Welcome to Royston Methodist Church

 

 

If you have never visited our church before we thought you’d like to know what to expect during a Sunday service
at either 10am or 6.30pm.

 

Come in from the street and enter our bright worship area where the cross has
centre place.

 

We have comfortable chairs and
a sound system which includes
a hearing loop.

 

A steward with a friendly smile will greet you and hand you
a copy of this week’s notices which contains information about services and events
for the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

There is a prayer at the top that you can use quietly before the service begins if you wish.

 

 

You can sit anywhere you like.
Children often sit in the front rows of seats
on the right, with the Junior Church teachers.

Parents with children are welcome to sit there too.

In the back of the chair in front of you
will be a copy of our red hymn book
Singing the Faith.

 

 

The numbers of the hymns that we will sing during the service will be displayed on the two hymn boards at the front.

The preacher leading the service will announce each hymn number as we get
to it.

 

Occasionally the preacher will use a projector during the service to illustrate
the theme, and the words of the hymns will be projected onto the screen.

 

 

 

Royston Methodist Church belongs to
the Cambridge Circuit of Methodist Churches.

Our Minister is the Reverend Charity Nzegwu,
pictured here on the left, alongside
one of our stewards, Audrey.

 

 

 

Leading the service on Sunday morning or evening might be Charity, or it might be one of the other Ministers in the Cambridge circuit,
or a Local Preacher.

 

A list of services and preachers
can be found on this website under
Services

 

Each service lasts one hour.

The preacher will tell the congregation when to stand and sit.  If in doubt just follow the lead of others around you.

We generally remain sitting when the preacher enters; for Bible readings, the sermon and prayers.
We stand to sing hymns; when the collection is being taken forward; after the final hymn at the end of the service,
and at other times when asked to by the preacher.

 

Holy Communion

 

If the service includes Holy Communion,
you will be given a Methodist Worship Book
by the stewards as you enter the church.

 

At the appropriate time the Minister will tell the congregation which page to turn to.

 

We follow the service as printed in the book.
The Minister will say the words printed in
normal type, the congregation will say
the words printed in bold type.

 

There is a ribbon to use as a bookmark
during hymns and the distribution of
the bread and wine.

 

The bread and wine represent the body and the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

Everyone is welcome to take the bread and wine.
If you prefer not to that is also acceptable.

 

 

During a morning communion service the stewards take the pieces of bread to the congregation in their seats. Each person takes a piece, and when everyone is served the Minister will say a few words and we all eat the bread together.

 

At an evening communion service a steward will invite us to go forward and kneel or stand at the altar rail where the Minister will serve the bread.

Gluten-free bread is available.

 

At the altar rail, if you want to take bread and wine, hold your hands out in front of you.  If you just want a blessing, keep your hands down and the Minister will lay his or her hands on your head and say a blessing.

 

 

The wine we use is non-alcoholic and served in individual glasses.  The wine is served after the bread.

 

If the bread and wine is served at the altar rail,
the Minister will finish with a short prayer and everyone stands and returns to their seats.

Junior Church and Crèche

Children and their parents are always welcomed into our church.

The children join the whole congregation for the first part of the morning service which will be at a suitable level for them to follow and enjoy.  After the second hymn
a short blessing is said and the children go into the hall at the back of the building for Junior Church with their teachers. 
At the same time a crèche is provided for babies and toddlers.  Parents are welcome to go with their children while they settle in and then return to the service.

When we have a communion service the children start with Junior Church at 10 o’clock and are brought into the church at the appropriate time to join the congregation and share the bread and wine with us.

 

The collection (or offertory)

Usually towards the end of the service wooden bowls are passed around to receive the collection.
The bowls are then taken to the front to be blessed by the preacher.

You may notice small envelopes that some regular members of the congregation use for their donations.

Other members may have set up a standing order and will therefore not put anything in the bowls.

If you are a tax payer there are gift-aid envelopes in the chair-backs if you wish to use one.

 

 

At the end of the morning service
the preacher blesses the congregation,
and then we go into the hall at the back
for coffee and a chance to talk and
get to know each other better.