The Heart of the Chapel Community - 8.30am College Communion & Chapel Breakfast

Where everybody knows your name!

It may seem rather early but the 8.30am Communion is the main student service and the one place where you can get totally involved and play a big part in writing or leading the service (or if you prefer, just come along and get to know people).  Tourists aren’t allowed, though we do often have visiting families or friends, or else Old Johnians back to remember their time here.

In recent years the congregation has tended to be 20-30 students and we gather at the top end of Chapel.  The worship group lead a couple of worship songs on whatever instruments we have available.  Students do the readings and the prayers and starting this year, we’ve even had a couple of student sermons which have been great.  From time to time we have specially designed services, on themes such as baptism or pilgrimage or to remember a particular day like World Aids/HIV Awareness Day.  By Church of England standards, it’s quite informal (while the 10.30am service is the complete opposite) and we are very much a mixture of denominations worshipping together.  Gowns and surplices are never worn at the 8.30am Communion.

You don’t need to be a Christian to come to this service but it’s often the place that people decide to become Christian and we’ve had a number of baptisms and confirmations each year.

The service lasts about 40 minutes and afterwards we go for Chapel Breakfast together in Hall, where we’re joined by students planning to go to the 10.30am Sung Eucharist.  Not only do you get a half-price cooked breakfast (subsidised by Chapel) and sit on High Table but it’s a really good way to get to know lots of other Christians around College.  Usually those who get involved in one of the town churches also try to come along to the 8.30am Communion at least a couple of times each term.