Visiting Preacher Information

 

Welcome to our website page for Visiting Preachers. We hope you find the information helpful when preparing your time of worship with us at Trinity.

 

 

Trinity’s main Sunday service is at 10.30am where you will be leading about 50 adult worshippers.  We welcome services that incorporate modern and traditional styles. Junior Church runs in parallel with the main service.

Please click on the appropriate links for further information which we hope will be useful.

Before the Day

On the day

 

Music

Our music is usually led by a small group of musicians singing and/or playing instruments including organ, keyboard, guitar, hand drums and more.  We display the words on three large TV monitors. One of these is at the back of the Church which can be easily read by the preacher. Books (including large print editions) are available for those who cannot conveniently follow the screens.

We generally use ‘Singing The Faith’, and often use other sources in our aim to incorporate a balanced variety of musical styles, including traditional hymn singing, contemporary worship songs, original songs written by our own musicians, solo and small group performance items, and are happy to offer our own suggestions, particularly as a way of incorporating songs written by our own musicians, and/or non-congregational items where this may be appropriate. Please ensure you specify which version of hymn/song you wish to use as they can vary.  Please contact the Music Co-ordinator or Administrator, for anything music related!The liturgy and the hymns and songs printed or displayed during the service need to have been checked for Copyright compliance by our Copyright checker. We hold CCLI and One License licences.

 

 

Readings

The Bible translation normally used at Trinity is the NRSVA, but other translations are available, which we take from the ‘Bible Gateway Website’ as an electronic version.  (www.biblegateway.com )

We would like you to specify which translation you would prefer, so that we can co-ordinate the reading with the on-screen words.

Trinity can often provide volunteers to read the lessons so please advise if this is your choice.

 

Prayers

Visiting preachers are normally responsible for the prayers of intercession but with sufficient notice, Trinity may be able to provide a volunteer to lead the intercessions.

We like to have a “My Stories” slot in the service which gives members of the congregation a chance to say how God has been at work in their lives that week.

If you have any ‘Pointers for Prayer’ you wish to share with us we will add these in to our Notice Sheet.  Please provide these with your Order of Service.

 

IT Matters & Streaming

At Trinity we use three high definition TV monitors onto which we present as much or as little of the service as the preacher wishes.  The presentation for screening is compiled by the IT Compiler, as a PowerPoint presentation. We normally display the Hymns, Bible readings Lord’s Prayer and any other links between the Order of Service. To help our projectionist the following information is required:

  • A detailed Order of Service, including Hymns/Songs and the Bible Readings.
  • Specify the bible translation chosen for each reading.
  • Any words required as congregational responses (usually during prayers).
  • Any images needing to be shown.
  • Words to any Songs not in the usual hymn books.
  • We are able to play video clips if required.

We can also display on the screens sections of Communion and Baptism liturgy taken from the Methodist Worship Book.  Any other specific wording required will need to be provided (preferably electronically).

Please note that the more you wish to have displayed the more notice is required.

Any special requests or queries can be resolved by liaising either directly with the IT Compiler or our Administrator.

Streaming

We stream all our morning services on YouTube – we get about 10 live views, but over the following week views reach about 50. We use two camera’s, both at the back of the church, one located by the technical desk, one just to the left of the rear TV screen. Viewers appreciate if you acknowledge their presence online. Viewers at home will see any words or videos displayed on the church screens. If you have something to show the congregation, please make a point of holding it still for 10-15seconds and in a position where one of the camera’s will be able to zoom in so that remote viewers can see it as well. If you plan to move around the church a lot, or to get others to do so, it is useful for those on the camera’s to know when in the service this will happen so that movements can be anticipated.

 

Sound

A full sound desk is available at Trinity that enables us to amplify, play and record most things.

There are fixed microphones at the pulpit and lectern. A radio lapel microphone or a headset microphone is provided for you which feeds into a loop system for the hard of hearing. Other microphones, both fixed and hand-held, are available as required.

Our service is live streamed on You Tube each week and the link can be found on our website.

Any special requests or queries can be resolved by liaising either directly with the Sound Operative or our Administrator.

 

Notices and Order of Service

You will be contacted about a week in advance with details of those involved in co-ordinating aspects of the service. Please send your information by e-mail or as an attachment in Word format to those people by the Wednesday evening preceding the Sunday at the latest.  If the Order of Service needs to be phoned through, our Administrator is available  from 9.00 am until 5.00pm eachday.The Church Office phone number is 01483 730754.

Should you wish to discuss the Service with the Steward on duty or with any of the team involved in Worship at Trinity, please add this to your e-mail, with your contact details, or speak directly to our Administrator.

 

Before the Service

The Church will be open from 9.30 am on the Sunday morning. Parking is available for you opposite the East entrance.

There is normally one Steward on duty each Sunday morning to assist you. The Steward will advise you of any special prayer needs.

 

The Service   

Worship can be led from anywhere on the dais in a manner most comfortable to you.

The Steward will light the two candles on the communion table before the Service starts. You will be invited to take a seat on the dais, whilst the Steward announces any Notices to the congregation (see below), before introducing and welcoming you. 

During the service at a point to suit you, it is our practice to share any stories of faith that have happened in the previous week with the rest of the congregation. The preacher should include "My Stories" on the Order of Service and ask the congregation if they have stories to share.  There could of course be none. The notices may be combined with the sharing of stories. This will be confirmed on the day.

 

Junior Church

Our children now have their own time of worship in The Kabin and will not normally join us except on the 1st Sunday of the month when they may join at the end of the service for communion.

 

Offertory

We no longer have a collection plate passed round during the service. Offerings for the life and work of the Church can be placed in the collection plate at the back of the Church or can be given by using the Dona “tap and pay” machine.  On communion Sunday’s a benevolence collection is also taken and the collection plate for this is at the front of the Church.

 

Communion (when applicable)

When Holy Communion forms part of the Service, the elements will have been placed on the communion table before the service and covered with a white tablecloth.  Additionally a symbolic loaf and a chalice of wine are presented to the presiding Minister immediately preceding the offertory. 

  • The liturgy is usually taken from the Methodist Worship Book.
  • Please advise the Season and commencing page number.
  • Where alternative liturgies are chosen, the full text should be presented for printing or electronically, so that the text can be displayed on the screens.

It is our practice to encourage all young people including infants to partake at communion or be offered a blessing.

Trinity have a dedicated team of Communion Stewards who will assist with the logistics as required. However we offer our usual practice for consideration.

  • The first people to take communion are the Musicians and Communion Stewards.
  • The musicians will then provide songs or quiet music whilst the congregation receive communion.
  • Normally we have a continuous flow for the congregation
  • The Stewards will act as ushers to direct people forward down the central aisle and back to their seats using the side aisles after taking Communion.
  • The presiding Minister stands at the foot of the central aisle, to dispense the bread.
  • Two Stewards, one on either side, will have trays of individual wine glasses and will dispense the wine on their side.
  • Two additional Stewards will collect the empty glasses.
  • The Minister will be advised of anyone wishing to receive communion in their seat.
  • The communion concludes with a collection for the Benevolence Fund during the final hymn/song.

 

After the Service

At the end of the service the congregation enjoy a time of fellowship and especially talking to the Preacher. You will be encouraged by the Steward to stand at the Narthex Exit to shake hands with the congregation as they leave, and/or join them in the Church where refreshments are served.

 

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