Welcome to Chiltern Evangelical Church. We are glad you have found us! We are a small church of around 50 people made up of a diverse group of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. We do hope to welcome you to one of our services soon.
When and where
The church meets regularly during the week for a range of activities suitable for different ages which can be found elsewhere on the website. We meet as a whole Church every Sunday morning for a service at 10.30am at The Emmer Green Youth & Community Centre. There is free parking onsite.
The afternoon service takes place at 4.30pm in our own building in Sonning Common. There is no onsite parking at the church, but you can park anywhere along Grove Road. The church is situated in a residential area so please be aware of our neighbours and park considerately.
What to expect
When you arrive, there will be someone on the door to greet you and answer any questions you may have. Our morning service consists of a forty-minute Bible based talk, a short children’s talk, singing 3 or 4 songs and praying together and it normally lasts about an hour and a quarter. We would love to see you at any of our services, but would particularly encourage newcomers to attend our 4.30pm service as it is slightly shorter (an hour), and is specifically aimed at those wanting to find out more about Christianity.
Both services are designed to be as accessible as possible, so whether you are coming to church for the first time, wanting to know more about Christianity or are a regular churchgoer, we do hope you will feel very at home with us.
Will I need to do anything?
Not at all! Our service format is easy to follow and led from the front, so it is always clear what is going on. We generally stand to sing and sit to pray, as you will see others doing. You will be given a song book when you arrive so you can join in with the singing if you wish. However, no-one will mind if you choose not to join in. We don’t take or expect an offering at any of our services.
We want you to feel at ease during your time with us. Please also rest assured that you will never be asked to read or pray out loud unless you feel comfortable doing so.
For children
During both services, a creche is run for children aged 0-4 years. You are more than welcome to leave your child with the nominated creche helper for that week to return to the service, so you can listen to the service without distraction.
For older children (age 4-15) we run three age appropriate classes called Explorers. These run prior to the morning service, starting at 9.45am. It is a great opportunity for the children and young people to receive age appropriate Bible teaching whilst also being able to be part of our main worship service. The classes are divided by age; Beginners (4-7), Juniors (8-10) and Seniors (11+).
During the classes, a short Bible talk will be given followed by some discussion and worksheets (for the younger groups). Newcomers are always welcome to join and no prior Bible knowledge is needed to attend. Please note there are no Explorers classes in the afternoon.
After the service
Following the service, hot drinks are served with juice and biscuits for the children. This is a great time to get to know each other better and have a catchup on the week. If you are able, we would love you to stay for this time and answer any questions you may have. We hope to welcome you soon!