Worship at Guildford Cathedral

Individual prayer, Morning Prayer and Holy Communion

Guildford Cathedral is open for Individual Prayer. Further details of this can be found here.

On Tuesdays – Fridays Morning Prayer is held at 9am and Holy Communion at 9.30am. These services are usually streamed and can be seen via our FaceBook page, or you are welcome to attend these services which take place in the Presbytery with entry from the North East Door.

Sunday Services

Guildford Cathedral welcomed worshippers in person for a Sunday service for the first time since the Coronavirus lockdown on Sunday, 19 July, when a service of Holy Communion was celebrated in the Nave.

Services have been carefully planned following Church of England and Government guidelines to ensure that any risk of infection is kept to a minimum. Worshippers are asked to sanitize their hands on arrival, wear face masks and to fill up the seats under the guidance of our Cathedral Stewards.

Although we are not yet permitted to sing we are delighted that we will have music for our services from our ‘virtual visiting choirs’ throughout the summer months.

Special arrangements are in place for the administration of Holy Communion in one kind, and clergy wear face coverings during the distribution and sanitize their hands throughout as necessary.

The congregation are asked to continue to observe safe distances between each other as guided by the Cathedral Stewards as they arrive and leave the building.

We are not yet able to enjoy refreshments or fellowship before or after the service, and are asked to continue to maintain safe distances from those we don’t live with after the service.

There are no collections during worship but we are encouraging the congregation to make donations using the contactless payment units in the Cathedral. Any cash donated will quarantined for 72 hours before counting.

Those attending the service are encouraged to register for it before hand. Those registered will be sent a PDF of the weekly Order of Service and are asked to either print off a copy and bring it with them to the service or download it to their phone or tablet. There will be some Orders of Service available, however we are working towards phasing this out until restrictions are completely lifted.

The number of people that the Cathedral can accommodate is much less due to the chairs being spaced apart. Anyone who plans to attend is encouraged to register in advance, free of charge. Anyone who has not registered will still be welcome if space is available, and they will be invited to give their contact details for Track and Trace on arrival.

We will continue to stream a pre-recorded service at 9.45am each Sunday during the summer.

We look forward to worshipping with you in the Cathedral or on-line.

How will Holy Communion be administered safely?

Holy Communion will be administered in accordance with guidelines from the Church of England. This will mean:

• Clergy in face coverings will bring the consecrated bread to the people. This may take a little longer than usual.
• The bread only will be distributed. The priest alone will receive the wine.
• The bread will remain covered until it is distributed. It will be handled by the priest only and those distributing will have sanitized their hands.

Will there be service books?

No. If you have pre-registered, or have access to the internet, you are asked to download the Order of Service from the Cathedral website. You can either print off a copy for your sole use, or read it on your phone or tablet if you have one.

A small number of service booklets will be produced for those who need them. You will be asked to take the booklets home and not leave them in the cathedral.

Will there be a collection?

The best thing to do is to give by contactless card at the electronic collection box.

Alternatively you are welcome to leave a contribution at the end of the service in our cash donation box. The collection plate will not be passed round during the service.

What other changes will I notice?

The Peace will not be shared, but the clergy will warmly welcome and acknowledge you verbally.

Refreshments will not be served after the service.

Can I stay afterwards to chat to my friends?

Government guidance asks that the worship takes place within a short time frame, so it will not be possible to stay and talk inside the Cathedral. Unfortunately there will be no opportunity for our normal fellowship after the service, inside or outside the Cathedral.

What other measures are in place to protect and reassure me?

• Regular cleaning of the Cathedral
• Social distancing and chairs widely separated
• A one-way system around the Cathedral’s nave
• Hand sanitizer for staff and members of the public
• Specially trained staff on duty
• Additional signage
• Limited number of people allowed in the building

What if I want to speak to one of the Clergy?

If you don’t manage to have a quick word, outside, on Sunday, it is best to email deanspa@guildford-cathedral.org or call on 07504 988 468 and you will be put in touch with the clergy.

What do you do with the Test and Trace Details?

In order to support the NHS Test and Trace programme, we are taking contact details (name and telephone number) for all worshippers, as well as recording times entering and leaving the Cathedral.

In line with guidance issued by the Department for Health and Social Care, we will keep your details safely and in compliance with GDPR legislation for 21 days before securely disposing of or deleting them. We will only share your details with NHS Test and Trace, if asked, in the event that it is needed to help stop the spread of coronavirus. We will not use your details for any other purposes or pass them on to anyone else.

If you are unable to attend the Cathedral on Sundays you can join in a pre-recorded streamed Eucharist service, and links to this and other resources are available on our Home Worship page. Links and other information can be found on the Cathedral Facebook page. Our Clergy continue to worship daily in their own homes, if you would like to be added to the prayer list contact deanspa@guildford-cathedral.org Please be assured of our prayers at this time. 

 

Guildford Cathedral is open to all, 365 days a year (366 during a Leap Year), as a place of stillness, prayer, pilgrimage and daily choral worship.

The Cathedral is a busy Christian church: we celebrate over 1,000 services a year, sustaining vibrant and inclusive daily worship together with magnificent music from our choir. You are very welcome to join us and there is no admission charge.

 

The regular daily pattern of Mattins, Holy Communion and Choral Evensong is at the centre of Cathedral life. The great seasonal celebrations of Christmas and Easter mark the most significant dates in our Christian calendar; many other services take place throughout the year, including special community and seasonal services such as Harvest Festival.

Listed below are the normal service times; on special occasions the times may vary – please see the full service schedule for a list of all services and music details.