The Font

The Font is near the entrance to the church as it signifies the start of the Christian life. It is at the font that baptism takes place.

Baptism is the start of the Christian life, the admission into the Church, the beginning of your spiritual journey, the start of learning Christ’s way of life. At the end of the baptism service a candle is lit from the Paschal Candle (just behind the font) to signify the passing from darkness into Christ’s light: joining his Church as a child of God.

Jesus is baptised: Luke 3.21

John 1.29

Matthew 3.13

Mark 1.9

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A Place of Reconciliation

At certain times in our lives, it is a good thing to stop and take a look at what we have done so far. No matter how hard we try to be good there are and always will be things of which we are ashamed and are sorry about. Here there is a chance to make our peace with God. In thinking of all the things we have done wrong, in thought by words and by action, and by relating these to a priest we can leave our sins behind. We receive God’s forgiveness provided we are truly sorry. This can give us great relief and a chance to start again in the way of life Jesus taught us.

A prayer of repentance

I confess to You O God

That I have sinned against You

(Think here of any particular ways in which you

have failed God or other people)

I am sorry for my sins

Because they have wounded You

I promise to do my best

To fight against them.

Help me to keep my promise

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The Tabernacle Light

The light which hangs in front of the altar is always burning whilst there is consecrated bread in the tabernacle behind the altar. It reminds us that Jesus is really here with us and is able to guide and strengthen us day by day. We sometimes speak of him as “the light of the world” and our baptism candle shows us that we can spread the light to others because it has been given to us.

Commissioning Prayer

Take this Light

So that you may shine as a light to the world

To the glory of God the father

Amen

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The Altar

The central part of the worship of the Church is the Mass (also called the Eucharist from the Greek word meaning thanksgiving) Here at the altar whilst the people of Jesus are gathered together bread and wine are blessed and distributed. In this way Jesus himself is present with his people and they are able to meet him.

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. (John 6:54)

The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me,” In the same way after supper, saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me”

(1 Corinthians 11:23)

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The Rose Window

The Rose window is at the east end of the Church. The work of Hugh Easton, and given by Charles Randall in 1937.

The window depicts Our Lord surrounded by the emblems of the saints, and so refers to the dedication of the Church.

Then there are three circles of twelve, lights. The inner circle entirely taken up with the rays of glory.

The next circle contains designs symbolic of the twelve apostles.

Starting at the top and moving clockwise they are;

St Andrew A white cross

St Phillip A cross, a staff, five loaves and two fish

St John An Eagle

St Matthias Dice

St James the less A club and saw

St Thomas Three spears

St Simon the zealot Two fish crossed

St Bartholomew Three flaying knives

St James the great Three scallops

St Jude A ship

St Matthew A winged man

St Peter Crossed keys

The outer circle adds the emblems of St Mark,(a winged lion) St Luke ( a winged ox), St Michael ( A red cross pommy) and St George (A red cross)

The other lights are the arms of the Dioceses and Counties with which the parish has been associated. So starting to the right at the top we find St Luke, The dioceses of Canterbury, Rochester, Lichfield and the county of Essex. St Michael, St George, The County of Hertford.

The dioceses of Lincoln, St Albans, Chelmsford and St Mark.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

(John 8:12)

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Stations of the cross.

From the very beginning of the early Church the story of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection has been told by his followers. When pilgrims visited Jerusalem they wanted to visit the places that Jesus had been and to walk in the footsteps of the Lord. Not all of us can make that physical journey, and instead the pictorial representation of these events have become a powerful tool for contemplation and reflection on what Jesus did for us.

The ‘stations’ or stages of the journey take us from the moment that Jesus is condemned to death by Pilot, to his resurrection in Glory.

As you walk around the Church you will see each picture hanging on the wall, at the starting at the Condemnation of Jesus in the north aisle and ending at the burial of Jesus or the Resurrection of Jesus, both in the south aisle.

During a ‘Stations of the Cross’ service, the congregation would follow the priest from picture to picture where they would be led in prayer and appreciation of the significance of that stage of the journey.

There are many different ‘versions’ of the stations, each one offering a different perspective. For example, that of a person in the crowd who might have heard Jesus teach, or that of his mother Mary, watching helplessly as her son struggles towards his death, each however are prayers and opportunities for contemplation of the gift that Jesus gave us.

Station 1 Jesus is condemned to death.

Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."