I'm new to St. John the Baptist

Welcome to St. John the Baptist church and, if you are new to the area, to the parish of Kingsthorpe.  We pray that you will be happy here.

We look forward to welcoming you at one of our events or services, so please do call our team rector, Revd Canon Jane Butler on 01604 717133 or make yourself known to the people who welcome you when you come into church or speak to our churchwarden.

Frequently asked questions

Walking into a church, any church, for the first time can be a little daunting.  Here is what you will see as you come into our beautiful building.

And the answers to some frequently asked questions.  Do please contact us if you have any other questions.

1.  Where do I park my car?

Please find a parking space on the Green or one of the surrounding streets, leaving enough room for residents to be able to get their cars out of their drives or roads.

2.  ​Where do I sit in church?

You may sit anywhere in the body of the church.  There are no reserved places or pews.  If you are new to church, you may prefer to sit where you can follow the people in front of you.

3.  ​How do I know what to do during the service?

Both the service booklet and the person leading the service should give clear directions, such as when to sit and when to stand, and what happens next.  Words for everyone to say or sing are in bold.  For Family Eucharists, all of the hymns are printed on a separate song sheet.  For Sung Eucharists, we use a hymn book and the hymn numbers are usually announced by the person leading the service.

4.  What if I do not know the tunes to the hymns or the different parts of the service?

Don't worry.  Our choir lead us in the singing of hymns and the other parts of the service.  Feel free to just listen to the music and the words, and join in when you feel ready and comfortable to do so.

5.  ​What am I supposed to do when people leave their pews to go up to the altar rails?

There are three options.  Please choose the one which seems most appropriate to you.

​Option one ​is simply to stay in your pew, and enjoy the time and space.

Option two ​is to come to the altar rail when directed to receive a blessing from the priest.  If this is what you want, kneel with your arms by your side and the priest will know to bless you.  Once this has happened, simply return to your seat.

Option three ​is to come to the altar to receive the bread and wine of the Eucharist.  If you are used to receiving communion, even if this was some while ago, you are welcome to come and receive at our altar.  If this is what you want, hold out your hands in front of you, and you will be given a wafer of bread, with the words 'The body of Christ'.  You may like to respond 'Amen' before eating the wafer.  You will then be invited to take a sip of wine from the chalice, with the words 'The blood of Christ'.  You may like to respond 'Amen' before drinking from the cup.  This option of receiving Holy Communion is for those who have committed themselves to a life of following Jesus.  If you'd like to find out more about this, and the service of confirmation that normally precedes receiving communion, do please contact our team rector, Revd Canon Jane Butler, on 01604 717133.

6.  How do I get to know other people who attend the church?

Feel free to just chat to people after the service over a cuppa - we do try to be a friendly and welcoming church!  Alternatively, the churchwarden, welcomers or clergy would be more than happy to make one or two introductions.

7.  Are children welcome in church?

Yes, absolutely!  Children of all ages are very welcome in our church.  On the first and third Sundays of the month, we have a service that it is designed for families of all ages and stages in the Christian faith - do come and experience a Family Eucharist.  Before and during the service, there is an activity table linked to that day's theme and the children are also invited to come forward and join in the short all-age talk, if they wish.  On the other Sundays of the month, the children go out for part of the service to continue their worship in Junior Church in the Chapter House.  They rejoin the adults in church at the Peace.

Our church has toilets and a baby changing facility, and a children's area with toys and books.

Jesus said,
​'Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them.'
​Matthew 19:14 (NRSV)

For more details, please see our Children's activities page or contact our team rector, Revd Canon Jane Butler, on 01604 717133.

 

 

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