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Memory Worship

Memory Worship and Memory Worship at Home – worship for those with and without Dementia

What is Memory Worship and who is it for?

It is our vision in Memory Worship, that people with or without dementia can approach God, worship and praise God and feel God’s caring presence together. Worship can be a channel for recalling the past, creating feelings of comfort, familiarity and spiritual fulfilment. We all have a continuing need to worship and experience a loving encounter with God and the afternoon will take a regular pattern of welcome; singing well-known hymns, reading familiar passages of scripture and saying the Lord’s Prayer together. The formal part of the service will last 30 minutes, before leading into a craft activity and hospitality, which provide an opportunity for conversation to reinforce the theme of the service. Memory Worship is held monthly using a consistent and informed group of volunteers.

If you would like to know more about Memory Worship, a team from the Methodist Church in Britain visited one of our services and created a video that is available to view on YouTube – you can find it here. It features interviews with our minister and volunteers, with information on the structure of the service and what you can expect at Memory Worship services.

The 2024 Memory Worship programme is available here – Wesley Memory Worship Programme 2024

For more information on Dementia-friendly churches, Julie Peek, volunteer Memory Worship coordinator and former Mission Enabler for Older People within our Southend & Leigh circuit, also spoke at a webinar on this topic, which can be viewed here.

Memory Worship takes place from 2pm-4pm on the 3rd Monday of the month at Wesley.

Memory Worship also takes place from 2pm-4pm on the 1st Monday of the month at Thorpe Bay Methodist Church. A leaflet with further info is available at the link below. Their address is: The Broadway, Thorpe Bay, Essex, SS1 3HQ. Tel: 01702 589263. You can find their website by clicking here.

Memory Worship takes place from 2pm-4pm on the 1st Tuesday of the month at Rayleigh Methodist Church. Their address is: 78 Eastwood Road, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7JP. Tel: 01268 781896. You can find their website by clicking here.

Memory Worship at Home

17 online Memory Worship services, created during lockdown, are available for those who would like to facilitate and share Memory Worship at Home. You can find an archive of the videos on Julie’s YouTube Channel by clicking here.
Memory Worship in the Methodist Recorder
Julie has written an article encouraging other churches to start services for people with dementia. This was published in the Methodist Recorder and can be viewed here.