Church services

Sunday 8am Book of Common Prayer Eucharist

Our 8am service is a quiet, reflective celebration of Holy Communion using the timeless language of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Said rather than sung, and lasting around 40 minutes, it includes a short sermon and offers a peaceful and prayerful way to begin the day.

It’s especially valued by those who are familiar with the beauty and rhythm of traditional Anglican worship, as well as by those discovering it afresh. The stillness and poetry of the service offer something quietly distinctive — a rare moment of calm and clarity in the midst of noisy and demanding lives.

Held in the intimacy of the chancel, the 8am Eucharist is simply adorned, gently lit, and deeply rooted. Whether you come often or are simply curious, you are warmly welcome to join us.

Sunday 9.30am Sung Eucharist

Our 9.30am Sung Eucharist is the heart of our worshipping life at St John the Baptist. This is the service where the whole church gathers — to listen, to sing, to pray, to receive, and to be renewed together. It is the central act of our Sunday, where we are drawn into communion with one another and with the life of the Triune God, made known to us in Jesus Christ.

The service follows the Common Worship order in contemporary language, with space for silence, scripture, sermon, and sacrament. At its centre is the Eucharist — the meal Christ gave us — where, in bread and wine, we receive his presence and are made his body in the world. As we gather around the table, we are joined with the saints and angels, and with the whole Church across time and space.

Our Parish Choir leads the music, singing one of our regular settings (such as Thorne or Layton), as well as hymns, anthems, and sometimes an introit. The beauty of their offering helps lift our hearts and voices in praise. The service lasts around an hour and a quarter and includes a robed serving team, careful preparation, and joyful reverence.

Afterwards, we stay for refreshments and conversation — a vital extension of our shared worship. Whether you’re new to faith or seeking a church to call home, this service is a welcoming and rich expression of who we are. We would love to see you there.

Sunday 11.30am Family Service

Children and families are welcome at all our services, but our 11:30am Family Service is especially designed with them in mind. Held in our vibrant children’s chapel, it’s a relaxed, informal space where little ones can feel at home.

There’s no need to worry about noise or movement — children are free to play, colour, and take part as they’re able. The service includes hymns, prayers, a short talk on the Gospel reading, and simple activities to help children engage with the story.

On the second Sunday of the month, the service includes a short, accessible Eucharist, offering families a gentle introduction to Holy Communion.

We know mornings with young children can be unpredictable, so we begin when everyone’s ready, usually around 11:30, and the service lasts about half an hour. Whether you’re a regular or coming for the first time, you’ll find a warm, welcoming space to grow in faith together.

Sunday 6.30pm Evensong Service

Our Choral Evensong is a traditional, cathedral-style service held on Sunday evenings during school term time. The service is shaped by the language and rhythm of the Book of Common Prayer, creating a sense of continuity with centuries of Anglican worship. Music is central to the experience, with the church's accomplished choir and magnificent organ offering settings drawn from the rich heritage of sacred choral music. The atmosphere is prayerful and reflective, inviting worshippers to pause, listen, and be still at the end of the week. Many people value the service for its beauty, structure, and the sense of peace it brings. All are warmly welcome to attend and share in this time of worship, contemplation, and music. As Evensong is held during term time only and does not take place every Sunday, please check our "What's On"/Religious Events pages for upcoming dates and times.

Morning Prayer

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.30am (on the first Tuesday of each month at 9.15am), a small community gathers in church to say Morning Prayer. It is a quiet moment in the life of the parish: around twenty minutes of psalms, scripture, and prayer to begin the day. We draw from both Common Worship and Book of Common Prayer Matins, bringing together the richness of Anglican tradition with language that speaks today.

The service is led by different members of our team. You might find Fr. Sam, Laurie (our Leader of Worship), Averill (our Churchwarden), or others taking their turn. Each voice is slightly different, but the rhythm remains familiar and steady. You don’t need to know the words or have any experience of praying in church; simply being present is enough.

A central part of Morning Prayer is intercession. We pray for our parish community, local schools and families, and those who work and volunteer in Barnet. We also hold before God the wider Church of England, the Anglican Communion, and parts of the world facing hardship. Daily prayer keeps us attentive to the needs of others and gently shapes our hearts.

Many find that this short act of worship brings focus before the day begins, comfort in busy seasons, and a renewed sense of hope. Whether you come once, occasionally, or regularly, you are very welcome.

If you would like to know more, please contact Fr. Sam or the Parish Office through our Contacts page.

Festal Services

Our Festal Services mark some of the most significant days in the Church’s year — moments of celebration, remembrance, and deep reflection. Held at 6:30pm on major Feast Days, these services vary in form depending on the occasion, taking the shape either of a choral Eucharist or traditional Choral Evensong.

Music plays a central role, and the services are usually led by our Evensong Choir, who offer beautiful and often more complex settings, such as Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices or anthems drawn from the rich heritage of Anglican music.

We celebrate key liturgical moments including All Souls’ Day, Ascension Day, and our Patronal Festival on the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. These occasions allow us to draw together as a whole community in reverence and joy.

Following the service, everyone is warmly invited to stay for refreshments — a time to share conversation over prosecco and canapés in the spirit of the feast.

Christmas at SJB

Christmas is one of the great highlights of our year at St John the Baptist, and we welcome hundreds of people through our doors to celebrate the birth of Christ with beauty, warmth, and joy.

On Christmas Eve, we begin with our 4pm Crib Service — a lively and heartwarming service especially for families. Featuring a nativity play, traditional carols, and often accompanied by a brass band, it’s a joyful way to begin Christmas together, full of laughter, music, and wonder.

At 7.30pm, our Service of Nine Lessons and Carols offers a more reflective and musical celebration of the season. With readings, congregational carols, and exquisite choral offerings from both our Parish and Evensong Choirs, it’s a candlelit evening of rich musical and spiritual beauty.

At 11.30pm, we gather for Midnight Mass — the liturgical high point of Christmas. With a robed serving team, a choral mass setting, and the first Eucharist of Christmas, this is a service of deep mystery and rejoicing as we welcome the light of Christ into the world.

On Christmas Day at 10am, we celebrate a joyful Family Eucharist, full of carols and celebration — slightly more informal than usual, but no less meaningful.

All are welcome to join us.

Christingle

A Christingle service at St John the Baptist Church in Barnet is one of our most beloved family traditions at Christmas. Children (and grown-ups) make their own Christingle oranges – complete with sweets, of course – while learning how this bright and colourful symbol tells the story of God’s love for the whole world. We sing favourite Christmas carols, share simple prayers, and enjoy that special moment when the candles are lit and the church fills with warm, glowing light. Fr Sam often appears in a (very silly) costume! In some years, we also explore additional craft activities, helping little hands discover the joy of the Christmas message in creative ways. It’s a friendly, relaxed, and wonderfully festive service where everyone is welcome, and where families can make memories together as we celebrate the light of Christ at the heart of the season.

Holy Week and Easter at SJB

Holy Week and Easter stand at the very heart of our worshipping life at St John the Baptist. As we walk with Christ through his Passion, death and resurrection, we do so with depth, beauty, and shared commitment as a community.

We begin on Palm Sunday with our 9:30am Sung Eucharist, led by the Parish Choir. The service begins with a short procession with palms and includes a dramatic reading of the Passion Gospel.

From Monday to Wednesday, we join with our brothers and sisters from the other churches of the Chipping Barnet Team Ministry for short evening services, rotating between churches, as we reflect together on Christ’s journey to the cross.

The Holy Triduum begins on Maundy Thursday with a choral Eucharist: a sung mass setting, the washing of feet, the stripping of the altar, and a silent watch at the Garden of Repose.

On Good Friday, we gather at 10:30am at St Mary’s, Monken Hadley, followed by a walk of witness through Barnet with Churches Together for Chipping Barnet and an act of worship on the Church Green. At 2pm, we mark Christ’s final hour with the Liturgy of Good Friday, featuring veneration of the cross and poignant music from our Evensong Choir.

On Holy Saturday, we begin our Easter Vigil with the Easter fire, the Exsultet, vigil readings, and the first Eucharist of Easter, led by the Parish Choir.

Easter Day is celebrated with great joy at our usual Sunday service times — Christ is risen, and we rejoice together in new life and hope.