What Do Christians Believe?
At the heart of the Christian faith is belief in the Trinity – God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Being a Christian means that you enjoy a relationship with God, both on earth and for eternity. You can learn more about the Christian faith on the Church of England website.
Can You Provide More Information About Christianity?
If you’re looking for more information on Christianity, you can find a wealth of information on the Church of England website. Church House Bookshop, the Church of England’s official bookshop, also sells a wide variety of Christian books online.
You can additionally request a copy of the Gospel be sent to you for free. The Gospels tell us about Jesus and his life here on earth.
I’d Like to Join a Church – How Can I Find a Local One?
If you’re looking to join a local church, perhaps close to where you live or work, you can easily find a nearby place of worship via the A Church Near You website.
I’m Getting Married – Where Can I Find My Parish Church?
To find your local parish church, the simplest method is to use the A Church Near You website.
I’m Looking for a Particular Church in the Diocese I Have Personal Links With – Can You Help?
The Diocese of Winchester is made up of around 300 parishes, and contains more than 400 churches. The easiest way to find a particular church, therefore, is to look online. One of the most helpful tools when looking for a church is the A Church Near You website.
I’ve Lost Touch With a Vicar – Can You Provide Their Contact Details?
If you’re looking to find clergy who are authorised to carry out ministry within the Church of England, you can check the National Register of Clergy, via the Church of England website. Alternatively, if you know which diocese the vicar is currently working in, you can get in touch with a local member of the clergy, and they should be able to help.
I’m Trying to Find Information About a Vicar From Over a Century Ago – Do You Have Any Records?
The Church of England Record Centre at Lambeth Palace Library keeps information about notable Church figures, and access to the Library’s collections is freely available to the public. You can also consult back copies of Crockford’s Clerical Directory or the Clergy of the Church of England database, which has records for clergy between 1540 and 1835.
How Do I Arrange a Church Christening, Baptism or Confirmation?
A baby or child can be baptised in a church within the Diocese, as a way to thank God for the gift of life he has bestowed upon parents, and to start the child on a journey of faith. A confirmation is where someone who has explored their faith with others in the church wishes to reaffirm their relationship with God. More information can be found via the below links:
To arrange a baptism or confirmation, you will need to discuss this within your local parish church. If you’re unsure where this would be, you can find a local church using the A Church Near You website.
How Do I Arrange a Church Wedding?
If you’re looking to get married in a church, this would typically take place in your local parish church, which can be located using the A Church Near You website.
It’s important to bear in mind that in most cases, the banns of marriage will need to be read out in the church you’re getting married in, in the three month period prior to the wedding. If this is not done, the couple will need to apply for a Common Licence.
You can find more information about weddings within the Diocese of Winchester on our Weddings page.
Where Can I Find More Information About Funerals?
Funerals are a way to mark the end of a person’s earthly life and for friends and family to come together to give thanks, express grief, and to commend the person into God’s keeping. Funerals are often individual, reflecting the life of the person.
You can find more information about funerals here or on the Church of England’s website.
I’m Considering Ordination – How Do I Go About This?
You can learn more about theological training within the Diocese of Winchester on our Winchester School of Mission page.
I’m Ordained and Would Like to Work in the Diocese of Winchester – How Do I Apply?
We advertise vacancies within the Diocese on our Vacancies page.
Where Can I Learn More About the Diocese of Winchester?
The Diocese of Winchester is more than just the individual people, churches and schools within our purview. We’re also an organisation that supports and guides each of the communities within our Diocese.
You can learn more about the Diocese of Winchester on our About Us page.
How Do I Sign Up to Courses and Events?
The majority of the courses and events that take place within our Diocese can be found on our Courses and Events page. If you are unable to find a particular course or event though, you can get in touch with us, and we’ll do our best to provide further information.
How Can I Sign Up to Your Newsletter?
If you’d like to hear more from us, you can easily sign up to our weekly newsletter by providing your name and email address here.