Family ministry:
Children are a vitally important part of the church's future. We offer a number of family friendly services within our benefice profile which we hope will facilitate the greater involvement of families and children with the worship of our Parish Churches.
Family Worship
Children and young people are welcome at all our services
and there are children’s areas equipped with toys and books in most of our
churches. However the following services are designed to have something special
for children:-
1st Sunday in the month Sunday Breakfast at Fontmell Magna Village Hall 9am
Family
Communion at Sutton Waldron 9.30am
2nd Sunday in the Month Sunday Breakfast at Sutton Waldron Village Hall 9.30am
3rd Sunday in the month Breakfast @ 9 at St Mary Parish Church Shroton
4th Sunday in the Month An 11am service of 'Worship for all' at St Mary Iwerne Minster
Breakfast @ 9 or Sunday Breakfast Church.
Breakfast Church is especially designed to cater for and appeal to all ages and are particularly user friendly for families who often have other commitments later in the day on Sundays. In the first half of the event a delicious breakfast is offered with bacon / sausage rolls, Coffee or Tea, after which there is often a informal time of worship, an interactive experience and a 'thought for the day'. For those families who would like their young Children to gain some input on Faith without the formality of a traditional Church of England service these meetings are ideal.
Links with the Parish School - St Andrews Primary School, Fontmell Magna.
In December we introduced ‘Experience Christmas’ for years 5
and 6 from St. Andrew’s Primary School.
St. Andrew’s Primary school is now a part of the Shaftesbury Multi academy trust, the governors are majority members of the Church of England and therefor the Christian ethos of the school is highly valued and maintained, the RE teaching, the Collective Worship and the church
/ school links are well defined. One of the Foundation Governors is part of the clergy team that lead Collective Worship every Thursday in school.
Baptism - Anyone can ask to speak to a member of the clergy team about
Baptism. Nobody is too young or too old. We have Baptised two or three children
together or a parent with a child. We do ask that you spend some time
considering the promises you will make with a priest and this is usually done
in with Revd David John at the vicarage. We then ask that the baptism takes place during a
regular church service so that the ‘church family’ can welcome you and pray for
you. This can be one of the informal family services. To inquire about Baptism
please either phone the Church office or the Vicar you can also attend a service and speak to the
person officiating.
