Information for your first visit to Yate Methodist Church
Can I come to a service if I’m not a member? Yes, we welcome people from all backgrounds; people who are Christians, people who are unsure, and those seeking faith, perhaps coming into a church for the very first time.
Will there be anywhere to park? You can use the car park at the side of the church and there is free parking in the street by the church. We also have permission to use Hollister's carpark on Sunday mornings.
What do I have to wear? Wear what you want to wear. You don’t have to dress a certain way.
Do I need to bring money? No. We have a freewill offering during the service but there is no obligation to contribute. When the offering plates are passed round, some of our members place cash on the plates, and you’ll see others using envelopes, containing their contribution to the church. Some will simply pass the plate on without putting anything in. (Many of our members have bank standing orders).
When I arrive, what will happen? When you arrive, you will be greeted at the door by at least one of the Welcome Team. You will find that they have badges with their names on (and other members have badges with their roles in our church on them too). When you pass into the worship area, please feel free sit wherever you like, to wait for the service to begin and don’t be too surprised if other people come over to speak to you and sit with you. We hope they do so! This is part of our welcome to you.
Who do I ask if I have a question? Any of the 'welcome stewards', wearing badges, will be pleased to help with any query you may have.
If I come to a service, how will I know what to do? Our worship services vary in style, mixing modern with the more traditional styles, reflecting the diversity in our congregation. The words of all songs or hymns are on a large audio visual screen, as is the chosen reading from the Bible. You do not have to sing. By all means just follow the words on screen. No one will mind. The details for the Bible reading are also given, so you can follow the reading in the Bible if this suits you better. We will also have a time for prayer and a talk (or sermon). Those of us who can do so stand up to sing and also stand when the people who bring round the collection plates walk to the front. We remain standing then while a prayer is said. Apart from this, we usually pray in a seated position, not kneeling.
What if I have children with me? For younger children, age-specific toys are available in a basket just befre you enter the worship area. Most weeks families stay together in church during worship for the first 10-20 minutes. Then there is an opportunity for children to go to their own age-specific groups in our fully-staffed Crèche, Sunday Club, or Christian Peak. Parents are able to accompany their children if they need help to settle into the groups. All our leaders and helpers have been subject to CRB/DBS checks and we operate a rigorous safeguarding policy at the church.
How long does the service last? Most worship services last about an hour – sometimes less, sometimes a little longer. This is often the case when we have a Communion Service.
What if it’s a Communion service? On one Sunday each month we have a service of Holy Communion. All who wish to celebrate their love of Jesus are welcome to share in the bread and non-alcoholic wine. You do not have to be a member of the Methodist Church or even to have been baptised. The Communion table is Christ’s table and this celebration of Jesus’s Last Supper with his disciples is open to all to share. However, you may prefer not to receive the bread and the wine and simply opt to receive a blessing.
What happens after the worship ends? Tea and coffee are served in the New Room and we hope you’ll stop for a chat!