Parish Eucharist

Our Parish Eucharist (Eucharist means Thanksgiving) is a sung service with music led by our choir and organ. It is a time when we come together as the family of St James’ and offer our praise and thanks to God. We pray for others and the wider world; we seek God’s healing and forgiveness; we encounter the risen Christ through the bible, through the sharing of bread and wine during Holy Communion and through each other.

The service lasts about an hour and refreshments are served in the church hall after the service leading to the start of Church Alive at 11am.

Children's Church is held in the hall for activities and stories based on the bible readings of the day, and the children return near the end of the service to share what they have been learning. There are also toys and story bags in the children’s corner at the back of church if preferred.

Large print service sheets and hymn books are available and there is a hearing loop for those hard of hearing. The church has wheelchair access and there is a disabled loo. Clergy will come to the pews to offer Communion or a Blessing for those less mobile.

There is a quiet space in the Lady Chapel to light a candle or leave a prayer card for a loved one. Prayer cards are collected and prayed for once a month and are also offered up during the Eucharist when we have prayers for wholeness and healing.

The Parish Eucharist has four main parts:
The Gathering

We gather together in the Lord’s name with an opening greeting, prayers and a hymn.

The Word

We listen to two bible readings and a psalm may be sung by the choir. There is a sermon exploring the good news for today.

The Sacrament – Holy Communion

We share the Peace with each other before the Eucharistic Prayer (our prayer of thanks to God). We encounter Jesus through the sharing of bread and wine of Holy Communion or a prayer of Blessing.

The Dismissal

There is a Blessing and we are sent out ‘in the power of the Spirit, to live and work to God’s praise and glory’.

Parish Eucharist