What to expect

We hope that this brief introduction to our services may be a help in planning a visit, particularly if you haven’t been to church for a while.

  • We hope that you’ll find us welcoming and friendly, but also able to give you space if that’s what you want.
  • We are used to having visitors, and people who just want to take a look.
  • We are delighted if people come who would not call themselves Christians.

Please feel free to join in with as much or as little of the service as you feel comfortable. Our 3 regular service times are listed below.

We hope that it will be a blessing for you.

9.30am Service in All Saints’ Church

At this service we tend to have around 50 people and the service is traditional in style. The service is in modern language and printed on a service sheet for convenience. The music is a mix of hymns and modern songs, led by organ and piano.

There are usually only a few children, as our Sunday Schools run at our 11am service. However the  Vestry (at the front of the church on the left) can be used as a crèche if needed, at any point during the service. There are toilet facilities, including a changing area, at the back of church, under the tower.

11am Service in Laleham School

At the 11am service we tend to have around 120 adults, with many families and young children. The service is informal and in modern language, and everything you need is on a service sheet or on the screen at the front. The music is mainly modern songs, led by a band. We are not ‘happy clappy’ but we hope that our singing is lively and heartfelt.  If you haven’t been to church for a while some of the songs will probably be unfamiliar to you, and if you don’t call yourself a Christian you may not feel able to sing the words. Please don’t feel embarrassed if you don’t feel able to join in, and just want to listen! Our Sunday school groups run at this service. Please ask for information – your children will be very welcome to join our regular groups.

6.30pm Service in All Saints’ Church

This one hour service is suitable for anyone and everyone, and guests are always welcome.   The service has a life-changing positive focus, addressing the problems that we face in our life in a practical way.  The style is best described as “smart casual”.

What about children?

On a typical Sunday we have over 50 children, mainly at our 11am service.
We often have an All Age Service on the first Sunday of the month where children stay in for the whole service. It’s child-friendly and lasts under an hour.
For the other Sundays in the month children aged 3-14 stay in the service for the first 15 minutes and then go to their own Sunday School groups in nearby classrooms. Sunday School finishes at 12.15pm. Children in the youngest group, Small Saints, aged 3-7, need to be collected, while the older children will be sent back into the hall. The group leaders are all DBS checked, and wear bright polo shirts to identify them. If you want to stay with you child in Sunday School while they get used to it, please have a word with the group leader.

What about babies and toddlers?
There are usually lots of babies and toddlers at the 11am service in Laleham School. We love welcoming children, and are relaxed about a bit of noise in the service, so please don’t feel anxious. We offer a supervised crèche called Tiny Saints for children up to 3, where all our leaders are DBS checked. It is in one of the classrooms at the back of the hall where we meet. Please feel free to use it at any point during the service, especially if your child gets restless, and to come and go as you need.

After the service
After each service we offer refreshments and we would be delighted if you are able to stay to chat.

What do people wear?
People dress as they want, ranging from jeans and T-shirts to jackets or dresses. There really is no dress code! The clergy usually wear a dog collar in the morning, and casual shirts in the evening.

How early should I arrive?
People start arriving 15-20 minutes before the service, but there tends to be a rush about 5 minutes before the service starts. Don’t worry if you find yourself running late – you won’t be the only one, especially at the 11am service, and no one will mind!