Sheepscombe Church
Sheepscombe, Stroud GL6 7RF | 01452 812128 | beaconbeneficeoffice@gmail.
St John the Apostle, Sheepscombe
The Christian family at St John’s is warm, relaxed and friendly. We are very much an inherent part of the wider community life – you will find us engaged in many aspects of our rural village activities, including our annual May Day event at the Village Hall when we all come together to have fun and to raise funds for people or situations in the wider world affected by disaster.
The church of St John the Apostle, Sheepscombe, sits at the centre of the village, on the hill overlooking Sheepscombe School, the Butcher’s Arms and the Village Hall. Our church members meet monthly for a Monday ‘Early Bird’ morning prayer – a time set aside especially to pray for the village, focusing on these three community hubs.
St John the Apostle was built in 1820 and consecrated as a Chapel of Ease to the mother church of St Mary’s at Painswick. By 1844, it had become the Parish Church of Sheepscombe, with its own priest. Over the next 50 years a tower, clock and bell were added. The bell has an unusual ringing mechanism which has interested visiting campanologists.
Sheepscombe was combined again with St Mary’s in Painswick in 1976, and is now part of the larger church family known as the Beacon Benefice. In addition to our own times of parish worship, we love welcoming other members of our wider church family here and also regularly invite partners from the charities we support to come to St John’s.
An important part of the village…
St John’s church is seen as an important part of the village, and there has always been a good response to appeals for funds to improve the building and its facilities. The church had a major refurbishment just before the Millennium when the organ was moved to create a more flexible space for services; then in 2007 toilet facilities were added, followed by a servery for hot drinks and refreshments in 2009. The clock (greatly loved by all the village, it seems!), has recently been repaired and should be reliably chiming now for several years to come. There is now an electronic locking system that enables the church to be open for all during daylight hours.
Good to know
Accessibility
-Toilet available
-Good disabled access including wheelchair ramp
-There is a hearing loop.
Opening Hours
The church is open from 9am – 5pm on a magnetic system of hold and release, according to timing.
Choirs/bell ringing
Supported charities
We are currently supporting:
Children’s Society
Save the Children
Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)
Citizens Advice, Stroud
Christian Aid
Stroud Food Bank
500K
Teens in Crisis (Talk Well)
Marah Trust
Discipleship
Being new to a community can feel daunting, but it is also an opportunity for welcome, support, and belonging. A church can provide a place of spiritual grounding, friendship, and encouragement, where newcomers are not just visitors but are embraced as family in Christ. Beyond worship, the Beacon Benefice offers a network of care—helping people connect with others, serve together, and find comfort in times of need. By opening its doors and hearts, the church helps transform a new place into a true home.
Prayer & Worship
We hold a variety of services around the Benefice at different times of day. All our welcome at these services.
If you are new to church, please feel free to come along and join us.
Church News & Events
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Safeguarding
Sometimes people don’t know who to turn to if they feel uncomfortable, worried, or unsafe, which is why we have a dedicated safeguarding team ready to listen and support you.
Giving
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Thank you.