Services

Church Services

Our church services are at 10:30 am and currently include online and “live” celebrations of Holy Communion (in which all are invited to share) and all-age Festival Services. We advise you to check the diary below regularly for details as to what is happening each Sunday.

Children and young people on Sundays: there is a creche in The Link for children up to 3 years old, plus some “Family Spaces” in the church, with toys and space for small children to move around. Neons, for children aged 3-7, meets every Sunday. The children come into church for the start of the service and return towards the end, having spent time in their own group.
For children aged 7 and upward, activities are offered each week, except the Church Parades, which are all-age. 

CELEBRATE TOGETHER: OUR JUBILEE YEAR

 Celebrating 50 years of Faith, Hope and Love in the United Reformed Church

In October 2022 it will be fifty years since the United Reformed Church came into being: a union of two ancient, reformed traditions in the Christian church- Presbyterian and Congregational. After centuries of church division and sub-division, here was a union, formed in faith, in hope and in love.

St John’s URC is proud to be a member congregation of that union, upholding the reformed traditions of freedom of thought, breadth of theology, diversity in worship and inclusivity in membership, rooted in the word of the Bible discerned under the guidance of the ever-inspiring Holy Spirit.

This year we celebrate our Jubilee and, to mark the occasion, we re-planted our famous “Daffodil Cross,” symbol of faith, hope and love in our neighbourhood. . Click here to view!

Join us for our church services at 10:30am every Sunday. You will find your “party book” in front of you, so come and join the celebrations.

Sunday 5^th June. Pentecost Sunday   What is a Jubilee? Rest, Re-set and Rejoice.

Holy Communion Service, led by our Minister.

Sunday 12^th June.   Celebrating our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

All-Age Church Parade Service led by our Minister with the Rainbows.

Sunday 19^th June Get ready to celebrate

Service of worship led by Janet Godden

Suggested Bible verses: Luke 22, verses 7-13

Thinking point: What is a church getting ready to celebrate when we gather for worship?

Sunday 26^th June

Service of worship led by Marion Moore (Lay preacher from West Wickham URC)

Sunday 3^rd July You are invited…..  

Holy Communion Service led by our minister, to include the reception of new church members

Suggested Bible verses: Luke 14, verses 16-23. (A story of a banquet and the guests who never came)

Thinking point: Who is missing from our church?

Sunday 10^th July “You shouldn’t have….” Making an effort.

All-Age Church Parade led by our Minister, with the Scouts

Suggested Bible verses: Matthew 2, 10-11. (Visit of the Magi to baby Jesus)

Thinking point: What is “special” about a church these days?

Sunday 17^th July  Recipe for a Queen…. party food.

Service of worship led by our Minister, to include the baptism of Henry Logie

Suggested Bible verses Isaiah 55; 1-2. An invitation to taste something worth eating

Thinking point: What do we offer as spiritual food and drink?

Sunday 24^th July  “Your Party Piece.” (Everyone doing what they do best)

Service of worship led by our Minister to include the baptism of Clara Leonard and the Dedication of Luke Howells

Suggested Bible verses: Psalm 150; 4-5 (Praising God with a variety of musical instruments)

Thinking point: what is our “party piece? “

Sunday 31^st July. “Speech, Speech….” Why are we here?

Service of worship led by our Minister.

Suggested Bible verses: Luke 4;16-21. (Jesus speaking in the synagogue)

Thinking point: how do we speak about our faith?

Sunday 7^th August. “Do you remember?” Sharing our stories.

Holy Communion Service led by our Minister

Suggested Bible verses Psalm 145; 4-7. One generation commends the works of God to another.

Thinking point: what do we want future generations to know about our faith and church?

Sunday 14^th August Jubilee Justice. A Party with a Purpose

Service of worship led by our Minister

Suggested Bible verses: Leviticus 25; 8-11.(A Jubilee is for cancelling debts and setting slaves free)

Thinking point: What should we be challenging and “cancelling” in order to make the world a fairer place?

Sunday 21^st  August   The Goodie Bag. Something to take away

Service of worship led by Jenny Sheehan, nationally accredited Lay Preacher  

Suggested Bible verses: 1 Corinthians 13; 13 (Faith, hope and love) and Galatians 5;2- gifts of the Spirit.

Thinking point: What is the most precious thing you take away from church worship to share with the people in your life?

Sunday 28th  August

Service of worship led by Revd. Peter Swaffield, retired Minister

Sunday 4^th September Keeping and Discarding- what is left behind?

Holy Communion Service, led by our Minister

Suggested Bible verses: Luke 15;8-9 Parable of the lost coin

Thinking Point: What should we be keeping? Sharing? Discarding? (in our own lives and in the life of the church)

Sunday 11^th September  Party’s over. When’s the next?

Service of worship led by our Minister

Suggested Bible verses: Revelation 21;3-5 (the dwelling place of God with humanity)

Thinking Point: Looking back and looking forward, how do we use our faith to transform the world for God?

Sunday 18^th September.  Faith, Hope and Love: The Jubilee 

An All Age Church Parade Service to celebrate the 50^th  anniversary of the United Reformed Church.

• Details for each week’s service, including theme and bible reading, can be found in the diary entries below