About our services

The Eucharist

This is the main service of Holy Communion in St Boniface and St Martin in the Wood. Eucharist is the Greek word, used in the original language of the New Testament, and means ‘thanksgiving’.
Thanksgiving lies at the heart of this service, which concentrates on the saving acts of Jesus, in his life and death, resurrection and ascension.

This service of the Eucharist is divided into two main parts:

The Liturgy of the Word has grown out of the Jewish Synagogue worship in the time of Christ. It contains several sub-sections. Readings from the Old and the New Testaments, a variety of prayers, of preparation, sorrow, for our own needs and those of the church and the world. It also contains our statement of faith, the Nicene Creed which was formulated at the council of Nicea in the 4th century.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament developed in the new Church in response to Jesus’ command at the last supper to share bread and wine in remembrance of him.

The two parts came together sometime in the early days of the Church.

The Church year is split into seasons, starting with Epiphany, then Lent, Easter, Advent and ending with Christmas. Listed below are the five 'special' seasons. Outside of these seasons we use Ordinary Time. We also use the Short Service or the Family Eucharist for more informal situations, especially when children are involved..

The Family Eucharist

This shorter, more informal service is held in both churches on a monthly basis. ‘Family’ is intended to be inclusive, recognising that many do not come with children, and may not be married - it is the family of God. There is a balance of modern and more traditional hymns and different church groups often take a part. This service is fairly new and is evolving, and the attendance is growing.

St. Boniface:
    The 1st Sunday of the month at 10am
    The dais and nave altar are used.
    The youth band, ‘The Bonny Faces’, often help to lead the music.

St. Martin’s:
    The 3rd Sunday of the month at 9.15am
    The Junior Choir often helps to lead the music. 

The Short Service

This service allows us to celebrate the Eucharist at any time of the Church’s Year, in greater simplicity. It keeps the main structure of the service, and so worshippers will recognise its familiar pattern. But it encourages greater flexibility of use in more informal situations, especially when children are involved.

Epiphany

The Feast of the Epiphany (6 January) is when we remember the three Wise Men (Magi) visiting Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The season of Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Christ’s glory and so the colour remains white or gold for celebration.

The season ends with the feast of Candlemas (2 February). Here we remember the forty-day old Jesus being taken by Mary and Joseph to the Temple for his presentation and Mary’s purification. This feast day is very important to the Church’s year as it looks back through Epiphany to Christmas, and then turns to face Christ’s passion (suffering).

Lent and Passion-tide

We recall Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness, his trial and crucifixion. The season’s colour is ‘dull’ purple which reminds us of the sackcloth and ashes of penitence.

The forty day season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and prepares the Church for the celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord. It is about preparing for Easter.

The season originated as a time of preparation for those who would be baptized at Easter. It gradually developed as a period of discipline and self-denial for all Christian people. The season continually looks forward and builds towards Holy Week and the Passion of Christ.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when the colour changes from purple to red, the colour of blood and of kingship. On Good Friday and Easter Eve it is customary to have the altar bare, until it is dressed once more for the feast of Easter.

Easter

This is the great Christian festival that proclaims the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The season’s colour is white or gold for celebration.

This is the season of the Great Fifty Days from Easter Day to Pentecost (Whitsunday). Easter Day is the ‘feast of feasts’, and is the only day in the year that members of the Church of England are bound to receive Holy Communion.

This is the oldest period of celebration, and the unique place of Eastertide in the Church’s year is affirmed. It begins with the resurrection of the Lord, and ends with the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Advent

This season begins the Church’s year. We prepare for Christmas, and remember Jesus’ promise to return. The season’s colour is ‘royal’ purple, reminding us of this royal birth.

Advent is a season that is divided into two parts. The readings and prayers for the first part, emphasise a period of preparation for the second coming, the return of Christ, as judge at the end of the world. The Advent hymns are full of this theme.

From 17 December the theme looks forward to the coming of Christ as a baby. The readings and prayers for this part emphasise our need to prepare for the celebration of the first coming at Bethlehem.

Christmas

This is the celebration of the birth of Christ, and recognises the special purposes for which he was born. The season’s colour is white or gold for celebration.

Christmas Day begins a time of celebration and of joy. We are celebrating once again the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, so that Christ may be born again in our hearts.

The festival begins with the midnight Eucharist, and lasts much longer than the day itself because it is a season, and so the following Sundays are called the ‘Sundays of Christmas’.

The crib and the nativity scene as we know it, was introduced by St Francis in the 13th century. The crib acts as a sign of God’s love for us as revealed in the birth of the Christ-child at Bethlehem.

Ordinary Time

This period of the Church’s year has few festivals – it is ordinary, yet quiet continuous growth in faith is hoped for, so the season’s colour is green reminding us of growth in spring and summer.
Ordinary Time describes the two non-seasonal periods in the Church’s year. The first period is between Candlemas (2nd February) and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and so the Sundays are named ‘before Lent’. During this neutral period we think especially about creation.

The second period is from the day after the Feast of Pentecost (Whitsunday) until the day before the First Sunday of Advent.

November is called the Kingdom season during which we celebrate the feast of All Saints and All Souls, also Remembrance Sunday. The four Sundays ‘before Advent’ reflect the kingship of Christ, and so the liturgical colour is red for kingship.