About Us

The Church of St. John the Apostle is the Parish Church of Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire. The village lies in and along the steepsided, tree lined valley of Sheepscombe which opens out towards Painswick village in the west. The village lies between the towns of Stroud to the south, Cheltenham to the north and Gloucester to the west.

Our church is known for its a friendly and welcoming ambience and is closely involved in village life. We meet to worship God, pray, learn from the bible and encourage each other as Christians and on some weeks we share Holy Communion. Anyone is welcome whether or not you consider yourself a Christian believer. A good way in fact to explore the Christian faith is to come along on Sundays and then listen, ponder and ask questions. 

Organisationally, St. John's is part of the Beacon Benefice (https://www.beaconbenefice.org.uk) which consists of the 7 parishes around Painswick, where the benefice administration office is sited in the grounds of St Marys, Painswick ([email protected]).

There is one vicar, Rev Sarah Haslam, supported by a team of priests and readers.  

The parish belongs to the Stroud Deanery and the Diocese of Gloucester. 

A booklet about the Church, "The Church of St John the Apostle" by Elisabeth Skinner is available at 50p in the church or from David Swinson, 01452814811.

2020 was the duocentenary of St John the Apostle, the parish church of Sheepscombe.