What are church services like?

The Welcome
At Christchurch our Sunday services are warm, friendly occasions. Our services are neither formal nor stuffy but neither are they "happy-clappy" - although we do not stipulate any rules on how people should express themselves. It comes down to having normal respect for others and good manners towards them. In the morning you will be met at the door and given the service notice sheet. It is usual for someone to chat with you and help you find a seat so you won't be left wondering what to do.

For something a little more easy-going we hold an evening service at the Free Church Hall in Letchworth. We sit round tables with coffee, tea and buscuits and proceedings might include easy general knowledge quizes, interviews or films. There is still a twenty minute Bible talk but more geared towards tose young in their faith or just looking still.

The Music - do I have to sing?
We sing a mixture of the best new Christian songs and choruses and old hymns. The music group is centred around a piano accompanied by singers perhaps with drums, bass, guitar and violin as available. Some people sing lustily and others are more contemplative so no one is going to notice if you stay silent - we won't necessarily know all the tunes either!

Is there one of those dreaded collections?
Although there will a collection at some stage during one of the songs, you are not expected to contribute unless you really want to. Many of the members contribute through direct debits and will simply pass the bag along, so you won't look out of place doing the same thing.

The Talking Bits
Before the children leave the main hall for their Sunday School, there may be a children's talk or activity where small children are invited up front. Once they leave with the helpers the remaining adults will hear a Bible passage reading and there will be a formal time of prayer by someone at the front.

The Bible Teaching
The centre piece of our meetings is the sermon. These are rarely more than twenty five minutes long, so the Sunday roast won't spoil! Our preachers make a point of explaining the Bible passage that has been read to us earlier and many visitors remark on how much they enjoy and appreciate that. You will not hear a political or social homily - there's already plenty of that on the radio and in the press.

Tea and Coffee
At the end of the service the children will rejoin us and you will be invited to stay for tea, coffee and biscuits along with everybody else. This is a vital and much-loved part of our morning and is the opportunity for you to get to know us better and us to get to know you. You're sure to find a good conversation and folks who are genuinely interested in you, so please do not miss this opportunity.