Come to enjoy Sunday service

Welcome 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, 8.30 to 3pm.

• Every Sunday we have sung Holy Communion at 9.45am.
• 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 3pm until to the end  of March; and from April to the end of September, open 8.30am-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, whether for a service, a visit, meditation, or private prayer.

From Candlemas to Lent, a message from our Vicar, Herbert:

Dear Friends,
Through January we have been journeying in the lovely post-Christmas season of Epiphany, which is the revealing of God’s heavenly glory in Jesus, his Son, born to us at Christmas. The wise men, or Magi, came first to worship the Christ child, and then secondly to present their gifts to him.

Christ’s coming invites us to renew our calling to be in close relationship with God, who came to seek us in the revelation of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.

The feast of Candlemas, the presentation of the Christ child in the temple to Simeon, which we keep on the 2nd February, is the culmination of Epiphany. It presents us all with an invitation to draw ourselves nearer to God in our relationship afresh. And then to ponder, and offer what gifts and skills God has personally given each of us to use to his glory and service in the year ahead as we, like the Magi, journey in faith.

I wish to thank everyone for all they have each generously contributed throughout this past year. You have supported St Thomas’ in so many ways, with your time, gifts, skills and love in devotion of God.

The Book of Common Prayer post-Holy Communion prayer of Thanksgiving invites us beautifully – ‘to offer and present ourselves O Lord, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable and holy sacrifice unto thee’.

Then a little later in February we begin the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is on the 18th and that brings an invitation for a deeper reflection upon God who redeems and draws us to himself in Christ Jesus, his Son’s Passion.

May God’s presence be with us all in the days ahead as together we continue to journey into this new year with faith.
With every blessing and wish for that,
Fr Herbert.