Caring people,
worshipping God together
in a beautiful and historic setting
Welcome to
St. Peter’s Church, Ash
Surrey, England
If you haven’t been to St Peter’s before, you may have lots and lots of questions. And you might be feeling a little embarrassed to ask!
We’ve tried to think of the questions we’ve been asked over the years. We hope our answers will make you feel a little more relaxed about coming along to one of our services.
We’d love to welcome you!
Q: What should I wear when I come to church?
A: For general services, most people come wearing “smart casual”. You don’t see many ties. A few people dress up and one or two wear hats, but we’re pretty relaxed.
Q: What if I don’t know what to do or say in the service?
A: Everyone is given an “order of service” when they arrive at church. That sets out the prayers and all the responses for the service.
Q: What about children in church?
A: Children are loved and welcomed in St Peter’s. We have a crèche (under 2’s) and Sunday Club (under 10’s), and a special area at the back of the church with games and colouring for younger children
Q: What about giving money and collections in church?
We’d love you to give towards the work of St Peter’s, but we’re relaxed if you don’t want or don’t feel able to do so. Only at special services (e.g. baptisms) do we hand round a collection bag into which people can put money to support the work of St Peter’s.
Q: What if people aren’t welcoming?
A: If other people are quiet before a service, it’s usually because they’re praying. We have a time of “sharing the peace” during each of our services, where we each go round to as many people as we can in the service, shake their hand and say “Peace be with you”. It’s wonderfully warm and endearingly chaotic.
If you just introduce yourself to someone near you, you’ll usually get a very warm welcome.
Q: What if I don’t know all the hymns?
A: Sing along when you can. Try to follow the tune from people around you who are singing strongly. Don’t worry, most of the tunes are very easy to pick up.
Q: What about giving money to the church?
If you want to give cash to the church, there are special “giving” envelopes where we can reclaim the tax on your gift. If you’d like to give by standing order, please talk to our Treasurer.