Our regular weekly services are held at Bradley Street at 10.15am. There is also a monthly service at 6.00pm at Dryleaze Court on (usually) the fourth Sunday of each month.
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.
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.
We have a system of AV screens which we use for the words of hymns and songs, and for any other congregational responses or guidance. We normally use Powerpoint. The slides are usually prepared by one of the team here, but if you want to prepare them yourself a template is available, together with some helpful notes
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. You will be asked to provide an order of service and references for the songs and hymns well before the service, so that the slides can be prepared. If you want to discuss the items to be displayed please speak to your steward in good time - we try to be as helpful as possible, but we do not yet have enough experience to make last-minute changes just before the 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 a lot of time to prepare.
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 all-age worship; 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 "Singing The Faith", "Hymns and Psalms" and "Mission Praise" - the combined edition - and our own "United In Worship".
This is a new hymn book from the Methodist Church, and we are still finding our way around it. There do seem to be a large number of traditional hymns omitted from it, and for the moment we are regarding it as a supplement to "Hymns and Psalms" rather than an independent book - but this will no doubt change as we become more accustomed to it. Even if you find the hymn you want, it is a good idea to check the words, because some hymn texts have been radically changed.
"Singing The Faith" contains a different selection of psalms from "Hymns and Psalms", unpointed and without musical settings, and emphatically for responsorial use - several would be very difficult to use antiphonally. Check carefully!
This was until recently the usual Methodist hymn book. It is a good mix of traditional hymns, but obviously has a strong Methodist bias in its selection. There is a selection of psalms and 'canticles' (unmetrical texts printed in psalm style) pointed and set to anglican chants, which can also be spoken responsorially or antiphonally.
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 - many of the older hymn texts have been radically changed.
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 contact is Sue Marsland (844110)
In morning worship a bell is rung and we bring a lit candle in to mark the beginning of the service. This is followed by a welcome from the steward, and then either 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 other than the AV system, it is important you discuss them with the steward well beforehand.
Click here for a local map.
Copyright ©:2009 Wotton United Church Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire