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Getting hitched? 

Congratulations! A very warm welcome to you if you are thinking about being married at our church!

Weddings 800 x 400

We have created the guide below to answer the main questions you probably have about getting married in our church. We would love to make the day personal to you and get to know you to help make this day special. Please ready have a read through the information below and get in touch so we can discuss your wedding in more detail...

Wedding Guide

We will do our best to make your wedding day memorable for you, your family and your friends. This will be a very exciting time for both of you with many things to think about and plan. However, it is sensible to start with location and date so your first questions are likely to be :



Can we get married at our Church?

Our leaders have a legal responsibility to be satisfied that you can lawfully marry in the parish before any arrangements can be fixed. To make this process as quick and simple as possible, it is best to contact the Church Office. There are four questions about you as a couple that will need to be clarified:

  1. Whether you are so closely related to each other that the law does not permit you to marry. You will need to certify that this is not the case.

  2. Whether either of you is not a UK National. Special issues arise in this situation and these need to be considered before further progress can be made.

  3. Whether either of you is qualified to be married at our church. Qualification comes by virtue either of being a resident in the parish; or of being on the church electoral roll; or of having close family links with the parish.


Once these issues have been clarified we will send you a booklet with further information and ask you to arrange an appointment with the Church Operations Manager and one of the leadership team. At this meeting all the arrangements for the wedding service can be discussed and any questions that you have can be raised.



Which dates and times are available?

Around 30 weddings a year take place at our church, most of them on Saturdays in the Spring and Summer months, though they can be on any day and at any time of year. The earlier you make your arrangements, the more likely it is that a particular date will be available. It would be unwise to book the reception without first checking on availability of the church.

Please contact the Church Office for an initial idea of available dates - this can then be firmed up at your meeting.



Why get married at our Church?

Our church is a beautiful church building, set in the picturesque centre of the town, making the perfect location for a wedding. A team of dedicated leaders and administrators will help you to plan your big day.

However there are certain other important distinctions which make a church wedding different to a civil service in a registry office or other licensed venue. Here's three things which we believe about marriage which might see us take a different approach to a wedding:

  • We believe that marriage is a gift from God; a gift which celebrates joy and love, a gift which helps us care for one another - especially children, and a gift which helps to build and strengthen our communities, so we want to help you celebrate.
  • We believe that there is a certain solemnness and seriousness to marriage, the lifelong vows taken and promises made are hugely important, so we treat marriage with reverence and respect.
  • We believe that marriage works best when God is 'at the centre' - the Bible tells us that 'love comes from God', he gives us the love to be faithful and sacrificial in our marriages. To that end, we will pray for you, include a Bible reading and short talk in the service, and help you to consider God's love as you prepare for marriage.


Is there a Marriage Preparation Course?

Yes, if your wedding is taking place at our church, we want to prepare you not just for the day itself but for your marriage relationship, so attending our marriage preparation course is part of the deal. The course takes place over a Saturday in March, July and October each year. The Session is from 10.00am to 3.30pm.  A simple buffet lunch is provided.



What will it cost?

A lot less than the reception! The fee for a wedding is £650. This includes the minister, a couple's liaison and a facilities team to help make your wedding day go smoothly.

There are some optional extras should you wish

  • Organist and organ - £150
  • Church Bells and bellringers - £150
You are welcome to bring your own flowers.

If you would like to use the church hall for your reception, that is a possibility and we can discuss your requirements and work out what the cost will be.

For more general information about weddings in church, please visit the 'Your Church Wedding' website.


Contact us about your Wedding

To get the discussion about your wedding at our church going please fill in the form below and we will get back to you to arrange a suitable time to discuss your happy day further.

Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 


We're very glad you've found us! The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect if you come along for worship.
 

Our Services

 

Our services are mostly celebrations of the Eucharist (also called the 'mass' or 'holy communion'). This is the service going back to the time of Jesus when He took bread and wine at the Last Supper and told his disciples to do this to remember Him. Click here for more information about the Eucharist in the Church of England. 
 

Weekends

We meet at St Laurence's Church (details here) for our family friendly Saturday Service starting at 5.00pm (with contemporary music) and on Sundays at 9am. We also have a more traditional service on Sundays at 11am.

Weekdays

We meet a number of times through the week with the Eucharist celebrated at St Laurence's as follows:

  • Monday 6.15pm
  • Tuesdays and Fridays at 12.15pm
  • Thursday 12.15pm (1st Thursday Healing Mass 6.15pm)

We also have a service at St Peter's on Wednesdays at 10am

Although we have no parking on site there are many car parks nearby with one directly opposite the church building.

Refreshments: We serve refreshments after the 9am and 11am services on a Sunday (and on special occasions there's hot chocolate following the Saturday 5pm service). It is a great way to meet people, or simply get to know something about us. All refreshments are free.

Also during the week our Taste Cafe is open before and after the 12.15pm midweek services - why not stay after the service and have some lunch?

Getting Connected


Church Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out the 'Church Life' section of our website and see if there’s one that you would like to join.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 

Leadership 

nk pulpit   Cornelius Asghar
Fr. Neil (Rector of St. Laurence's)   Fr. Cornelius (Curate of St. Laurence's)
rector@stlaurencechorley.co.uk   cornelius@stlaurencechorley.co.uk
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home in our church.

Every blessing

Fr Neil sigature