House Groups
House groups are a great way to get to know others in the church family. At the moment, we have three groups – on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday evenings and Tuesday mornings. We meet for coffee and chat and we look at a Bible passage and pray together.
Contact CJ Davis (the Rector) and he can put you in touch with one of the groups.
Once a month, house groups take a break and we have a prayer meeting on the second Tuesday of the month.
Benefice Visiting Team
The Visiting Team exists to work in partnership with the clergy in providing pastoral support for parishioners, particularly in providing visits to people who are no longer able to come to church through illness, injury or age, or who may need additional assistance due to vulnerability.
To leave no-one alone or left behind.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
All team members are approved by the Incumbent and PCC, and appointed according to the Diocese ‘Safer Recruitment’ Process and have DBS clearance to visit on behalf of the churches.
To request a visit, please contact one of the team or the Parish Office – 01460 72047
Little Sunbeams
Little Sunbeams was born out of St Bartholomew’s Crewkerne wanting to provide a service that benefitted the whole community in Crewkerne.
The baby and toddler group runs each Thursday in term time.
A place where parents, guardians and grandparents can come, relax and enjoy some lovely fresh coffee and light refreshments while the children play.
Play, song/story time
For 0 – 5-year olds from 10am – 11.30am.
£1.50 per session. All welcome.
For more information contact:
Church Office
Abbey Street
Crewkerne
TA18 7HY
Holy Space
Holy Space is our Sunday School meeting each week during the Sunday morning service.
It is a special place and time set aside for children so they can explore God’s love and wonders of creation while the adults enjoy their time in the main Church.
There are story and fun activities for children aged 4-11.
It meets during the 11am service on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month. On the 4th Sunday we have an All Age Service for all ages – 0 to 99! Come and join us!
Coffee Pot
Held every few weeks on a Wednesday morning in the Church hall at 11am.
Come along and join us for a chat over coffee, tea and cakes.
Bring a friend or make some new ones.
Open to all.
Mothers' Union
Mothers’ Union is an international Christian charity that seeks to support families worldwide. Its members are not all mothers or even all women, as there are many parents, men, widows, singles and grandparents involved in its work.
Our Mothers' Union meets in the Church Hall at 2.30pm on the third Tuesday of each month. It has a range of speakers and activities and all are welcome.
St Bart's Choir
St Bartholomew's has a thriving choir. It sings at the weekly Sunday Service, supporting the congregation in the singing of the hymns and singing an anthem during communion. It maintains the tradition of robing for some services. It meets on a Thursday evening for practice between 6.45 and 8pm.
It does not matter whether or not you read music or whether or not you believe you have a good voice - the only requirement is a love of music.
St Bartholomew’s Crewkerne has a ring of 8 bells which are rung by our regular band and by visiting ringers for services, weddings, special occasions and for fun. There is a thriving bell ringing community in the UK, and lots of information can be found online about how bells are rung.
The Benefits of Being a Bell Ringer
Anyone in reasonable health can ring bells, and ringers vary in age from nine to ninety. Bell ringing is an excellent way to stay active, test your brain, contribute to the community, and be sociable. Our outings are also an excellent opportunity to visit other local towers – and tea rooms!
Bellringing
Practice 7.30pm Every Monday
Make a Joyful Noise!
“the old church-tower, whose bells, the poor man’s only music, rang from morn to evening, all the hot Fair-day, so sweetly, that they stirred and haunted me with a wild pleasure, falling on mine ear most like articulate sounds of things to come!”
– Frost at Midnight, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Church-going is not a necessity for ringers (who can more frequently be found partaking in pub quizzes after practice nights!) but the church doors are always open to late arrivals from the tower at services.
Tradition
Bells have been widely rung in churches since 550AD, with current techniques (which are uniquely British) dating back to the 1600s. Whilst there are around 37,000 bells in the UK there are just 40,000 ringers: new recruits are essential to keeping this tradition alive.
How to Join
Join the company of Jo Brand, John Betjamin and Alan Titchmarsh… not literally, but these famous names are all campanologists (that’s the fancy word for bell ringing). We welcome new faces, whether experienced or not. Our band is a mixture of ringers who’ve learnt in Crewkerne and ringers who’ve moved here.
Practice night is on Monday from 7:30pm, and Sunday ringing starts at 10:15am – but please check with the Tower Captain first in case arrangements have changed. A rope fee applies for visiting bands, but there are no charges for regular ringing. The external entrance to the tower is to the south-east of the church, near to the steps leading up from Church Street. For Sat Navs please use the post code TA18 7HY. Parking is available at the Abbey Street Car Park (free evenings and Sundays).
If you’d like to know more about us before coming along, please contact:
Tower Captain
Mrs Katy Manuel
St Bart’s Hand Bell Ringers are a committed group who ring on various occasions across the year and meet for practice on Friday evenings.
This year the team was blessed by an exceptional gift of a new set of hand bells. This gift consists of four beautiful lined boxes of hand-bells which make up a full 3-octave set, all perfectly tuned to make a wonderful harmony when played together.
Professionally crafted by the renowned Bells of Whitechapel. “Whitechapel handbells have been craftsmen made for over two hundred years, they continue to be made in south London to exacting standards with each bell hand tuned and matched to make a fine musical instrument.”
St Bart's Handbells
One of the bells has been inscribed in memory of Pru Nedham who among her many talents was one of the St Bart’s Hand Bell ringers and did much to ensure the continued development of the group. Pru sadly passed away in 2017
We would like to express our huge gratitude of thanks to the couple who generously provided this gift.
They will be treasured.