Services
Sundays, Monthly Communion, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals

A variety of styles of worship from the Book of Common Prayer to All Age Services.

Changes may happen on occasion due to staff shortage or combined Festival services within the benefice. We will continue to update the Calendar with these.

Worship

We offer a variety of services ranging from BCP (Book of Common Prayer) to All Age.

[Outdoor Animal Service in Inkpen]
Outdoor Animal Service in Inkpen

St Lawrence Church, West Woodhay

2nd Sunday of the month: 11:15am

Holy Communion.

4th Sunday of the month: 11:15am

A lay-led service.

St Mary's Church, Kintbury

1st and 3rd Sunday of the month: 8:00am

Holy Communion Book of Common Prayer. Attendance is around 8-15.

Every Sunday of the month: 9:45am

All Age on the 1st Sunday of the month, Holy Communion on the 2nd, and 4th Sundays. Attendance is around 30-40.

St Michael's & All Angels Church, Inkpen

1st and 3rd Sunday of the month: 9:45am

A Communion Service. When there is a baptism, the service becomes a Family Service.

2nd Sunday of the month: 8:30am

1662 Prayer Book Communion Services.

Other

Occasional services also take place, such as Compline and Evensong, which aim to attract those who might regard themselves as spiritual rather than religious (these would usually replace one of the other services).

St Swithun's Church, Combe

3rd Sunday of the month: 11:15am

A Holy Communion Service taken from the 1662 Prayer Book with lessons read from the King James Bible. Music is a central feature of the services and we are fortunate to have an excellent organist. The average congregation is currently 10-15 with some coming from outside the community.

For a schedule of upcoming services see Service Times

Life Events

Everyone is welcome to have a their baby or child baptised at a Christening in their parish church and with around 10,000 babies and infants being Christened each month in the Church of England, it remains a popular decision for parents.

[Baptism]

Can we have a baptism at a Church in Walbury Beacon Benefice?

Yes, if you live in the Benefice Parish.
If you have no connection with Walbury Beacon Benefice then the baptism should normally take place in the parish church where you live. You can find out where this is at A Church Near You .

We are happy to baptise babies, children and adults.

When are baptisms held?

They are offered during the usual main Sunday services where families will be made very welcome by the congregation. Generally, the services follow the following pattern:

  • St Michael's & All Angels Church, Inkpen 1st Sundays or 3rd Sunday at 9:45am
  • St Mary's Church, Kintbury 2nd and 4th Sundays at 9:45am
  • St Lawrence Church, West Woodhay 2nd and fourth Sunday at 11:15am
  • St Swithun's Church, Combe baptisms will be in West Woodhay only through the winter months and 3rd Sunday at 11:15am in the summer

Where there is already a baptism booked in church that month you will be invited to join in that service.

Private baptisms will only be provided for exceptional circumstances.

How do I book a christening?

Download and complete our Baptism Booking Form and return it to:

  • Tamara Laing
  • 20 Kennet Road, Kintbury, Berkshire, RG17 9XW
  • 07359 327072

Frequently asked questions

None. Some churches use the word baptism and others the word christening. Babies are baptised during a christening service just as couples are married at a wedding service.

Yes, so long as they have not been Baptised already. The Church of England welcomes all babies, children and families for Christenings - whatever shape that family takes. You do not have to be married to ask for a Christening for your child, or a regular churchgoer, or, as parents, to have been Christened yourselves. Everyone is welcome at all our churches.

Godparents are some of the most important people at the Christening.

They are not the people who will care for your child should anything happen to you. Arrangements for this would normally be made by a Will. Rather, they should be people who will be there for your child and help them think about the bigger questions in life - questions of love, hope and faith.

A child traditionally has three godparents, two of the same sex and one of the opposite sex to the child. Parents may be godparents for their own children, providing they have at least one other godparent.

Godparents must be baptised themselves and old enough to make some serious promises on behalf of the child.

The good news is that a Christening service is free. There may be costs for your family party afterwards, for gifts, or for christening robes, but the church service is free.

Note: occasionally parents need a certified copy of the entry in the register. In 2022 this costs £16.

You can have your baby Christened in any of our six parish churches and it is usually held as part of the main Sunday service.

There may be opportunities to have a service at a different time, again usually on a Sunday. Currently, due to a clergy vacancy, we are only able to provide private baptism under exceptional circumstances for those who are residents of the benefice.

Download and complete our Baptism Booking Form and return it to:

  • Tamara Laing
  • 20 Kennet Road, Kintbury, Berkshire, RG17 9XW
  • 07359 327072

You can have your baby or child Christened at any age. There is no upper age limit, but after about the age of seven your child may be able to make the promises for themselves. Talk to your vicar about baptising an older child and how this might differ from a baby's Christening service.

At your baby's Christening, water will be blessed and poured on the baby's head - this is the baptism of your baby (the word baptism means to be immersed in water). The baby will be signed with the cross and a special oil may be used for this.

A candle or other gift from the church may be given.

Godparents and parents will make promises on behalf of the baby, and prayers will be offered for the baby and the family. There may also be readings and hymns, which you may be able to choose.

Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives. This first step is a response to God's love. It is also a celebration, a time to come together with family and friends; remembering that your child is loved by God, is part of a wider community and has a place with God's people.

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage! We're here to help and support you, whatever stage you’re at with your planning.

[Wedding Rings]

To ensure the marriage complies with both UK Civil and Church law, there are certain aspects of a church wedding that must be fulfilled.

  • You must be old enough

    By law you can not be married in the UK until you are 18.

  • Reading of Banns

    Most Church of England marriages will require banns to be published before the wedding can take place and you will need to complete a Banns Form in order to book your wedding service.

    It may be possible to marry in a church that has a special connection for you, even it is not in your own local parish and further information is included on the Banns Form itself.

    To request your banns to be read, download and complete our Banns Form and return it to:

    • Tamara Laing
    • 07359 327072
  • Time of Wedding

    To be legal the wedding must take place between 8am and 6pm on any day.

    [Wedding Photo]
    Photo Credit: Mia Hooper of Mia Photography
  • Licences

    There are some circumstances in which you may need a Licence to marry in church. Your Vicar will let you know if these apply to you.

  • Divorcees

    There are special guidelines on marriage in the church if you are divorced. There may well be a way forward, so please get in touch to explore the possibilities for you. See Marriage after Divorce for further information.

Can I get married at any church in the benefice?

You can get married at any of the following churches (click the link for more detailed information):

Where can I find out more?

Visit the Church of England's Your Church Wedding page.

[Candles]

A Funeral is used to mark the end of a person’s life here on earth. Family and friends come together to express grief, give thanks for the life lived and commend the person into God’s keeping.

Who can have a funeral?

Everyone is entitled to either a Christian burial service (funeral) or to have their ashes buried in their local parish churchyard by their local parish priest, whether or not they were churchgoers.

What if my churchyard has been closed?

The Local Authority will provide alternative places of burial and the vicar can carry out the service there instead of the church or crematorium.

Where can I find out more?

The Church of England website has some useful resources which may help you start your thinking about the service for your family member or friend.

What about memorials?

There are regulations on the sort of memorials that are permitted in churchyards. You can find out more in the leaflets below:

Funeral Videos/Memorials

For information about a funeral and/or memorial video, contact:

  • Darren Vallence, Funeral Audio Visual Services
  • 07766 754944

We're here to help

When somebody you love dies, there’s a lot to think about and it can feel overwhelming at the time.

But don’t worry – your vicar will not expect you to ‘know all the answers’. He or she is there to help you plan the service and to support you in your loss.

Other

Organist Contact Details Preferred Church
Mr Christopher Sears Inkpen
Mr Chris Lambert Kintbury
Mr Andy Stancliffe Combe/West Woodhay
Mr Howard Paynter Combe/West Woodhay
Mr Toby Wright Any

Note: All the Organists will help cover other churches if they are needed.

Rotas for cleaning, church opening, flower arranging, and Sunday coffee are prepared in advance.

If you would like to join these please let us know.