There is so much to learn about the Christian faith, and in the Okeford Benefice we are committed to spending time together and learning together beyond just Sunday mornings. This page shows you the many ways that you can use to find out more about Christianity, whether you are just starting out exploring the faith, or whether you would like to deepen your discipleship further.

As we begin to recover from lockdown, why not take a moment, make a cup of tea and have a listen to these reflective podcasts.

One of the best ways of exploring the Christian faith is in a small group setting where you can ask all the questions you like. We call small groups like this “house groups” but we meet in the Church Centre or on Zoom at the moment.

At a house group there is usually a Bible study where we work our way through a book of the Bible in much more detail than there is time for on a Sunday morning. There is plenty of discussion and a chance to get to know people much better. There is often a lot of laughter too.

To find out more or join a group please contact the Rector.

Anglican worship follows a pattern called “liturgy”. This means the services have a beginning and end, shape and form. Everyone is invited to participate in the service by saying prayers out loud together and by singing together.

All Anglican worship is based on the Bible and pretty well everything that we say and sing comes from verses of Scripture. The services reflect our belief in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Holy Communion is open to all and is at the heart of the Church’s life.

Anglicans have a liturgical year where the great stories and beliefs of the Christian faith are celebrated and there are distinct liturgical “seasons”. Our Church year starts in Advent as we prepare for Christmas, then we move through Epiphany to Lent as we prepare for Easter. For 50 days we celebrate the wonder of Easter taking us through to Pentecost and the Festival of the Trinity. We then have a season called “ordinary time” where we focus on our Christian growth.

Our services are a blend of words, music, movement, gesture and silence. They are the best we can make them in order to reflect the beauty and holiness of God. Our services are welcoming and hospitable, inclusive and aware of the needs of our communities.

There are lots of different styles of Anglican worship. Some services use the Book of Common Prayer which was written in 1662 and uses the English of that time. Other services are much more relaxed and use modern English and up-to-date worship songs.

Other random points:

You won’t sit in “some-else’s seat”

You are allowed to talk before the service

The coffee after the service is often surprisingly nice

Feel free to laugh at the vicar’s jokes

Christians are normal people (who get things wrong, have bad days and are generally not “perfect”)