Visiting Preachers information

We hope the following information might be of help to visiting preachers and ministers.

Before the Service:

Our Worship Leader, Kevin Lovatt, is contactable at any time before your appointment to have a chat about your visit and to answer any queries you may have.

Our Worship Band practise every Thursday evening, so he will contact you at the beginning of the week before your visit to ask for your order of service, and any additional items, by Wednesday evening at the latest if possible.

We are happy to include a new song or hymn that can be learned by the congregation but please contact Kevin 4 weeks in advance so we can ensure good musical accompaniment. 

Your order of service will be sent to the duty steward and members of the worship group. 

Time : The Service will usually start at 10:00 a.m.

If you have last-minute problems and you are going to be late or cannot attend, please call Kevin Lovatt (Worship Leader) on 07988-532738, or Anthony Leech (Senior Steward) on 07534-408446. If you are going to be late we can begin worship using your order of service, and when you arrive the duty steward, or worship leader, will give you an update on how far we have progressed. If your arrival is seriously delayed then we will of course do the whole Service if necessary.

Start of the Service:  Before the 10am start, as the congregation are gathering, the Worship Band will perform two songs. The Duty Steward will then escort you from the vestry, make any announcements and introduce you. The Worship Band will lead the congregation in another song and then hand over to you.

Attendance : usually between twenty and thirty people, with over-fifties in the majority. 

The Worship Group : To assist you, we have a team of people who are willing to undertake a wide range of roles in worship, led by a commissioned Worship Leader, Kevin Lovatt.

We can do readings, including multi-voiced dramatised Bible readings.

We can perform sketches and lead prayers.

We can find and lead contemporary worship songs to suit your theme. See above

We can project responsive prayers and psalms, images and video clips.

We can use sound recordings from a variety of media.

 If you decide to make use of our talents, we will need details well before our Thursday evening practice. We may need more notice for some things, for example, writing short sketches.

Recording the Service:  We normally make an audio recording of Morning Worship for those who can’t attend.  The recordings are subject to copyright issues for which we have appropriate licences.

If you don’t want a recording to be made please tell the Worship Leader when he contacts you, or alternatively inform the duty steward before the Service.

Music: hymns and songs ~ at Higherland we love good, singable hymns both old and new, and we sing lustily and with good courage, on John Wesley's advice.

Because we have an excellent organist and a Worship Band the worship leader usually looks at your order of service before deciding if the song is better to be accompanied by the organ or band (availability permitting). Of course if you have a preference either way please let the worship leader know.

Our first choice of hymnbook is Singing the Faith, but the lyrics from a wide range of sources, old and new, can be made available for projection.

Most of the congregation do not use hymn books, so we need to know on your order of service if you require responsive psalms, prayers or other material which will need preparing for projection, or photocopying for those who are sight-impaired.

Kids Fun Church: There will usually be some children at the start of worship, mostly of Primary School age. We would be pleased if you could speak to them or if you find that difficult if you could please acknowledge their presence that would be appreciated. The children will usually leave for their own activities at a suitable point after about 15 minutes.

Where to find us:  Our church is situated on The Higherland at its 3 way junction with Pool Dam and Blackfriars Road, just outside Newcastle town centre on the A525 going from Newcastle towards Keele.

There is a map on our website: www.higherlandchurch.org on the Contact Us page.

If you use a satnav, you can use our postcode ST5 2TF.

Parking:  Parking is available for several cars at the front of the church BUT please take great care when leaving the front church car-park: the exit is straight onto a busy main road junction with phased, 3 way, traffic-lights. If this is full, and the rear chapel doors are open, it is also possible to park at the rear of the church.  From the front of the church  go down Blackfriars Road to another set of traffic lights. Turn right and go up Priory Road for a few hundred yards then turn right into the Blackfriars School entrance. There are 2 parking places. The very first car park entrance on the right can be used at any time, but on Sundays and weekday evenings you can carry straight on and take next turn right down a short incline to park on the clinic's parking which is nearest the rear chapel doors. Please don't park in the bays marked 'private'.

Expenses:  If you wish to claim expenses not covered by the North Staffordshire Circuit and not arranged in advance, please talk to the Duty Steward when you arrive.

After the service:  We would be very pleased if you will join us for tea, coffee and biscuits, served in the coffee-bar.

Contacts:

Worship Leader:        Kevin Lovatt     07988-532738 

Senior Steward:       Anthony Leech 01782 624742   mob: 07534-408446

Multimedia:                Steph Lovatt    07988-532738 

Website:                      www.higherlandchurch.org

Email:                          higherlandchurch@gmail.com