Introducing Informal Communion

St Bartholomew's Church has a congregation that prefers informal worship to traditional, as demonstrated by the success of the Messy Church and Cafe Church services. With this in mind, Informal Communion is being trialled at 11am on 18th March.

This type of service has been trialled successfully elsewhere and Reverend Anne together with members of the Parochial Church Council have discussed this and come up with a format that, it is believed, will prove more popular than those currently offered. Informal Communion will not replace BCP and Common Worship Communion. These will both continue, but in the case of Common Worship, less frequently.

The Informal Communion service willl involve the following:
* The congregation is asked to sit around a table, reminiscent of the first communion at the Last Supper and more Cafe Church style.
* Prayers will be offered by those attending and fewer from the vicar, though this is optional.
* The bread and wine are passed around and the congregation remain seated.
* While the vicar will still consecrate the bread and wine, there is no use of the communion table, the alter rail, the pulpit or lectern.
* Hymns will be sung from the table, freeing the organist to take part in the service.
* Children and wheelchair users can be fully incorporated, with children able to enjoy their own activity while not being separated from parents and having easy access to the toilet.

It may be necessary to trial several formats before everyone is happy, but this makes the feedback from those attending of supreme importance. All are encouraged to attend and have their say on how the service moves forward.