Please click on a link below to find out more about a group.
Offering Christian basics to those inside and outside the church. Courses take place early each new year, on Monday evenings 7.30 - 9.30pm. Each evening of the ten week course comprises three essentials:
Please enrol via the Church Office.
For more information on Alpha see their website.We share prayerful support among people on their own and encourage fellowship with one another, meeting at 10.30am on the second Tuesday of each month (with occasional variation). The meeting is usually a coffee morning and a short time of worship followed by discussion, slides, video or a speaker. Occasionally we visit country gardens or other features and we enjoy a picnic lunch and tea out.
We call people to worship. Bell ringing takes place in St Mary’s, and the entrance to the ringing chamber can be found on the side nearest the High St. Ringing takes place at the following times:
For more information on bell ringing see their website.
Bright Lights meets on Mondays during term time from 10.00 - 11.30am for parents, carers, and children aged 0 to 3 to meet and play. There are opportunities to chat with each other as we watch and play with the children over coffee and biscuits, short craft activities, with plenty of toys and songs to finish. Everyone is very welcome to look in on us.
This groups offers friendship and shares the gospel with overseas students whilst studying in Cheltenham. We meet on Thursday at 7.30pm for tea/coffee, chat, social events, Bible study. Social events include games, skittles, cooking, quizzes and trips out.
For more information on Cheltenham Internationals see their website.
St Mary's church is Cheltenham's oldest building and our original “home”. Many people like to avail themselves of its quiet and beauty. In order for the building to be kept open during the week it is necessary to have a “church watcher” on duty. Many opportunities arise to talk to people as they visit, making this a very worthwhile and satisfying ministry with opportunities for outreach. Duties are normally two hours every other week, either from 11am till 1pm or 1pm till 3pm (Monday to Wednesday and Friday) or 10am - 12 noon on Saturdays.
Connect provides regular opportunities for conversation and fun in an informal setting with the aim of getting to know one another better. It's open to all adults, and friends and neighbours are most welcome too.
A Crèche for the under 2s, staffed by church members, is provided in a side room during the 10.45 service at St. Matthew's. Any parents who need to be with their children in the creche can follow the service on a monitor there.
Please see our children and young people's activities for more information.
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"And the rain came down ..." |
The Drama Group meets most Mondays at 7.30pm in St Matthews. In addition to providing sketches in the church services we also serve in other churches and even outdoors. What we lack in skill we make up in enthusiasm, so, if you don't mind being a fool for Christ, come and join in the fun.
For developing and deepening our relationship with God (school years 10-13). We meet for the 6:30 pm service on Sundays, and afterwards from 8-9:30 pm.
Please see our children and young people’s activities for more information, or the specific Focus page.
The Friends are an independent group raising funds to help with the preservation of the ancient parish church with its many historical and interesting features. Membership is open to any interested parties.
For more information on The Friends see their website.
We have home groups for Bible study, prayer and friendship. Most groups meet fortnightly on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday evenings. Groups are free to organise their own social events.
This group of volunteers will pray daily for particular requests submitted by church members, who may request prayer for themselves, or others, or for a situation. There is a system for up-dating and keeping in touch.
We are concerned with all that strengthens and preserves marriage and family life. Membership is open to all who have been baptised and promise to support the aims. This branch meets at 10.15am on the fourth Wednesday of each month; a creche will be provided if required. Most meetings last about an hour. A time of prayer is followed by a speaker or discussion. It is not necessary to be an enrolled member to attend meetings.
For more information about the Mothers’ Union see their website.
The group seeks to encourage and develop God-given musical gifts, both vocal and instrumental, to enrich our worship. There is music at all of the Sunday services. We will also play for midweek events and sometimes in and with other churches when requested. We aim to operate in a variety of styles by, for example, forming an all-age orchestra, or a choir or a band so that our worship helps everyone of every age to find something in it for them.
Our practices are on Fridays at 7.45pm in church, and are definitely not just for the note-perfect and confident. We want to be able to welcome those with gifts but who might feel limited because they don’t have the “technical” ability (e.g. being able to read music)! We have fun and learn a lot together.
The "Music Makers of St. Mary's" comprise about fifteen individuals who contribute their time and a variety of talents to support the congregational singing at the Church and to enhance the worship by occasionally singing a special item. We seek to choose the best of words and music in a traditional style. A major on-going project has been to recover and relearn the canticles and psalms in four-part harmony for use at the 9 am service. We sometimes meet for practice after the morning service and from 6-7 pm on Monday evenings. Our desire is that the music we make will lift the hearts of the worshippers at St. Mary's and that the truth of the words will be embedded in our minds and worked out in our lives.
For people who are post-studying and pre-children.
Network exists to develop friendships and foster informal social and pastoral links between people who are at a similar life stage. Occasional social activities are arranged in order to help people get to know one another. Any member is welcome to use the database to contact other members to arrange activities and events.
We firmly believe in the importance of prayer to undergird both our individual and corporate lives. Prayer ministry is available after both the 10:45 am and 6:30 pm services. We encourage home groups to pray. Many church members belong to prayer "triplets" or "quads". A prayer diary for personal use relating to the life and mission of this church is published each Sunday. There is an intercessions ministry in addition to the intercessions which are part of the church services. Whole church prayer meetings are held monthly.
For children aged 2 to 11; regular attenders or visitors. Sunday Club meets during the 10.45am service. The children are grouped as follows:
For more information see the page on our children and young people’s activities.
Each week from 2pm we provide an afternoon of friendship and entertainment for elderly people who are housebound, lonely or disabled. The entertainment is followed by tea and the afternoon concludes with a short talk based on the bible, led by a member of church staff, and a hymn. The Club is organised by a committee and helpers. About 50 volunteers are involved on a rota basis to bake cakes, prepare tea and provide transport for the members. High points in the year are the summer outing and the Christmas party.
We are mostly younger women who meet at St. Matthew's during term-time on Tuesdays to get deeper into the Bible. We start at 9.30am with coffee, tea and chat and conclude at 11am.
Enables school years 7-9 to grow closer to God. We meet on Sunday mornings during part of the 10.45am service for:-
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Please see our children and young people’s activities for more information.
"Zoom Club"Takes place on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month. We meet at St. Matthews at 6.30 pm to chill out, play snooker, table tennis, playstation and other activities too.
Please see our children and young people’s activities for more information, or the specific Focus page.
Last Updated: 25/02/07