Exploring together what a town centre church can be...
At St Laurence: Stroud Centre for Peace & the Arts, we believe that faith and community belong to everyone. You are warmly invited to come as you are, to whichever services resonate with you. There are usually refreshments and time for conversations in the church after all Sunday services.
Rooted in the Christian tradition, we offer a unique rhythm of Sunday gatherings, weekday worship, as well as hosting a range of life events - weddings, blessings, christenings and funerals. We are a member church of Stroud Parish Churches, under the Diocese of Gloucester.
We are also a member of the Inclusive Church network:
“We believe in inclusive church – a church which celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate.
We will continue to challenge the church where it continues to discriminate against people on grounds of disability, economic power, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, learning disability, mental health, neurodiversity, or sexuality.
We believe in a Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.”
Please see below for more information on services.
Sunday Services
Cowshed
1st Sunday of each month / 9.30am - 10.30am
Inclusive and contemplative worship, this service incorporates elements of a traditional communion service (including the breaking and sharing of freshly baked bread) and music from the Iona and Taizé communities. A Gospel reading is followed by 10 minutes of silence and additional readings from diverse religious traditions, both Western and Eastern.
Inspired in part by the pioneering inter-faith work of Bede Griffiths. Liturgy initially written by Eric Pyecroft in the late 1980s, for use in an unofficial chapel converted from an old stone cowshed.
Next: 6th September, 4th October, 1st November, 6th December, 3rd January
For those who would value further study, the Cowshed Study Group is held once a month on the Tuesday that falls after Cowshed service. 7-8.30pm in The Upper Room, Shambles Hall or The Vicarage. An opportunity to explore the previous Sunday’s Gospel reading with the complementary readings offered from across the wisdom tradition of faiths, literature, and poetry. Everyone is welcome. Please contact us for more information.
Celtic Morning Prayer
(Northumbria Community)
2nd Sunday of each month / 9.30am - 10.30am
A short, simple, service of prayers and music drawn mainly from the Northumbria Community: “a dispersed, worldwide, network Christian Community, committed to a new way for living”, influenced by the Celtic tradition of Christian faith that came via Ireland and Scotland (Iona) into Northern England from the 7th Century.
Next: 13th September, 11th October, 8th November, 13th December, 10th January
Taizé Prayer Service
3rd Sunday of each month / 9.30am - 10.30am
A recreation of a traditional ecumenical French-based Taizé Service, featuring music, chants, icons, scripture readings and meditative silence
Next: 16th August, 20th September (in Shambles Hall), 18th October, 15th November, 20th December.
If you would like to practise the songs that form part of the service, please come along at 8.30am.
Holy Communion
4th Sunday of each month / 9.30am - 10.30am
A service from the Church of England's Common Worship, based on the ancient pattern of the Catholic mass, with hymns and sometimes other music, and a sermon after the Gospel reading. All are welcome to receive the symbolic bread and wine that speak of being members of the Body of Christ.
Next: 23rd August, 20th September, 25th October, 22nd November, 27th December
Stroud Parish Churches Holy Communion
5th Sunday of each month when applicable
11am - 12 noon
A service for people from all the six parishes of the Stroud Team
of churches, held at a different venue each time – sometimes
combined with an activity such as a mini-pilgrimage and/or a
shared meal.
Next:
30 August - Team Communion Service at St Matthew's, Cainscross
29 November - Team Communion Service with guest speaker from Open Doors at Holy Trinity (next to Stroud hospital)
Weekday Worship
Silent Sitting
Tuesdays / 8am - 8.30am
Half an hour of shared silence in a circle, for prayer, contemplation, meditation or whatever it means for anyone of any faith or none – usually followed by a gathering in a nearby coffee shop, for those who wish to stay.
Contemplative Prayer
Saturdays / 9.30am - 10.15am
A gathering for silent prayer, readings, meditation, reflection and conversation.
Open Church
Saturdays 10.30am - 12.30pm
The church is open to all, with welcome from two trained volunteers. Some welcomers find the opportunities for conversation a particularly satisfying part of the life of St Laurence’s. New welcomers are always welcome!
Please note that occasionally for some large scale Saturday evening performances, the church may be closed on a Saturday morning for sound checks etc. Please check our socials for any closure announcements.
Gregorian Chanting
One Saturday a month / 11am - 12pm
Listen to the soothing, spiritual sounds of Gregorian, Orthodox and Medieval Christian chants by a small community choir. Join in, too, if you like!
Next: 10th Oct., 14th Nov., 5th Dec.
Holy Communion
2nd & 4th Wednesdays / 10.00am - 10:30am
A simple version of this service from Common Worship, without music. This is usually followed by a gathering for refreshments in The Well (Shambles Hall).
Amity Supper
Every 2nd Friday of the month, 18:15 for 18:30 start
Venue: Upper Room in the Shambles Hall, the Shambles, Stroud, GL5 1JL – entrance from the church grounds.
Our Amity Supper is a time to wind down at the end of the week, to share a reflective time before eating shared food together.
Based on an adapted versions of the Northumbrian Community Celtic 'Welcoming of Shabbat' we follow something of the Jewish tradition of 'Shabbat' – a weekly, Friday evening, celebration of the coming of the Sabbath (Saturday) with blessings over candles, bread and wine* and then sharing a meal. Our Christian 'Shabbat' celebration is a means of slowing down, unwinding and setting apart the Sabbath from the rest of the week.
We share our reflective time at around 6:30pm before eating together at around 6:50pm. You are welcome to join us simply to eat after the prayer, or for just the prayer.
*Gluten free and non-alcoholic options are available
Please let us know if you intend to come (we need to make sure we have the right number of plates and chairs, etc.!). If you are able it is helpful, but not essential, if you bring something to eat
Contact: Gill Chester and Sarah Podolski
email: gill.chester@stroudparishchurches.org.uk
Life Events
Weddings
We would love to host your wedding ceremony at St Laurence! The church is available most days for ceremonies, and with our town centre location, it's a great option for many reception venues in the centre of Stroud.
You either need to live within the nine parishes of Stroud Parish Churches, or have attended one of the churches for a minimum of 6 months, or have a close family connection. Before booking, you would meet with one of our ministers to discuss options.
Our prices for weddings are set annually by the Church of England. See more information about prices and legal requirements HERE
Please contact Sarah Turk on sarah.turk@stroudparishchurches for more information.
Christenings and Baptisms
As a member of Stroud Parish Churches, we can christen or baptise anyone who lives within the 9 parishes (see parish details HERE).
The person to be baptised would need to live within the parish, have attended church services for 6 months or have a qualifying family connection. For more information or to book, please contact Sarah Turk at sarah.turk@stroudparishchurches.org.uk
Funerals
Thank you for considering St Laurence for the funeral of your loved one. The deceased would need to have lived in the parish at the time of their death, died in the parish or have been a worshipping member at St Laurence for a funeral to be permitted. Where these criteria are not met the clergy/PCC can grant permission in exceptional circumstances.
The churchyard at St Laurence is closed for burials but interment of ashes are permitted.
All funerals/interments must be booked through a funeral director in the first instance.
Coming up:
Festival of Commoning
Join us in celebrating the power of commoning!
Listening Conversations
Everyone is welcome to join in this opportunity to share reflections, experiences, concerns, longings, beliefs, & practices.
80 Years in the Making – A Community Celebration!
Stroud Arts Festival 80th Celebration
Stroud Arts Anthem
Performed by the outstanding young musicians of the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra, this promises to be a memorable and inspiring occasion at the heart of the festival year.
Autumn Ceilidh with Cats Claw Band
As the nights grow colder, warm up with an evening of lively folk music and dancing at our Autumn Ceilidh!
October Playtime with The Last Baguette
Come along for a fun, relaxed participatory theatre adventure with The Last Baguette theatre company.
7 Sacred Spaces – what next?
Seven Sacred Spaces: what next? Making the Seven Sacred Spaces – a “contemporary framework for creative spiritual life and contemplative renewal within the community” – a reality.
Mozart Requiem: Stroud Refugee Aid Choir
Mozart’s Requiem and Bassoon Concerto with Mark Wilson. The Stroud Refugee Aid Choir return to perform Mozart’s Requiem with a programme including Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto (featuring Mark Wilson) and Bruckner’s Pange Lingua.
From Lament to Hope
Explore beauty and sorrow through music and story – a space for contemplation, remembrance and hope.
Stroud Book Festival | Rachel Morley | Church Crawling
The Secret Lives and Hidden Stories of England’s Churches
Stroud Book Festival | Amy Jeffs | Arthur: A New Life
We are delighted to welcome back author, illustrator and historian of stories Amy Jeffs as she mines the roots of another story we think we know: the legend of King Arthur.
The Tailor of Gloucester
This fast, funny and big-hearted adaptation of The Tailor of Gloucester, inspired by Beatrix Potter’s original, is a joyful show about courage, community and the power of doing good.