Your Wedding at St Paul's

Introduction
It is the usual practice of the Church of England for marriage to take place in the parish church of the parish where one or other party, or both, is resident. Alternatively, a couple may marry in the parish church where they regularly worship and on whose electoral roll they appear, even when they are not resident in the parish. All parish churches in England and Wales are licensed for the conduct of marriage under these circumstances. Being married in one’s parish church or worshipping community allows for proper preparation for marriage under the guidance of the local priest who, in being close at hand, is best able to establish a longer term relationship with a couple and their family. This also ensures that couples maintain or establish contact with their local church. Through this contact, they may then attend the church and establish themselves within the local church community, or in the future seek the baptism of their children, or find advice and support from their parish priest with whom they are familiar.

It is advisable at this early stage to check provisional dates and times with the Vicar and Church by contacting the Parish Office in the first instance.

How to proceed
Couples are welcome to contact the vicar at any time to discuss the possibility of being married in St Paul's Church. It is strongly advised that couples consult the Vicar before making any further arrangements for their wedding.

Appointments will be made to meet with the Vicar to prepare for marriage and make arrangements for the service. Please see below for further details.

The Marriage of Divorcees
If a divorcee wishes to marry in the Church, then the Vicar will consider making an application and the couple should contact the Vicar to discuss this possibility directly. He will have to interview the couple in accordance with guidelines drawn up by the House of Bishops and satisfy a number of conditions.

Wedding Blessings and Renewal of Wedding Vows
A married couple may seek a public blessing on their marriage or the renewal of their wedding vows, either immediately following a civil marriage or in celebration of a marriage at any stage during a couple’s married life. The Vicar will be pleased to discuss possibilities with the couple.

Preparation for Marriage
It is a requirement of the Licence that marriage preparation be undertaken, thus it is the vicar’s policy to meet with couples he is preparing for marriage a number of times before the wedding day, to allow an extended discussion of the nature and purpose of marriage and proper preparation of the service. It is expected that couples requesting a marriage in St Paul's will make such sessions a priority. The vicar will advise on the choice of appropriate hymns, readings and prayers. When the vicar agrees to a request for marriage in the church, it is made on the understanding that the couple wish to have a Christian service according to authorised rites.

Photography and video (please note this before booking your wedding)
Photographers are asked only to move to take photographs during the entrance and leaving of church, and following immediately from the signing of the marriage documents within the service. Otherwise, photographers are asked to choose a position and stay there for the duration of the service, to avoid any distraction. All photographers are asked to agree to this.

Video-recording is discouraged as it can easily become intrusive. If a couple are particularly keen to have their wedding recorded, this must be done by a professional. In addition, fees for the organist and choir are different, as they are considered in law to have performance rights. Wedding couples are asked to take responsibility for getting the appropriate copyright licence with regards filming the service. Further information on the licensing required can be found at http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/your-wedding/dvd-recording.aspx.

For more information about planning a church wedding please follow this link: https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/your-church-wedding

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 8:30 and 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Sidesperson Team, they will give you all you need for the service. If you need anything to make your stay more comfortable please do ask one of the team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 11.30am, after the service in the Parish Hall. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free, if you want to offer a donation please feel free but no pressure!

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Sides Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the Parish Hall.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from the Vicar. Each wee we have different styles of services.
Currently, our services at 1030am are as follows:
First Sunday - Holy Communion
Second Sunday - Family Service
Third Sunday - Holy Communion
Forth Sunday - Service of the Word
Fifth Sunday - Holy Communion

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Sunday Club (3-11 years)

This take place at 10.20am each Sunday in the Parish Hall. Its a great way to explore God with Auntie Gwen and her team. Each member of the team has completed all of the Church of England Safeguarding training and follow the parish safeguarding policy. The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes. The Sunday Club finishes by 1130am. You are more than welcome to drop off your children at 1020am, pop over to the main service in St Paul's, have an hour of reflection time before collecting them again.

sunday school2

Getting Connected

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Breakfast group
Women's Fellowship
Walking group
Various Bible Study groups throughout the year

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Father Mark Turner - Vicar		Alex Duffey and Mark Holmes - Church Wardens
I am the new vicar of Hooton, arriving here in January 2023 with my wife and son. Prior to my induction I was Chaplain, Religious Studies teacher, Charities coordinator at Birkenhead School. Until recently I was also the Self Supporting Minister serving Eastham Parish Church. I have been a priest since 2016. I am also a chaplain to the Sea Cadet Corps		Alex and Mark have been members of St Paul's Church Community for many years. They bring with them a wealth of experience from their own careers. They take equal responsibility for the church people and building, along with the Vicar. Please do ask them any questions, as they will always be glad to help.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Fr Mark, Alex & Mark