Our normal pattern of services
We normally hold services each month in the two churches in our benefice, in Shipbourne or Plaxtol, as set out below . There are also special services for Christmas and Easter and other festivals of the church: for details of these services, see below.
| 8.00 | 9.30 | 11.00 |
1st Sunday of month | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Family Service Plaxtol |
2nd Sunday of month | Holy Communion Shipbourne | Matins Shipbourne | Parish Communion Plaxtol |
3rd Sunday of month | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Family Communion Plaxtol |
4th Sunday of month | Holy Communion Shipbourne | Family Service Shipbourne | Parish Communion Plaxtol |
5th Sunday (when there is one) | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Matins Plaxtol |
Every weekday at 8.30am Morning Prayer will be said at Plaxtol and every weekday evening (except Friday and Saturday) at 4.30pm Evening Prayer will be said at St Giles Shipbourne.
Services during Lent
The normal pattern of weekly services will continue, but with some changes and additional services, as follows
Sunday 10 March ~ 9.30am: Family Service to celebrate Mothering Sunday (instead of Matins which normally takes place on the second Sunday of each month)
Palm Sunday, 24 March ~ 9.15am: Procession of Palms from Shipbourne Village Hall on the Green to St Giles Church, Shipbourne, followed by Morning Service at 9.30am (this replaces the Family service which normally takes place on the fourth Sunday of the month)
Services for Holy Week and Easter
Monday 25 March – 9.00pm: Compline at St Giles, Shipbourne
Wednesday 27 March ~ 9.00pm: Compline at St Giles, Shipbourne
Good Friday 29 March ~ 12.00 to 1.00pm: Choral Service at St Giles Shipbourne, followed by walking with the cross to Plaxtol Church, starting at 1.00pm
Easter Day, Sunday 31 March ~ Family Communion to celebrate Easter Day
If you would like to give a lily in memory of someone at Easter……
- Just fill in the name on one of the slips of paper at the back of the church,
- put it with your donation in one of the envelopes marked “Easter Lilies” and
- give it to one of the Churchwardens.
Or you can send your donation to Felicity Ward at Hookwood House, Shipbourne, Kent TN11 9RJ. Cheques should be made payable to Mrs F. L. B. Ward please.
All the names will be entered in our book which will be displayed in church at Easter in memoriam of all the people who are being remembered.
Covid – 19: infection control
Following the end of the last period of lockdown, we kept our infection control restrictions under regular review and have gradually reduced the safety measures we had adopted. There is now no requirement to wear a face mask during services, but you may do so if you wish.
We now receive communion at the altar rail, and there is an option to receive the bread and wine separately or to take the bread dipped in wine (“intinction”).
The clinically vulnerable may wish to come into church during the week when they can be safe on their own, or to our smaller ‘said’ services at 8am on Sundays at St Giles or Plaxtol Church or to morning prayer at Plaxtol Church at 8.30am on weekdays.
Our church is open for individual private prayer daily, except on Mondays, between 9am and 3.30pm
We continue to be the Church: a people of prayer and action.
Christmas 2020
As well as our Christmas services in church, we recorded a special ‘Festival of Readings and Music’ so everyone can join in, to celebrate the birth of Christ. This can be found athttps://www.youtube.com/embed/5ZZOFPNsVpQ?feature=oembed
8.00 | 9.30 | 11.00 | |
1st Sunday of month | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Family Service Plaxtol |
2nd Sunday of month | Holy Communion Shipbourne | Matins Shipbourne | Parish Communion Plaxtol |
3rd Sunday of month | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Family Communion Plaxtol |
4th Sunday of month | Holy Communion Shipbourne | Family Service Shipbourne | Parish Communion Plaxtol |
5th Sunday (when there is one) | Holy Communion Plaxtol | Parish Communion Shipbourne | Matins Plaxtol |
As well as our Christmas services in church, we recorded a special ‘Festival of Readings and Music’ so everyone can join in, to celebrate the birth of Christ. This can be found at