St James Church

The Church of England welcomes all babies, children & families for baptism – whatever shape that family takes, whether parents are married or not, Christian or non-Christian. During a baptism service, parents, godparents and the wider church make important choices and decisions about bringing up a child in a loving relationship with God, until children are able to make these choices for themselves. It is also a time to celebrate the gift of a child, and pray for their future.

We aim for baptisms to take place during our 10:30am service on the third Sunday of the month.  If you are considering getting your child baptised at St James, please come along to one of our Sunday services and speak to one of the sidespersons or wardens who will be able to help you. Alternatively, you can get in touch with Rev. John Sephton.

Choosing to marry is always a big decision to make. There is always so much to organise beforehand, not least where you want to have your wedding. A marriage service in a church is much more special than any other; not only are churches stunning buildings in their own right, there is much more to it than that. By choosing to marry in a church, you make vows not only in front of your family and friends but also God, giving the ceremony an extra dimension not available anywhere else. In addition to this, the church family are there to help you keep these vows and to grow in faith throughout your life together.

If you are interested in marrying at St James please come along to one of our Sunday services and speak to one of the sidespersons or wardens who will be able to help you. Alternatively, you can get in touch with Rev. John Sephton.

More information on marrying in a church can be found on the YourChurchWedding website, run by the Church of England.

If you would like to arrange a funeral at St James, please get in touch with Rev. John Sephton on 07929 512847.  We also offer pastoral support to those grieving the loss of a loved one, get in touch for more details.

Sensitively marking the end of a person's life on earth while celebrating their time with us.

When a loved one dies we all want the opportunity to express our grief and give thanks for a life that has been completed in this world.  A Christian funeral also enables people commend a person into God's keeping.

The funeral service of the Church of England aims to reflect the personality of the person who has died as well as the circumstances of their death.  The service may be very short, quiet and with a few close friends and family or it could be a larger service with music, hymns and a packed church. The words and actions in the service all speak of a God who loves the world and sees every human being as precious.

Arranging a Funeral

We understand that organising a funeral is a very difficult time and that the bereaved want to arrange something that respects the wishes of the person who died.  Our clergy regard this as an important part of their work and will try and spend as much time with family and friends.  They will offer comfort as well as finding out what service is wanted and helping to arrange the details.

Everyone has the right to a funeral in their parish church, whether they go to that church or not. Our clergy will work to make sure that the funeral makes a fitting end to someone's life in this world.