular chunks of psalms and scripture as well as praying for the world, and our parish in particular. Anyone is welcome to come, but quite often, it’s just the two clergy on their own, so if you do come, don’t expect a crowd!

+ Mondays

Mondays in Church we have our weekly meditation group. We meet in the Church at 6.45pm for an hour of spiritual meditation. Open to all. This group also runs on Thursdays at 2pm.

+ Tuesdays

On Tuesdays, though, Morning Prayer happens slightly later than normal, at 9.30am, and is attended by around ten people. As well as reading the psalms and the Bible, there is an extended time of prayer when people bring forward their concerns and the people they would like to pray for. This can be a lovely, spiritual time.

Then at 10.30am each Tuesday, a said eucharist is offered. Some people stay on from Morning Prayer, having had a cup of coffee in between; others prefer to come just for the eucharist. This is a simple, but dignified eucharist.

Also, on Tuesday evenings at the Chapel-on-the-Hill, South Road, we have Sacred Space between 6 and 7pm. Pop in for how ever long you want for quiet reflection and peace. Tea and coffee are available, just help yourself. Come for 10 minutes or an hour. Just 'be'.

+ Saturday Mornings

On Saturdays at 9.30am, Morning Prayer follows a slightly alternative pattern, using modern poetry as well as scripture and the psalms. It always includes an extended time of open prayer. This service is both accessible to people who are unfamiliar with Church and yet deeply meaningful. Typically, around a dozen people go. It’s a beautiful, spiritual time: it lasts around 25 minutes. Stay around for a cappuccino in the Lobby shop afterwards and a leaf through the newspapers.

+ Special Services

We celebrate the great Christian seasons with care, reverence and joy and there are special services to mark these: some are ‘classic’ like Midnight Mass; others, like our Good Friday workshop for children are less conventional, but still really popular: we work creatively within the ‘catholic’ tradition of the Church of England.

From time to time, we also offer services of Healing and Reconciliation, and we have plans for more services; look out for our meal during Lent and a meditative midweek eucharist. On Thursday 2nd February at 8pm we have our inaugural Joint Benefice Service where we make history by uniting with our friends and Neighbours at St Michael's, Lower Sydenham. Please check our Current Events blog for more informaiton about this important step int he history of the parish.

+ Discussion and Study Groups

We take our Bible seriously here, as well as other matters of faith. Our innovative Lent course is a major event, whilst there is a Bible Study Group which meets regularly, please see our Current Events blog for more information. Up coming study days include 'Exploring the Cloud of Unknowing; an evening exploring Christian Medidation with author Graeme Watson'. Friday 3rd February 2012, 7.30 - 9.30pm. Using the spiritual classic 'The Cloud of Unknowing' Graeme will help us explore and develop our practise of Contemplative Prayer. Please see our Current Events blog for futher information. All welcome, newcomers and experienced meditators.

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