Who comes to St. James’?
Anyone and everyone is more than welcome. St. James’ has a mixed congregation who come together from a variety of backgrounds and traditions.
What happens at the services?
While there are specific things we do at special times of the year (such as Christmas or Easter), all our services tend to include the following:
- We sing together a variety of songs, from the contemporary to the traditional
- We have a time of prayer
- We hear the Bible read to us followed by a talk lasting 10 - 20 minutes
- We have a short time for church announcements
- Every week at 9:00am and once a month at 10:45am we share the bread and wine of Holy Communion
After the service we welcome you into our church centre for refreshments and chat.
Are there differences between your services?
Our two morning services 9:00am and 10:45am offer diversity in style. The 9:00am is more traditional with no children's provision and with a formal order of service. The 10:45am has a more contemporary feel and has provision for children each week.
How long are the services?
The 9:00am service is normally between 45 minutes to an hour, while the 10:45am service normally lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Do you collect money during the service?
No we don't, but we do believe that giving our money to God's work in his church is an act of worship. If you are not a regular attender of the church but have been blessed by you time with us, you might wish to make a donation via the contactless device at the back of the church. For those who consider St. James' to be their spiritual home, we encourage regular givers to sign up to our automated Parish Giving Scheme.
Will I be asked to do anything during the service?
No, nothing to fear! Whilst a number of people from the congregation play an active role in our services, we want St. James’ to be as safe and as unthreatening a place as possible, so you will never be asked to do anything you do not want to do. Of course, if you want to get involved, please just ask. We love to see God using the gifts and skills of others in our services.
Can I bring my children?
Absolutely! Children's ministry is a big part of our work at St. James’. We offer specially designed children’s groups every week. On some special festivals such as Easter, Harvest and Christmas children stay in the main service which will be put together with our younger people in mind.
What is the dress code?
Yes, we'd like you to be dressed!! But the simple answer is, there is no dress code. We want you to feel comfortable, so just come as you are!
Can I park at the church?
Yes. Opposite the church or adjacent in the Forest car park. There is a disabled space closest to the church door.
Do you have provision for the hard of hearing or partially sighted?
We try to ensure that all our printed literature and projected content use colour schemes and font sizes which are helpful for the partially sighted. Folders with large print words to songs are available on request. For the hard of hearing we operate a loop system. If you experience any problems with accessing our services, please do contact us.
How do I get involved?
There are all sorts of ways to get involved at St. James’, whether it is participating in a Life Group, or assisting in the various activities run by the church.