Information for preachers

Services start at 10 am. The church should be open from around 9.30 and there is parking available in our car park opposite.
Refreshments are served in the back hall after each service.

Theme
We don’t have a set theme or readings for each Sunday, so you may choose your own or follow the lectionary.

Hymns/songs
Please let us know your choice of hymns/songs as early as possible – and by midweek at the latest – to  give time for the musicians to prepare.

We use songs from Singing the Faith or sometimes other well known songs, with words projected using PowerPoint. Most preachers prepare their own PowerPoint show – if you’re happy to do this please bring it with you on a memory stick at hand it to the AV operator. For best screen display please us 4x3 slide format.  If you’d like help with getting song words onto PowerPoint please email us your song choices as early as possible.

Alternatively, we have Singing the Faith hymn books for the congregation. Please let us know if you plan to use these, so that we can to have them out ready.
We have several musicians with different combinations of instruments each week. Occasionally there may be no musician available, in which case we can use song videos on screen.

Layout
Our worship area is generally set out with seating around tables, in café  style (see below), but can be reconfigured if required. Please let us know as early as possible of any special requests.

Children
Children often attend our services, especially in Weeks 2 and 3. There is a table set out with activities for them, but they will also enjoy participation in the service as appropriate. There are no separate children’s sessions. Most months in Week 4 there is Messy Church at Sampford Peverell, so we are less likely to have children in our service that week.

Communion
Words are projected using PowerPoint. We don’t have service books for the congregation.
There is no set pattern and we welcome variety, but communion is usually brought to the congregation in our seats and we eat/drink together.

Offering
No offering is taken or brought forward during the service, but you may wish to pray an offering prayer as part of the service.

Bible readers
can be arranged – please ask the steward on Sunday morning and they will find a willing volunteer. 

The Lord's Prayer
Some of our congregation like to use a contemporary version of the Lord's Prayer, while others prefer the traditional form. We are happy for you to lead with the version of your choice. It may be helpful to include your choice of words on the PowerPoint presentation.