Children's Church
Children are welcome at all our services: but especially at the Family Service and Family Communion. We also have Christingle services and a blessing of the crib during Advent and other occasional services and events for children during the year. The church also hosts regular services for both the Primary School and Slindon College.
Prayer Group
Revd Peter says Morning Prayer most Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in St Mary’s at 9.00am and is very happy for anyone to join him. On the fourth Wednesday of each month, at 10.30am, Peter holds a (said) 1662 Communion Service followed by coffee/tea.
Choir & Music
The organ is a single manual with about eight stops and in spite of its small size is much liked by our team of organists.
The choir has about eight regular members and we practice on the Friday evenings before Matins (1st Sunday) and at other times as necessary. New members are always welcome and at Easter and Christmas the choir is augmented to about twenty for a festive anthem.
On special occasions, the St. Mary’s Family Orchestra (a band of instrumentalists, young and old) plays, sometimes joined by a children’s choir.
Bell Ringers
St. Mary’s church bells are rung every Sunday before services as well as for weddings. The team of bell ringers practice each Monday evening at 7.00pm and are led by Tower Captain, Adam Stone.
The bells were silent for many years but in November 1991 on the release of Terry Waite (the Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy) who was held captive in Beirut for 4 years, a team of ringers from the village rang the bells to celebrate his release from captivity. This prompted St. Mary’s to reinstate a bell ringing team and the bells have rung ever since.
There are five different methods rung one of which was composed by a team member.
Three of the four bells are inscribed as follows:
W.R.W.P 1616 T.W.
Bryanus Eldridge, me ficit 1651
Bryanus Eldridge, me ficit 1657
The 4th bell was installed by the Revd. William Chandler Izard in the 19th century.
Church Flowers
Churchyard
Twice yearly working parties take place, usually Saturday mornings, and a band of volunteers from the village (church goers and non-church goers) turn up to help tidy up.
Grass cutting is a challenge as it is necessary to mow round all the grave stones; there is a regular team who help out during the growing season which makes the church yard look so beautiful.
Primary School
Slindon Church of England Primary School is a small rural school for up to 75 pupils which attracts children from within the village and surrounding area. The school is thriving and works closely with the parish church and the diocese. The Rector is a Foundation Governor.
The school aims to service its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils. The Church of England does not seek to educate only within the tenets of a particular faith but engages with all.
Whilst seeking to serve all in offering a broad, balanced curriculum it is also rooted in a firm belief that each person has spiritual needs that should be developed like other skills and gifts. Thus the Church of England, perhaps uniquely among ‘faith’ education providers, balances the concepts of the service of all human beings, with opportunities to nurture the spirituality of the pupils.
The school welcomes visits from prospective parents. Just ring the school on 01243 814330 to make an appointment.
Website address: www.slindonprimary.co.uk
Slindon College
The college is an independent day and boarding school providing specialist learning support for boys aged 11-18. It is located in the heart of the village in the former Slindon Manor and has extensive grounds.
The boys attend services at St Mary’s at different times during the year.
Website address: www.slindoncollege.co.uk