All our morning services are held at Bradley Street, and so are most of our evening services; but on the last Sunday of each month our evening service is held at Dryleaze Court, and we frequently hold united services with other Churches in Wotton. Our morning services are at 10.15am, our evening services at 6.00pm.
Our worship space is very open and flexible. Usually we sit in a horse-shoe around the table, but other arrangements can be made if you discuss with the stewards a couple of weeks before.
A sound system is in operation, and the sermon may be recorded. There is a loop system fitted.
The duty steward will contact the preacher a week or so before each service. We have several Worship Leaders, and many other people are willing to read lessons. The steward will give you further information, but please bear in mind that drama or other major elements of a service do need some time to prepare.
We are happy with a wide variety of types of service, and would be delighted to help you in any way you feel will bring us to worship God together.
It will be appreciated if the hymns are available a couple of days before the service, so that the organist can play the tunes through - but we do understand that you may find this difficult.
We rarely have children at our ordinary services, but when there are children, they will leave after the second hymn. Once a month on the first Sunday of the month we have Roots n Shoots, which is part family service, part ordinary service; the steward will be in touch well beforehand to explain what is expected in more detail.
Methodist Worship Books are available but they are not kept in the seats so please tell your steward if you intend to use them.
Bibles will be in the seats - we use the New International Version.
The hymn books available are "Hymns and Psalms" and "Mission Praise" - the combined edition - and our own "United In Worship". we do not yet have a projection system, but if there is a hymn or song that you feel is essential for your service, we can usually print the words on the weekly news sheet - provided you give the stewards a week or so of warning.
If you are visiting from another tradition, you may have some problems finding your way around this, the current Methodist hymn book. Even if you find the hymn you want, it is a good idea to check the words, because some hymns have been radically changed.
This is not quite the newest edition; it goes up to number 798.
Again, if you are unfamiliar with the book, it is a good idea to check the words, not just the first line.
This is a collection of 95 additional hymns, songs and choruses which we produced for our own needs a few years ago. A complete list of first lines is available here.
If a preacher needs to speak to the organist or wishes to discuss music the contacts are John Dorsett (843981) or Sue Marsland (844110)
In morning worship we bring a lit candle in to mark the beginning of the service, and follow either with a period of silence or else an appropriate chorus (from Mission Praise for example) which the congregation can sing while remaining seated. The chorus can be selected by the preacher, or, if the preacher prefers, the chorus can be selected by the steward or by the organist.
The United Church is halfway along Bradley Street, on the northern, left hand side as you approach the town. There is no parking on the premises, and only very limited parking in the street; but there is a car park on Gloucester Street close to its junction with the street labelled Haw Street on the map below (it is actually Bear Street!). A footpath leads from the car park to Bradley Street.
Dryleaze Court is the unnamed road on the map branching off Dryleaze and running parallel with Ellerncroft Road. The small car park is on the left hand side as the road makes a slight bend to the left. The entrance is on the right of the car park.
This is a series of photographs taken recently by Alison Jackson, one of our members. We hope they give you some idea of the style of the building - and may help you recognise it when you pass.
The acoustics are friendly, especially with the sound system we have installed; but two or three of our members are hard of hearing, so you will be asked to use a clip-on microphone - or use the 'lollipop' on the stand in front of the lectern if you prefer it.
There is no pulpit, and the lectern is fairly small - approximately 80cm by 40cm, but you can use the window seat for papers and other material.
The worship area is very light; sometimes too light for low-powered projectors or screens. If you want to use visuals, it is important you discuss them with the steard well beforehand.
Click here for a local map.
Click here for an area map.
Copyright ©:2009 Wotton United Church Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire