The large number of special events and services taking place in December means that our usual service times will not always apply. Details of our services in the Abbey for December are as follows:
*We will be offering live-streams of our Sunday services (9.30am & 3.30pm) and a number of our special services for those who wish to join us online. We make every effort to ensure that those attending are not identifiable to the cameras. A limited number of seats are available for those who wish to not be filmed - please ask a steward - otherwise you are presumed to have given your consent.
Sunday 5 December |
8am Holy Communion
*9.30am Church Family Communion 11.30am Sung Eucharist *3.30pm Choral Evensong 5.30pm Informal Evening Service |
Sunday 12 December |
8am Holy Communion
*9.30am Church Family Communion 11.30am Sung Eucharist *3.30pm Choral Evensong 5.30pm Informal Evening Service |
Sunday 19 December |
8am Holy Communion
*9.30am Church Family Communion 11.30am Sung Eucharist *4pm Family Carol Service - admission with a pre-booked Eventbrite ticket only |
Tuesday 21 December |
*7pm La Nativité - Messiaen |
Thursday 23 December |
*5pm Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
7.30pm Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols |
Government guidance for Covid-19 has changed with many restrictions easing. Before you attend a service, we ask you to please read our Covid-19 safety measures for services.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas.
Friday 24 December |
Open for visiting 10am-1pm.
4pm Carol Praise 6pm Carol Praise 11pm Midnight Communion – admission with a prebooked Eventbrite ticket only |
Saturday 25 December |
8am Holy Communion
9.30am Celebration Communion 11.30am Sung Eucharist No afternoon services. Closed for visiting |
Sunday 26 December |
8am Holy Communion
10.15am Joint Eucharist No afternoon services. Closed for visiting. |
Monday 27 December |
Abbey Closed (no services or visiting). |
Sunday 2 January |
8am Holy Communion
10.15am Joint Eucharist 6.30pm Evening Prayer with Hymns |
Music List
Music is very much at the heart of our richly varied services. The Abbey Choir (Boys or Girls and Lay-Clerks) perform music at services regularly every week and during special services. You can find out about this month's music by contacting us: office@bathabbey.org, 01225 422462.
To view the term's Music List, please click here.
Welcome for Worship
Whether you're a local, a student, or a visitor to the city, you are very welcome to worship at Bath Abbey. We have many different congregations that gather here each Sunday as well as during our services throughout the week. Other aspects of worship that we run include social action, lifelong learning and homegroups.
All our Sunday services are large enough to allow you to be anonymous if you choose. However, if you'd like to be welcomed into the Abbey's life more fully, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact us by email: office@bathabbey.org or by calling 01225 422462 and a member of clergy will be in touch with you.
Our pattern of worship will return to the following after Sunday 2 January 2022:
Holy Communion
8am Sunday
This beautiful service of Holy Communion, using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, begins at 8.00am every Sunday. This service includes a sermon, but no hymns, and lasts for approximately 45 minutes.
You are also warmly invited to join us for Holy Communion on Wednesdays at 12 noon and Saturdays at 8.30am.
Church Family Communion
9.30am Sunday - with crèche and children’s groups
The service lasts just over an hour and combines prayer and praise with glorious music from our Abbey Choir and thoughtful preaching. The atmosphere is relaxed and children are warmly welcomed. There are children's groups during term-time and a crèche is offered all year round. Everyone is invited to stay on after the service to chat over a cup of fresh coffee or tea.
Please note this service is filmed and live-streamed. We make every effort to ensure that those attending are not identifiable to the cameras. A limited number of seats are available for those who wish to not be filmed - please ask a steward - otherwise you are presumed to have given your consent.
Sung Eucharist
Sunday 11.30am
This formal service, which lasts approximately 70 minutes, combines elegant liturgy, thoughtful preaching and magnificent music.
Choral Evensong
Sunday 3.30pm
This beautiful service lasts for approximately 45 minutes and combines the memorable cadences of Thomas Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer with a distinctive repertoire of English Church music.
During term-time these services are sung by the Abbey's choirs of Girls and Men, or Boys and Men. Occasionally these services may be sung by the Bath Abbey Chamber Choir and during the holidays, by visiting choirs.
Please note this service is filmed and live-streamed. We make every effort to ensure that those attending are not identifiable to the cameras. A limited number of seats are available for those who wish to not be filmed - please ask a steward - otherwise you are presumed to have given your consent.
Informal Service
Sunday 6.30pm (times vary in December)
A short reflective service with reflections on Scripture, prayers and lighting candles supported by instrumental musicians, which lasts for approximately 30 minutes.
This informal evening service also welcomes everyone of all ages to worship and prayer, and draws on the worship style of Taize.
We are uniquely positioned, with our half a million visitors a year to the Abbey, to listen to and to celebrate stories of faith from around the world, and this is what we aim to do in this service. It is a perfect way to end the day.
Weekday Services
We offer a variety of weekday worship here at Bath Abbey and would love you to join us in person, if you can.
We invite you to start and end the day with us with Morning Prayer at 8.30am-9am and Evening Prayer at 5.30-6pm Mondays-Fridays. Alternatively, if you wish to join us by saying daily prayer at home, you can follow the service online using the Daily Prayer RSS.
We also offer Holy Communion on Wednesdays at 12 noon, as well as Choral Evensong every Thursday at 5.30pm during term time, and on some Fridays at 5.30pm and some Saturdays at 5pm.
Worship times may change so please check the What's on section on our website, or contact the Abbey Office - 01225 422462 office@bathabbey.org
Special Services
We have a number of special services planned throughout the year. For further details please see our what's on section.
