The service is explained on the page Holy Communion. It is customary for those receiving communion to have been confirmed by a bishop. Children who are too young to take communion and those who are not confirmed are invited to receive a blessing at the altar instead.
When you come to a Sunday Parish Communion service at St James's Church you will be welcomed and given the weekly Church Sheet which includes details of services and events for the forthcoming week, general notices, contact phone numbers and e-mail addresses. You will also be given a Service Booklet which takes you through the service, explaining what is happening and what to say, sing and do. This service booklet now includes the service music for those who can read music. This new service music was composed in 2024 specially for St James's Church by Martin Hinckley, a member of the congregation. There is also a special service booklet for Advent and Lent, also with the music.
The service is followed by refreshments, generally in the Church Hall.
Church Seasons
The Church, or Christian, year celebrates different parts of the Christian faith during the course of twelve months, dividing the year into a series of seasons. These are Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and Easter. The rest of the year is referred to as ‘Ordinary Time’ as there is no specific focus for celebration. The Christian year also consists of Saints Days, Festivals and Holy Days. These seasons and days make up the Church, or Christian, Calendar.
Colours of the Christian Year shows the way the St James's is coloured during the seasons. Each season has its own mood, theological emphasis, etc, which is shown in different ways of decorating the church, colours used, scriptural readings, themes for preaching and so on.
The Seasons in the Christian Year follow the life of Jesus a bit like a story:
Advent is when the story actually begins, as we prepare for the birth of Jesus.
Christmas follows, when Jesus was born.
Epiphany follows, when the Wise Men (or kings, or Magi) came to visit Jesus.
Lent is the next part of the story as we carry on following his life through to the preparation for his passion (suffering) in Lent and death on the cross in Holy Week.
Easter is when we learn about his resurrection from the dead.
The Ascension into Heaven follows Easter.
Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit, is the next part of the story.
Trinity is the last part of the story that we learn about and we then concentrate on learning more about our faith.
Other Special Days and Festivals:
Candlemas
St James's Day
Harvest Festival
All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day
Remembrance Sunday
Find out more
Colours of the Christian Year
Service Garments
Church Textiles
Church Plate
The History of St James's Services shows some of what happened from when records began up until 2017. The Annual Parochial Church Meeting Reports show the annual reports from most teams and groups since then. (Scroll down the document of the year you are interested in to find the report you want)
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