Children
Children are central to the life of St Mary Abbots, and could not be more welcome.
What ever age your children are, they are very welcome in our church--from newborns to teenagers--and we are keen to help you nurture them in the Christian faith, in a safe environment.
Safeguarding Children
St Mary Abbots is committed to being a place of love and nurture for all children. All adults working with children are checked through the necessary DBS requirements. The Parish has appointed Andrew Freestone as our safeguarding officer, which means that he is responsible for ensuring that DBS guidelines are followed, and that the Parish is a place of best practice in the care and nurture of children (as well as vulnerable adults). Martina Sadovska is our Children's Advocate, and she is responsible for making sure that the interests of our young people and children are at the centre of our church's ministry.
Holy Baptism
At St Mary Abbots we're delighted to baptise children; indeed, we baptise people of any age - babies, toddlers, children, adults - who wish to join the Christian Church and have not previously been baptised. We offer the sacrament of baptism to those who either live in our geographical parish and/or those who worship with us regularly - and occasionally those with a more tenuous link but for whom this is the right church. Baptism usually takes place in the main 9.30 Sunday service about once a month. Very occasionally, for unavoidable resons, we agree to other times, but there's no such thing as a 'Private Baptism' - although of course we will also offer in those sad cases, where it is necessary, Emergency Baptism.
We believe that Baptism proclaims two great truths: that God knows, loves and cares for the person being baptised; and that by being baptised the candidate becomes a full member of Christ's Church - not St Mary Abbots, not the Church of England or Anglican Communion, but the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Because one joins the Church at baptism, it is esssential that the Church as a whole, rather than just invited family and friends, are present and involved in the welcome and support of the new Christian - hence baptism at our main Sunday service.
To explore the possibility of being baptised at St Mary Abbots, in the first instance contact the clergy - ideally at the end of a service you've attended!
For more information on the Sacrement of Baptism in the Church of England please click here
At St Mary Abbots we're delighted to baptise children; indeed, we baptise people of any age - babies, toddlers, children, adults - who wish to join the Christian Church and have not previously been baptised. We offer the sacrament of baptism to those who either live in our geographical parish and/or those who worship with us regularly - and occasionally those with a more tenuous link but for whom this is the right church. Baptism usually takes place in the main 9.30 Sunday service about once a month. Very occasionally, for unavoidable resons, we agree to other times, but there's no such thing as a 'Private Baptism' - although of course we will also offer in those sad cases, where it is necessary, Emergency Baptism.
We believe that Baptism proclaims two great truths: that God knows, loves and cares for the person being baptised; and that by being baptised the candidate becomes a full member of Christ's Church - not St Mary Abbots, not the Church of England or Anglican Communion, but the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Because one joins the Church at baptism, it is esssential that the Church as a whole, rather than just invited family and friends, are present and involved in the welcome and support of the new Christian - hence baptism at our main Sunday service.
To explore the possibility of being baptised at St Mary Abbots, in the first instance contact the clergy - ideally at the end of a service you've attended!
For more information on the Sacrement of Baptism in the Church of England please click here
'Children on Sundays' - our very popular Sunday School provision
In recent years the greatest area of growth in our church has been among families with young children: on an average Sunday our main service includes more than sixty children – sometimes the number approaches one hundred! We have become widely known as a child- and family-friendly church and are delighted to offer a wide range of provision for children from babies to teenagers, and families with children in worship, education and activities. Find out about them on the Children on Sundays page.
In recent years the greatest area of growth in our church has been among families with young children: on an average Sunday our main service includes more than sixty children – sometimes the number approaches one hundred! We have become widely known as a child- and family-friendly church and are delighted to offer a wide range of provision for children from babies to teenagers, and families with children in worship, education and activities. Find out about them on the Children on Sundays page.
Family Eucharist
Once a month the main 9.30 service is reformatted as a Family Eucharist. Although the youngest, Caterpillers and Chrysalis, Groups still meet the older children play many roles in presenting the service. This is an all-age, simplified, modern-language Sung Eucharist. To find out the dates of forthcoming Family Eucharists, please see our Newsletter or Forthcoming Special Services pages.
St Mary Abbots Parish Playgroup
This is a fun resource for those with preschool children to meet and relax, chat and enjoy their shared experience whilst accompanying their babies and toddlers. Priority for places is given to families who worship reguarly at St Mary Abbots. The Playgroup is held on a Friday morning in St Mary Abbots Centre, where there are toys for the children to share, healthy snack time at child-sized tables, circle song time and a chance for little ones to play together under mum's watchful gaze. Many young ones (and new mums) take their first steps literally here (and it is many mums' first venture out to a group), all in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. In the summer, whenever the weather is good, we enjoy the freedom of the large Vicarage garden dads are as welcome as mums! To check availability/book your place please email.
St Mary Abbots School
We enjoy the closest possible connection between church and school, with a high proportion of families belonging to both. The school children, whatever church they belong to, participate in a Sung Eucharist at 9.30am every Thursday in term time. This is a public Act of Worship, open to all, and many of the older members of our congregation take a particular dlelight in joining school parents for this act of worship in which many of the key roles are taken by the children, each class in turn, and the music led by the splendid school choir.
All the children meet in a daily assembly for worship and Religious Education is a vital part of the curriculum. Children are taught about the principal characters and themes of the Old Testament and their relationship with the coming of Christ; they learn about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Bible and professed in the Creeds. The School acknowledges Christ’s living presence in the Church and the World. For further information on St Mary Abbots School please visit their website.
For further information on St Mary Abbots School please visit their website and the website of their PTA (Friends of St Mary Abbopts School - FOSMAS).
Once a month the main 9.30 service is reformatted as a Family Eucharist. Although the youngest, Caterpillers and Chrysalis, Groups still meet the older children play many roles in presenting the service. This is an all-age, simplified, modern-language Sung Eucharist. To find out the dates of forthcoming Family Eucharists, please see our Newsletter or Forthcoming Special Services pages.
St Mary Abbots Parish Playgroup
This is a fun resource for those with preschool children to meet and relax, chat and enjoy their shared experience whilst accompanying their babies and toddlers. Priority for places is given to families who worship reguarly at St Mary Abbots. The Playgroup is held on a Friday morning in St Mary Abbots Centre, where there are toys for the children to share, healthy snack time at child-sized tables, circle song time and a chance for little ones to play together under mum's watchful gaze. Many young ones (and new mums) take their first steps literally here (and it is many mums' first venture out to a group), all in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. In the summer, whenever the weather is good, we enjoy the freedom of the large Vicarage garden dads are as welcome as mums! To check availability/book your place please email.
St Mary Abbots School
We enjoy the closest possible connection between church and school, with a high proportion of families belonging to both. The school children, whatever church they belong to, participate in a Sung Eucharist at 9.30am every Thursday in term time. This is a public Act of Worship, open to all, and many of the older members of our congregation take a particular dlelight in joining school parents for this act of worship in which many of the key roles are taken by the children, each class in turn, and the music led by the splendid school choir.
All the children meet in a daily assembly for worship and Religious Education is a vital part of the curriculum. Children are taught about the principal characters and themes of the Old Testament and their relationship with the coming of Christ; they learn about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Bible and professed in the Creeds. The School acknowledges Christ’s living presence in the Church and the World. For further information on St Mary Abbots School please visit their website.
For further information on St Mary Abbots School please visit their website and the website of their PTA (Friends of St Mary Abbopts School - FOSMAS).