Church In Sutton Home Page

Currently this website lists churches within the Sutton, Cheam, North Cheam and Carshalton areas. Click on the appropriate link on the menu bar opposite.
We have tried to provide sufficient information about each church to make your job of visiting them easier . For instance, where possible, we have included a photograph of the building exterior, a map, contact details, service times and the style of service you might expect to find there. If the church has a website we have provided a link to it.
If you have never been to church before, what could you expect? Variation in different church services If you have never been to church before it is easy to be confused by all the different denominations and styles of worship. Some churches are more traditional, tending to prefer long-established methods of worship, which might include the singing of hymns, possibly accompanied by an organ (or piano) - and some may use prayer books and others still - incense. Many Anglican and Catholic churches follow an order of service according to a lectionary or missal (a kind of diary that lays out the contents of church service for the year ahead), and you may be given a copy of that day's lectionary extract in a service sheet when you enter the church. Other churches adopt a different approach, replacing hymns with modern worship songs and, instead of an organ, there may be a worship band. The style of these meetings may be less formal. In the more charismatic type of church you may see people lifting their hands in worship, don't be put off by this - it's no different to putting your hands together in prayer. So many different styles of worship - ranging from conservative to highly energetic. With such a variety, there is usually a church not too far away that is just right for you. Back to top ...
What to expect during the church service There are some things you can expect from almost any church you go to. Most church services include singing, praying and a talk (or sermon). For the *singing* bit, you might have to read from a hymnbook, a service-sheet, an overhead projector, or in some of the better-equipped churches, a video projector with the words controlled by computer. Some churches may like to sing some verses more than once - so don't be fooled when you see what appears to be a very short song projected on the screen before you. You might find yourself singing the words two or three times or more - think of it as a form of sung meditation. It helps you focus on the words your singing, to take in their meaning. Prayer can also vary from church to church. In some churches, one person may read a prepared prayer from the front of the church with everyone else closing their eyes and bowing their heads in silence. The idea is that while someone else prays you should be listening to what they're saying and echoing their prayer in your mind. It is also quite common these days for churches to open-up the prayer time to everyone present. Members of the congregation will offer up prayers at will from where they sit. Depending on the church, this will be one or two people, or several. The duration of these times of open-prayer can vary too, from under a minute - to several minutes. (Churches on occasion have special prayer meetings, although they are usually on an evening, rather than a Sunday morning. During these times - prayer can last for hours - even throughout the night!) *Sermons* (or talks/homilies as they are sometimes referred to), like everything else mentioned so far, can come in different forms. Not only can the length vary from a few minutes to over an hour - but the presentation style and content can be so different too. Back to top ...
Other things you might find in a church service Communion or eucharist (also referred to as the "Lord's supper") The night before Jesus died he had a final meal with his disciples. As he broke some bread and passed it around, and then also some wine, he asked that everyone who follows him should do the same - as a way of remembering him. The broken bread is to represent his broken body on the cross. The red wine - as a reminder of his blood spilled our for us. [ Why did Jesus die?...] In recognition of Jesus' request, most churches* have times when bread and wine is shared amongst the gathered congregation. You should only take part in this ceremony if you are a believer of Jesus*, so don't feel that you have to participate if you're not ready. There are two more common ways of celebrating the time of communion: Everyone who wishes to take communion goes to the front of the church and receives the bread and the wine from the minister / church leader You remain seated and the bread & wine are brought to you, and is passed from person to person The Salvation Army does not include communion as part of its services **In the Roman Catholic church, you have to be a Roman Catholic before you can take communion.
Lastly, there is usually an offering. Most churches have a time when they pass round a plate or collection bag for donations from the congregation. This income can be essential to keep the church running, but don't feel you have to give. If you want to give out of genuine desire then that is excellent, but we should never give because we feel people are watching us or because we'd feel guilty if we didn't. How much should you give? That again depends on your heart - and your ability to pay. Pennies or pounds matter not. The Bible also teaches that we should not boast of what we give away. So if you do put some money in the bowl, don't draw attention to yourself by waving huge wads of fifty pound notes in the air before you drop them in! Back to top ...