About Our Regular Services

 Our News Sheet is published on Friday afternoon and gives details of Services for the coming Sunday, as well as Parish News.  Follow the link on our Welcome page.

 Click here clipart mouse for details of Services this Month
 Click here MP3 icon to hear or download our Sermons. 
 Select Music for a description of the music at Wonersh and Blackheath and select Prayer for a description of the prayer life of the Parish.  
 

Our services are designed to meet the needs of the different traditions of individuals, including those based upon Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer.   The Bible Translations that we use are New International Version (NIV) with readings based on the CW Lectionary (see also the Revised Common Lectionary) in St John the Baptist, and New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Anglicised Edition (Sung Evensong King James Authorised Version) in St Martin’s.

 We encourage Lay involvement in services; this has been partly in traditional ways – reading lessons, assisting with the chalice and leading intercessions.  In addition, some home-groups have devised and led praise services; lay members frequently lead Morning and Evening Prayer and the Liturgy of the Word.  Preachers who are church members from outside the Ministry Team are also used from time to time.  In general there is a commitment to creative worship.

Pattern of Services
St John the Baptist, Wonersh

Click the link for:-   clipart mouse Handout about Regular Services at Wonersh. 
                             clipart mouse A Guide to Enjoying Services with Children at Wonersh. 

Sunday 8am Service

Holy Communion  (BCP & CW alternating).  
A quiet early reflective traditiona lservice with a sermon but no hymns, based on the traditional Book of Common Prayer form of service. 

Sunday 10am Services 

These are Wonersh's main Sunday services from Common Worship, with a talk, songs, and coffee afterwards..   Holy Communion (CW)  – 1st & 3rd Sunday,  Morning Prayer –  4th & 5th Sundays, with prayer for healing on 1st Sunday.
They cover a range of styles of worship from traditional to modern, with music provided both by our organ and the clavinola, sometimes supported by other musicians.  Our Family Service takes place on the 2nd Sunday. Creche and Toddlers next door with older children at Lawnsmead and Memorial Hall. Coffee is usually served for all in the Selwyn Room after services.
Quarterly, this service is led by our OMST with emphasis on our support of overseas ministries.  Check the Service Rota to see when the next service is planned.

Sunday 6.30pm Service

Evening Praise with Holy Communion and prayer for healing on the 2nd Sunday.  These are usually more informal and relaxed with a wide range of people contributing, leading, preaching and in other ways.  Occasionally the service is organised and led by one of our Homegroups.  During the summer holiday period this is a more informal meeting in the Selwyn Room lasting about an hour; an opportunity to worship, pray and look at the Bible together.

Youth/Band Service

Our Youth Group is encouraged to hold Band Services which they lead and provide the music.

Thursdays 10.30am

This is a service held in the Lady Chapel where mostly senior citizens can meet together and is followed by tea in the Selwyn Room. It is usually Holy Communion, occasionally Morning Prayer CW. 

Weekdays 8.50am Morning Prayer

Weekdays, except Tuesday, there is a short informal prayertime and bible reading hed in the church or Selwyn Room.   NOTE :-  during the interregnum this is just being held on WEDNESDAYS.

Saturdays 9-9.45am Praise & Prayer

Informal worship and prayer, held in the Selwyn Room and on 2nd Saturday at Blackheath.

Family Services (Wonersh) - "All Age"

We have family services on the 2nd Sunday of each month, lasting about 45 minutes.  There is usually a talk for the children, with something for all ages as well, often given by one of our youth leaders.  We also have “Birthday Candles” for all ages using a seven branched candelabra,  so that each person with a birthday in that month can personally light a candle and receive a card.  This was introduced over 20 years ago by Elizabeth Moore-Ede, an ex missionary and lovely lady.  Those with birthdays say “I have lit my candle in Jesus’  name, for Christ is the light of the world” and the congregation reply “May the light of Christ shine out in your life, at school, at home, at work and in your play, all through the coming year. Amen” 

Festival Services

There are special services at our main festivals, including Christmas and Easter, and the following are just examples.

Our Christingle Service usually (but not always) takes place a week or so before Christmas.  For young families there is a Crib Service usually held in the afternoon of Christmas Eve,  with drama provided by our Children's Groups.  For older folk we have our Senior Citizens Christmas Service which is relatively short and traditional, followed by tea and a chat.  We  have a Carol Service for the Village which includes many traditional carols and readings. 

At Easter we have a special service on Good Friday lasting 3 hours with readings, prayer and contemplation on what God has done for us on the cross.

Blackheath

Details of services at St Martin's are displayed in the porch.   They are also given on Services this Week page and the Weekly News Sheet.

St Martin’s, Blackheath has one service each Sunday, with a more traditional approach.  The teaching is consistently Bible-based and led by our Ministry Team, including lay members and Blackheath Churchwardens. 

Blackheath on Sundays

Blackheath has an enthusiastic choir and organist; select Music for more details.  The choir sings robed at the Sung Holy Communion, Choral Evensong services, and at many of the special services.  The family service is an extremely informal affair, generally geared towards the 0 to 8 year-olds.  The Fourth Bridge  service is designed to be an exciting bridge from the church to the many people who have an interest in spiritual life but big questions about Christianity.  This has proved popular both with committed Christians and non-believers.

Blackheath is an extremely friendly village and has a thriving and growing family atmosphere.  All family events are well attended, not only by regular churchgoers, but also by children whose parents are ‘just looking’. 

Throughout the year, all Christian festivals are made special by arranging all-age services. 

  • On Palm Sunday, one or two donkeys or ponies process through the village with children waving palms. 
  • On Mothering Sunday, posies are made for all the mothers and the extras are delivered to mothers in the village who did not attend church. 
  • Following a South American tradition a "Posada" crib containing baby Jesus travels from house to house each day throughout Advent, so each child in Blackheath looks after baby Jesus for one night, with the crib arriving at the church on Christmas Day.  Whether it is for cuddling, acting out with animals or singing carols around, the Posada is very popular.
  • The high point of the year for the children is the Nativity play.  All the village children come together to act the Christmas story, usually with about 7 wise men, a stray sheep and a lost lamb in th aisle.  The carols are accompanied by recorders, flutes, violins and of course sung by little angels.  Click the link for the handout for the 2009 Services.

  • Rogation Sunday (5th Sunday after Easter) Walk and Picnic Lunch

  • Patronal Festival (St Martin November 11th) and Toy Service

The church is usually full for the major Church festivals, the Christingle Service, traditional candlelit Carol Service and Harvest Festival. 

It is possible for parents to attend Blackheath Church and have their children attend a group in Wonersh at the same time.