Enjoy church at St Thomas à Becket

Herbert our Vicar, and everyone in our congregation, welcome you to our community at St Thomas à Becket Church.

We’ve been a place of Christian worship to Almighty God since at least the 12th century. And we are open every day from 8.30 to 5pm.

• Every Sunday we have sung Holy Communion at 9.45am.
• NEW – sung Evensong at 4pm on the first Sunday of the month.
• And on the first Wednesday of the month we have a midday ‘said’ Holy Communion.

St Thomas’ is always ready to welcome you to the presence of God. Take a little time amid the busy-ness of daily life – be refreshed and renewed in peace.

• The church is open every day for private prayer, and to visit from 8.30am to 5pm.
• We have a range of worship and social activities – see What’s On. Or pick up our free monthly Parish News.

Enjoy this oasis of calm and tranquillity, for a service, a visit, meditation, or private prayer.

October message from our Vicar:

Dear Friends,

In October, amongst various feast days in the church calendar, there are two which I would like to reflect upon: that of St Teresa of Avila on the 15^th, and St Luke, the Apostle on the 18^th.

St Teresa of Avila was born in 1515 into an aristocratic family and was educated by Augustinian nuns and entered a Carmelite convent at the age of 20. She became a great teacher of the faith.

St Teresa’s intense focus on prayer attracted many followers and as a result she founded many new religious communities throughout Spain. In addition, her writings on prayer also influenced many – ‘The way of perfection’ and ‘The interior castle’ are two of her works.

St Luke, the Apostle, we know from the New Testament, was a close friend of St Paul, who describes him as ‘the beloved physician’. St Luke of course was the author of his Gospel as well as the Book of Acts.

St Luke’s gospel is the only gospel recording the commencement of Jesus’ ministry. He writes with feeling and personal appeal and draws on the Old Testament. In his writing he makes clear that the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is for all, regardless of gender, social position, nationality or whatever.

Our worship at St Thomas à Becket, using the Book of Common Prayer, gives us the opportunity to bring ourselves, quietly and as we are, into the presence of almighty God, who is our creator and redeemer.

The important call of prayer, as shown by the life and example of St Teresa, encourages us alike to bring our praise, as well as our cares and concerns, to God and his unending love, just as we are. This is the same creating and redeeming God who St Luke reveals as Jesus Christ in his gospel.

Someone once beautifully said of prayer that – ‘whatever we want, all we really need is God and prayer brings us God’. Thereby, dear friends, may we grow to seek God, to pray, to entrust ourselves to him and to that life he calls us to live and be.

With love and best wishes,
Fr Herbert