C&YP in our Services

C&YP are welcome at all our services although the 10.45am service is more geared for them. We all enjoy a time of worship together and then the C&YP go off to their own groups after the Action Song.

We want our C&YP to feel invested in THEIR church. To help in this, both our Explorers and Pathfinders take part in preparing for and at our services. At our 10.45 service you may be welcomed by some of them, hear them ringing the bells or reading the Bible or benefit from them having helped to prepared the Holy Communion. Sometimes they will take a more active part in leading parts of the service. You will also see them at the end of the 10.45 service as they come back into church to share what they have been doing and thinking about as we all share together in a final blessing.

Children and Holy Communion

In line with many Anglican churches we welcome children (from about the age of 8) in taking the bread and wine of Holy Communion. To prepare them for this we offer a four week course which the children enjoy attending so that they feel confident and informed about Communion and what it signifies. Those who do not want to, perhaps because they don't feel ready, (along with other children and any adults) are welcome to receive a blessing.

At our 10.45am service we usually celebrate Holy Communion on the third Sunday of each month. The children who have been admitted to receive Communion re-join the service and take the bread and wine. The rest of the children and young people come to receive a blessing and to show the congregation what they have been doing in their groups.

Since children are welcome to receive Holy Communion, the age at which they might consider Confirmation might be later than in some other churches. We would expect a young person from perhaps around of the age of about 15 might want to explore confirmation but there are no hard and fast rules.

Please speak to Rev Helen Hancock if you would like to know more.

Children’s choir

Children can express themselves in worship in so many different ways but one great way is to do it through music. So, at several points across the year, our children form a choir to sing at a particular service or event. They regularly perform the most popular item at our Service of Carols by Candlelight and delight the congregation on Mothering Sunday.

If your child is interested then please do get in touch with Simon Hancock, our Director of Music.