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Types of Worship
Across the 7 parishes we offer a wide variety of forms of worship at various times of day. We encourage members and visitors to come to whichever sort of worship gives them the greatest sense of meeting with God.
AT 8.00AM HOLY COMMUNION
Most Sundays there are early morning services using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer – these take place across 5 parishes (Chiselborough, Middle Chinnock, Norton, Stoke and West Chinnock). This said service lasts about 30-40 minutes and will have a short sermon.
AT 9.30AM HOLY COMMUNION
During the month 5 of our churches ((Chiselborough, Middle Chinnock, Montacute, Norton (with a choir), and West Chinnock)) have services at this time. These are usually communion services from Common Worship – in mainly contemporary language. These services last about an hour and include hymns and a sermon. There will be an opportunity to meet together afterwards over coffee and biscuits. On the 4th Sunday at Montacute there is a Family Service at 10.00 preceeded by craft activities at 9.30. Children are catered for in most churches – either withdrawing to Gateway in Chiselborough Vestry, or within the church, with a children’s corner and quiet themed activities.
AT 11.00 AM
The main morning services in two parishes (Odcombe and Stoke) are at 11.00. At Odcombe these will normally be Common Worship Communion – but in the 1st Sunday of a month there is an All Age Service. The pattern of 11.00 services at Stoke is: 1st Sunday – an informal Café-style (i.e. sitting around tables with coffee) service at All Saints Hall; 2nd Sunday – Common Worship Communion at St Mary’s; 3rd & 4th Sundays Morning Worship at St Mary’s – all in modern language, with musicians and contemporary music. All these services are followed by refreshments.
2 other churches have informal services at 11.00 once a month. Norton has an all-age worship on the 3rd and alternate 1st Sundays respectively and Chiselborough (called Open Door) each 2nd Sunday morning.
Children are catered for in most churches – either withdrawing to Sunday School in a side room at Stoke or within the church.
All services at 9.30 and 11.00 will have hymns and a sermon/talk.
AT 4.00PM
On 3rd Sunday – West Chinnock holds a Family Service
AT 6.30PM
On 1st Sunday – a Praise service is held at either Norton or West Chinnock; occasionally a Night Light service is held at Odcombe (inviting silent & reflective prayer).
On 2nd Sunday – Stoke has Evening Worship (based on Common Worship Evening Prayer).
On 3rd Sunday – an ecumenical service at either Stoke, Montacute or Montacute Baptist church; and, on alternate months, there is a Book of Common Prayer Evensong, with choir, at Norton.
On 4th Sunday – an evening Common Worship communion at Stoke. There is also a quarterly Taize service at Chiselborough (using music from the French Christian Community)
5TH SUNDAYS
There are 4 or 5 each year and usually there will only be one service during the day – bringing the church communities together.
SEASONAL SERVICES
At various times of the year (Lent and Easter, and Christmas) and particular Sundays (Remembrance, Mothering Sunday, Pentecost, Rogation Sunday, Harvest, Advent) there are special services. It is always good to consult the monthly Services Calendar
AlSO IN THIS SECTION
SERVICES
When and where, learn more about us and the types of services we offer across the benefice
EVENTS
Meetings, Groups and activities, find out what’s going on across the Benefice on our Events Page
GET IN TOUCH
We would love to hear from you. Please contact us via the details on the Who’s Who page
We are part of The Church of England
within the Diocese of Bath and Wells
‘I have come that they may have life in all its fullness’ (John 10 )