At All Saints, all the sacraments of the Universal Church are offered, as they are in most churches.

Sacraments have been defined as ‘outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.’ They are rites given by God that use the bodily physical nature of human life to convey the (non-bodily, non-physical) reality of God. Their function is to draw us towards eventual union with God. They place in sharp focus the Christian belief that all creation, all human life, is ‘sacramental’ of God, revealing through everyday physical reality the love and the call of God who transcends physical reality. His love and his call are seen supremely in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus with whom those who receive the Sacraments are united.

Conventionally the sacraments are considered to be seven in number. The main two are:

1. Baptism, which is the foundation of them all. This washing in water symbolises and achieves a new birth into the family of God, the Church.

2. The Eucharist (also called The Mass) – the Church’s solemn offering of bread and wine, symbolising and achieving the offering of ourselves in Christ who makes the perfect self-offering to God the Father. The bread and wine are then given back to us by God, transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ as our food for eternal life.

The other sacramental rites follow from these two. They are offered to those who have thus begun, and have been nourished in, the Christian life. They are:

3. Confirmation – the anointing and laying-on of hands administered by the bishop (who represents the Universal Church) to those whose Baptism was when they were too young to make a meaningful profession of faith. Those made full members of the Church by Baptism and Confirmation are then entitled to receive Holy Communion at the Eucharist.

4. Marriage – the joining of two members of the family of God into one flesh as the foundation of family life.

5. Reconciliation (also called Confession) – the liberation of an individual Church member from the burden of sin.

6. Ordination – the setting apart of a particular member of the Church for service to the Church as Deacon, Priest or Bishop, reflecting in a vivid way the image of Christ the Servant.

7. Anointing of the sick – by which the compassionate love of God in Christ who healed the sick is mediated to the believer in her or his sickness, infirmity or distress.

The Eucharist, also known as The Mass, is celebrated each Sunday at 5.30pm with a monthly celebration at 10.30am, as well as each Thursday at 12.30pm. For Saints Days, please check service times on our website. For those seeking the Sacrament of Baptism or of Reconciliation (also known as Confession), please contact Bishop Glyn Webster who is readily available by telephoning 07944 688992 or emailing priest@allsaints-northstreet.org.uk. Enquiries about the Sacrament of Marriage can also be made to Bishop Glyn Webster