Faith and Worship

Find out when our regular services are, and more about faith, prayer, and worship with St Mary's.

What does it mean to be a person of faith? What difference does Christian Faith make to how we live? At St. Mary's these are 'live' questions: sometimes we might find answers, sometimes being prepared to look for the answers is enough as we seek to follow Jesus' Way.

Christian Faith

People become part of a congregation or church for a whole host of reasons. Scratch the surface of those at St. Mary's and you will find that most of us see things in different ways but we are seeking to follow Jesus. We hope you will find at St. Mary’s a place where you can find faith, explore what it means to be a person of faith and grow in your own desire to follow Jesus. We are Christians so one thing we all agree on is that He is central to our common life…everything else flows from that. We can give you some pointers but its your faith we'd like to help you grow!

Prayers for Healing

Jesus was known for bringing healing and wholeness to people and so, following His example, we offer a ministry of prayer for healing at our services. Whilst we don't claim to be 'healers' we do trust that God cares for us and wants us to be whole. Once a month, whilst people receive Holy Communion, we provide the opportunity for those who wish to be anointed with oil and to be prayed for with the laying on of hands: traditional signs of God's blessing and the love and support of His people.

Study groups

Discussion and study groups run throughout the year within the parish on a variety of topics. Recently we have given time to seeing what the words of our main church services teach us; used an online course called 'Reframe' to look at Everyday discipleship; prayed the stations of the cross; spent time seeing what our Patron Saint (Mary) might teach us. and learning from different Bible Characters. Contact the clergy for details

Upcoming events

Find out about the special services and other events coming up at St Mary's.

20.10.24 and 17.11.24 at 10.30am

Approximately once a month specific prayers for healing (with the laying on of hands and anointing) are offered for individuals at our 10.30am services at Barnard Castle. The laying on... Learn more ›

6 October, 20 October, 3 November, 17 November, 8 December, 22 December at 10.30am

We offer two ‘Junior Church’ sessions each month, held in St Margaret’s Chapel in the North Aisle during the 10.30am Sunday morning service.  Children are encouraged to attend the session... Learn more ›

Sunday 10th November. 9.00am and 10.40am

Whorlton: Morning worship with an Act of Remembrance: 9.00am Barnard Castle: Civic Service at 10.40am followed by parade and laying of wreaths at the War memorial in the Bowes Museum... Learn more ›

Sunday 1st December 2024 4.00pm - 5.00pm

Our ever popular Christingle service will be accompanied again by our Praise Band with some great songs and the chance to support a great cause in The Childrens’ Society Learn more ›

Saturday 21st December 7.00pm - 8.15pm

Join in singing your favourite carols supported by members of St Mary’s Community choir and orchestra. Learn more ›

Sunday 22nd December 2024 4.00pm - 5.15pm

Whorlton’s Carol service will be followed by mulled wine and traditional Christmas refreshments….minced pies! Learn more ›

Additional Information

Questions you might ask before you come to a service

Who goes to your churches?

Our churches consist of different people from all ages and backgrounds and you can read what some members of our congregation have to say about their experiences of our churches by following this link. However, whoever you are, you are assured of a very warm welcome.

When should I arrive?

It’s probably best to turn up around 10 minutes before the start of the service, or 15-20 minutes for services which are likely to have a lot of people, such as christenings, weddings and carol services. For details of weekly service times in each church please see our What’s On calendar.

What should I wear?

Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. We accept people as they are and there is no need to dress up unless you want to.

What should I expect during a service?

Arriving – going anywhere for the first time can be a bit of a nerve-racking experience but please don’t worry about ‘doing things wrong’. We aren’t super-spiritual beings who will look down on you and we’ve all had a ‘first day’. We are a friendly bunch and will be only too pleased to help if you have any questions. You’ll be greeted on the door by someone from our welcoming team and then given all the books and information you need by one our sidespersons. People often use the time before a service to think or pray quietly, so if they’re not all talking to you this might be why.

During the service – normally services last up to an hour. There may be some variations in how we do things but generally you can expect a mixture of prayers, hymns or songs, readings from the Bible and a fairly short sermon.

Most services are modern and use the Common Worship book while others use traditional language and the Book of Common Prayer (usually at early morning Holy Communion). It may sometimes be necessary to flick backwards and forwards through service books but page numbers should be announced. If not, please just ask a nearby person.

We normally stand for hymns or songs and sit or kneel for most prayers. The service leader will normally direct you but, if not, just do whatever feels natural or follow the other people in the pews around you. We sit for the first Bible reading, which is often read by a member of the congregation, but stand for the Gospel reading, which is generally read by the person leading the service. We also stand when we say the Creed or Affirmation of Faith.

At some services we may ‘share the peace’. This just means shaking hands with people and saying ‘Peace be with you’. You can join in with this or not as you please. People may also use this time to say hello if you are new.

After the service – there is usually tea, coffee and biscuits available (for which there is no charge) after the main Sunday service. This is an opportunity to get to know people if you would like to. You will also find that the person who has led the service will be available to talk to, often standing by the door, or you can chat to the rest of the people in church.

Our hope is that whether you just want to visit us for a one-off service, are looking into Christianity for the first time, or have been a Christian for many years, you will be encouraged and inspired by your visit. We hope that everyone who comes through our doors will meet with God and feel welcome among us.

If you would like more information about what takes place in Anglican (Church of England) churches like ours please follow this link to “What to expect at an Anglican church“.

Can children attend your services?

Definitely! Children are very welcome at all of our services and, during our main Sunday service, there is usually a period of separate activities for them. You can learn more by following this link to our Junior Church page.

Of course it is also fine to keep your children with you during the service. Please don’t worry about them making noise or moving about – we certainly won’t – and the St Margaret chapel (on the left of the church in Barnard Castle) is a useful “bolt-hole” if your baby wants to shout!

Is church just about attending services?

Most definitely not! Our churches run various groups and there are also many social events going on around the parish which you can find out about here or from the church notice board or the sheet which is given out after services. There are also occasional series of meetings organised which provide an opportunity to learn more about Christianity in a relaxed and informal setting where no questions about our faith are off-limit.

Do you cater for those with disabilities?

We aim to be an all-inclusive church. If you wish to discuss specific needs please contact us. The church is accessible for those with disabilities with a fair amount of parking space available. Both the kitchen and toilets are accessible and we have a loop for the hearing impaired. Gluten free wafers are available for communicants. Our welcome team will, of course, help with any particular difficulties.