New To Church?

Welcome

The best way to find out about us is to come to church one Sunday. You would be most welcome at any of our services, either 10am at St Stephen’s or 6pm at St Wulstan’s, and you are free to participate as much as you wish. There’s no need to book, so if you’d like to come, you can just turn up!

You can find directions to our buildings here.

If you would like to connect with us beforehand, please fill out this form and someone from our staff team will be in touch with further details.

What to expect

Coming to anything for the first time can be daunting, and church is no exception. So, we’ve put together a brief summary of what you can expect on a Sunday:

Before the service

Our services start promptly, so it is a good idea to arrive a few minutes early. This also gives you the chance to meet a few members of the church family. There is no ‘dress code’, so please dress as you feel comfortable.

If you are driving, the best places to park for St Stephen’s are on Serpentine Road, Selly Park Road and Elmdon Road. For St Wulstan’s, the roads can be very busy during student terms, but there is parking on Alton Road, Bristol Road, Luton Road and also Bournbrook Road.

As you come in, one of the Welcome Team will greet you at the door. There are no special seats, so you can sit wherever you wish. The only exception is that some seats may be reserved near the front for members of the music group, or occasionally for visitors at a special service.

During the service

All of our services include:

Bible Readings
We have found that this is how God has chosen to communicate with us, and where we encounter Jesus.

Sermon
This is a talk aiming to explain what God is saying in the Bible reading, and what that means for our lives today. It usually lasts 20-25 minutes. There will normally be a time to discuss or ask questions about what we have heard. You are free to take part in this, or simply to listen.

Songs and Hymns
We sing in order to express our praise to God, and also to encourage one another. We sing a mixture of ‘songs’ which tend to be more contemporary and ‘hymns’ which are more traditional. We normally stand to sing, with the words projected on to a screen. Again, you are free to join in or simply to listen.

Confession
This is a prayer we say together, in which we admit to God that we have done what is wrong and failed to do what is right, and ask him to forgive us. This, too, you are free to join in, or to listen to.

Prayers
Various prayers are said throughout the service, some of which we say together. The words are provided on a screen. There is also a specific time of led ‘intercession’ (praying for others), where we pray for the needs of the world, the nation, the church, and individuals.

Creed or Affirmation of Faith
This is a short statement of Christian belief that we say together, sometimes in a question-and-answer form. The words are provided on a screen. We normally stand for this and everyone who wishes is invited to join in.

News
This will include news and announcements about the church and forthcoming events, and may include an interview.

Holy Communion (Lord’s Supper)
Once a month, we specifically remember Jesus’ death for us and share in the benefit of what he did for us. This takes the form of a symbolic meal in which we share bread and wine. Anyone who knows and loves the Lord Jesus is welcome to participate; those who do not wish to do so are free simply to observe. At the 10am service the bread and wine are served by stewards from the four corners of the church; at the 6pm service they are passed along the rows.

After the service

The service usually lasts 75-90 minutes (60 minutes for an All-Age service). It normally ends with a closing prayer, and then the music group will play. You are very welcome to stay at this point and to meet some of the church family.

Refreshments are served after the 10am service at St Stephen’s, and after the 6pm service at the back of St Wulstan’s.

There is an Information Table and a literature rack (in the Foyer at St Stephen’s and at the back of St Wulstan’s) with further information about our church and its activities. Please feel free to browse these and to take anything that looks helpful.

We look forward to welcoming you to our church soon!