Children and young people

Everyone is welcome at St Michael's and All Saints, from the very young to the very elderly, and everyone in between. Here’s some information that you might find helpful if you bring children to church:

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• St Michael's is a large building so there is plenty of room for buggies to brought into church, we just ask that you keep all the aisles clear. In All Saints buggies can usually be left at the back of church or in the Walker Street entrance area (by the toilet!)

• There’s no reserved seating at either church, so please sit wherever you want to. If you want to sit near the front so your child can see what’s going on better, please do. There’s a dedicated area on the south side of St Michael's, in the Holy Innocents Chapel, where you’ll find toys and books for children, if you want to use them. 

• We genuinely do not mind if your children wriggle or make a noise in the service. We know that children do this. What we do ask is, if you are old enough to go to school (or indeed older than school age), that you don't talk through the service, that you participate in worship and provide an environment for others to do so too. 

• There are children’s groups that meet during the 9.30am service in the Old Vic (the large Victorian building in the car park at St Michael's). (If you prefer to stay in the service, please do that.) Here, children have their own Liturgy of the Word, where they hear and respond to the Bible reading. Then we all come back together as one congregation to share in the Eucharist together. 

• If your child has been admitted to communion, he or she is welcome to receive communion at both St Michael's and All Saints. Otherwise, he or she is welcome to receive a blessing. Preparation for communion sessions are run annually: please contact the vicar for more information.

• There’s a toilet at the back of St Michael's (south west of church) and at the Walker Street entrance of All Saints. There are also baby changing facilities if you need to change a nappy. 

All work with children and young people at St Michael's and All Saints is done in accordance with the Church of England’s safeguarding policies.