Worship & Prayer
The Study of God’s Word, the Holy Bible, Prayer and worship are at the heart of our church life, and our identity as Disciples of Christ. Both churches centre their worship around the Eucharist, also called Mass, Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper depending on your church tradition. As a parish with strong Anglo Catholic roots, the remembering of Jesus in the Bread and Wine is a deeply spiritual moment for many. At St Katharine’s we worship using traditional patterns including the use of incense and bells and a robed choir. At St Nicholas the worship follows a similar pattern, but incense and bells are not used, and there is no choir. A large number of young people and children attend St Nicholas, and at least once a month there is a Family Service about 45 minutes long, which engages both young and old alike.
Being centred on prayer, the church day begins at 8am with Morning Prayer. Prayers for the day, the church and those in need are said, and readings from the bible help us to grow each day in our faith and understanding.
Mass is held at St Katharine's on 7.30pm on Wednesday.
Our regular Home Groups currently meet both in person and on Zoom. New members are warmly welcomed at any time. Each session includes a time of prayer, as well as Bible study and discussion. These are informal sessions led by lay people and no previous understanding of the Bible is necessary.
A Tuesday evening group meets fortnightly in the Vesper Bell Room (Parish Centre) from 7.15 - 9.00pm. Please contact natalie_greenfield@yahoo.co.uk for further details.
Wednesday morning group meets in person at 22 Belle Vue Road 10.15 am - 12 noon. Please contact julianapdavies@hotmail.com for further details.
Prayer -we meet weekly on Zoom for guided prayers for half an hour, currently Wednesday evenings at 7pm - please contact either Julian or Natalie on the above email addresses for access details.
Alternatively, contact the church office on 01202 418476 if you wish to discuss any of the above with Julian or Natalie.
Study & Fellowship
Bible Studies are regular part of life in the parish, usually taking place as short courses running for 4 – 6 weeks; The Life of Moses, Ruth, Jeremiah, James, Philippians have been studied in recent years. Traditionally the parish has participated in ecumenical Lent Courses, jointly organised by Churches Together in Southbourne, with at least one course being hosted at St Katharine’s or St Nicholas’.
Recognising the need to care for those around us, and Love our Neighbour as Ourselves, the Parish Visitors’ Team are a trained group who support the clergy in the pastoral care for the sick, elderly and homebound. They also assist with hospital visiting.
Communions in Residential Homes
A much valued programme of Communion services at residential homes has been established, usually monthly, in addition to occasional visiting as required. There is a strong, valued link and mutual appreciation between residents, staff and the parish team who officiate.
Practical Help & Assistance
As a church we want to support the community, and would encourage our members where possible to support family, friends, and neighbours, and to help each other where they can. Many of our congregation are helping out locally supporting the various local community groups that have been set up, and we would encourage people to make contact with them if they need assistance.
We are exploring ways we can provide some practical help to folk in addition to supporting the local community groups, mindful that we must continue to uphold the rigorous Safeguarding standards of the Church of England, and that those volunteering with us are DBS checked for this role.
If you are able to volunteer to help, then why not consider supporting the Together we Can initiative, supported locally by the Community ActionNetwork , which has been set up nationally to provide a formailsed and structured system of support to those in isolation etc. Details can be found by clicking the link below:
Community Action Network, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
If you are in need, of help and support, please also check out the information on practical help which can be found in the link below from BCP Council:
Help and Support in your community
For vulnerable people who have no one to support them, there is new dedicated phone line: 0300 123 7052. This is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.
We are also keen to support people alone and isolated who may just want a chat, or some to speak to. Our small Pastoral Visiting Team, headed up by Mrs Liz Christopher, may be able to help in this way as well. Mrs Christopher can be contacted on: 01202 420234.