Waltham Abbey Church

Services at the Abbey Church

Sunday Services

8.30 a.m.: Holy Communion: a quiet, reflective communion service with sermon, based on the 1928 prayer book.
10.30 a.m.: Parish Eucharist (2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays in the month): a Common Worship communion service with hymns, some parts are sung by the congregation and choir. The service has a formal structure but encompasses moments of informality and humour! For children, there are Sunday Clubs that meet for the first part of the service.; The Church has a policy for children to be admitted to communion before confirmation. For more information about this, please speak to one of the clergy team.; All Age Service (1st Sunday): a service very much orientated to all ages using a mixture of traditional and contemporary hymns. The service lasts approximately 45 minutes with a talk and children's involvement and is aided by our Choristers with piano and organ. Based on a Common Worship service format.; All Age Communion (3rd Sunday): a service that does what the title says – a service for all the church family. In style it is an informal communion supported by the Choristers using traditional and contemporary hymns and songs. With Bible reading and a talk. The service lasts about an hour.; We invite you to stay for refreshments and fellowship after the 10.30am service.
6.30 p.m.: Choral Communion (1st Sunday): a service using traditional language from Common Worship with prayer book format. The service is led by our Choir using music from various classic composers. Includes sermon and hymns.; Choral Evensong (2nd and 4th Sundays): a service (main church) using the 1928 prayer book for evening prayer led by the Choir. With psalm, hymns, canticles, anthem and sermon.; Healing Eucharist (3rd Sunday): a Common Worship communion service with hymns, silence (a time for reflection or prayer), sermon and laying on of hands for healing. The laying on of hands takes place at the altar rail and is completely confidential - an opportunity for prayer for yourself or others. In style, a reflective and supportive service.; Choral Compline (Occasional Sundays): a quiet and reflective service using the ancient monastic service of Compline, which includes hymns, psalm and a short thought or reflection. The congregation and Choir sing parts of the service. The service lasts about 45 minutes.; Taize (Occasional Sundays): this is a service adapted from those of the Taize Community. This service of evening worship invokes some of the core characteristics of the Taize prayer service with plenty of silence, space for contemplation and the chanting of songs. The service lasts about 30-45 minutes.

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Weekday Services

Morning Prayer: 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Tuesday: Market Day Service: 10.30 a.m. in the Lady Chapel. Designed as a thoughtful midweek service for those coming to the town for the market. A simple service with a talk, prayers and hymns. The service lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by refreshments.; Unity Chapel Prayers: 12 noon in the Lady Chapel. Led by the different churches in Waltham Abbey, this service takes a simple form with prayers, thought and song for the week. Its focus is on the unity of the church and the world. Lasts 20 minutes.
Wednesday: Holy Communion: 10.00 a.m. in the main Church. A 1928 Book of Common Prayer communion service. Lasts 35 minutes and is followed by refreshments.

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Special Services

Weddings

We welcome enquiries about weddings, please contact the Parish Office for details. See also our Wedding Guide.

Renewal of Wedding Vows

Take place throughout the week. Please contact the Parish Office for details.

Baptisms

Baptisms usually take place on the first or third Sunday of the month after the main Sunday morning service. Enquiries please to the Parish Office.

Funerals

These usually take place on weekdays. Please make enquiries with the Parish Office.

Memorial Service

This takes place twice a year on a Sunday in spring and autumn (for dates and times, please see below or in the weekly notices; alternatively contact the Parish Office). A time to remember the departed who were close to us. All welcome.

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This month

November | December

November

Friday 2nd

1.00 p.m. Requiem Mass for All Souls

Sunday 4th – Fourth Sunday before Advent; All Saints

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. All Age Eucharist

music: Agnus Dei: Rheinberger (Missa puerorum); Jolly (arr.) For all the saints who showed your love

6.30 p.m. Choral Communion

music: Fauré Requiem

Sunday 11th – Third Sunday before Advent; Remembrance Sunday

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.45 a.m. Parish Eucharist

music: Guest For the fallen; Kyrie: Howells; Sanctus: Inwood; Agnus Dei: Howells (Collegium Regale); Parry My soul, there is a country

6.00 p.m. Service to commemorate the ending of the First World War

music: Ireland Greater love hath no man; Wilby Armistice 11.11.1918; Stanford Te Deum in B flat; Britten (arr.) National Anthem

Sunday 18th – Second Sunday before Advent

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. All Age Eucharist. Preacher: The Venerable Vanessa Herrick, Archdeacon of Harlow.

music: Agnus Dei: Langlais Agnus (Missa in simplicitate); Vaughan Williams Song of the tree of life

6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Sunday 25th – Sunday next before Advent; Christ the King

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist

music: Gloria: Jones; Sanctus: Inwood; Agnus Dei: Leighton (Communion Service in D); Tallis (arr. Jolly) To mock your reign, O dearest Lord

6.30 p.m. Choral Evensong

music: Responses: Rose; Canticles: Howells (in G); Vaughan Williams Antiphon

December

Sunday 2nd – Advent Sunday

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. All Age Eucharist and Christingle

music: Agnus Dei: Langlais (Missa in simplicitate); Maxim (arr.) People look East; Dankworth Light of the World

6.30 p.m. Music and Readings for Advent

music: Lloyd Advent Prose; Vaughan Williams (arr.) The truth from above; Parry Never weather-beaten sail; Guerrero Canite tuba; Handel For unto us a child is born (Messiah)

Sunday 9th – Second Sunday of Advent

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist

music: Kyrie: Inwood; Sanctus: Inwood; Agnus Dei: Viadana (Missa l’hora passa); Guerrero Canite tuba

6.30 p.m. Choral Evensong

music: Responses: Ayleward; Canticles: Stanford (in G); Stanford How beauteous are their feet

Tuesday 11th

7.30 p.m. Mothers’ Union Christmas Service

Thursday 13th

7.30 p.m. Civic Carol Service

music: Ord Adam lay ybounden; Archer (arr.) The angel Gabriel from heaven came; Rutter Shepherd’s Pipe Carol; Rutter (arr.) Sans Day Carol; Warrell (arr.) We wish you a merry Christmas

Sunday 16th – Third Sunday of Advent

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. All Age Eucharist and Nativity

music: Agnus Dei: Jolly (arr.) (on Resonet in laudibus); Bairstow The Blessèd Virgin’s Cradle Song

6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer

Sunday 23rd – Fourth Sunday of Advent

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist

music: Kyrie: Inwood; Sanctus: Inwood; Agnus Dei: Rheinberger (Missa puerorum); Lindley Ave Maria

6.30 p.m. Festival of Nine lessons and Carols

music: Vaughan-Williams (arr.) This is the truth sent from above; Stanford A Song of Peace; Cleobury (arr.) Cherry Tree Carol; Vaughan-Williams The blessèd son of God; Rutter Shepherd’s Pipe Carol; Leighton Lully, lulla; Wilby The word made flesh

Monday 24th – Christmas Eve

3.00 p.m. Crib Service

music: Bairstow The Blessèd Virgin’s Cradle Song; Hendrie As I outrode this enderes night

11.00 p.m. Midnight Mass

music: Haydn Missa Sanctis Nicolai; Rutter What sweeter music; Wilby The word made flesh; Wood (arr.) Ding, dong, merrily on high

Tuesday 25th – Christmas Day

10.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist

music: Gloria: Metrical (to ‘Antioch’); Sanctus: Inwood; Agnus Dei: Jolly (arr.) (on Resonet in laudibus)

Wednesday 26th

10.00 a.m. No service

Sunday 30th – First Sunday of Christmas

8.30 a.m. Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)

10.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist

6.30 p.m. No service

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