Services

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.

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 for Palm Sunday and Easter

Sunday 13th April:  Palm Sunday  
08.00 Holy Communion (1662) at Shipbourne
09.15 Procession of palms from Shipbourne Village Hall to St Giles’ Shipbourne for 9.30 Morning Service
10.45 Procession from Yopps Green to Plaxtol Church for 11.00 Parish Communion

Monday 14th April: Monday of Holy Week
9.00 pm Compline at Plaxtol
Tuesday 15th April: Tuesday of Holy Week
9.00 pm Compline at Shipbourne
Wednesday 16th April: Wednesday of Holy Week
9.00 pm Compline at Plaxtol

Thursday 17th April: Maundy Thursday
8.00 pm Benefice Holy Communion and Gethsemane narrative at Shipbourne

Friday 18th April: Good Friday
12:00 First Hour at the Cross – choral service at Plaxtol
1.00 pm Walking the Cross from Plaxtol to Shipbourne
1.00 pm Refreshments available at St Giles, Shipbourne
2.00pm Last Hour at the Cross – hymns, readings and meditations

Saturday 19th April: Holy Saturday
8.00 pm Easter ceremonies with renewal of baptismal vows at Shipbourne

Sunday 20th April: First Sunday of Easter
08.00 Holy Communion (1662) at Plaxtol
09.30 Family Communion at Shipbourne
11.00 Family Communion at Plaxtol

Sunday 27th February: Second Sunday of Easter
08.00 Holy Communion (1662) at Shipbourne
09.30 Family Service at Shipbourne
11.00 Parish Communion at Plaxtol

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

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