Note: Because of Covid-19 restrictions, different arrangements may be in place for services until further notice.  Please check the latest issue of Meeting Point for details. 

The Ancient Chapelry of St. John at Aust

The Ancient Chapelry of St John’s Aust has services on the second and fourth Sundays in the month starting at 10am. The second Sunday is usually Morning Prayer and the fourth Holy Communion, but occasionally, because of major Christian festivals, they may be changed around.

All are welcome to attend our friendly services.

Pattern of Services

2nd Sunday 10am  Morning Prayer 

4th Sunday 10am  Holy Communion

St John's is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Olveston and is included in the Benefice of North Severnside, which comprises the five churches of St. Helen’s, Alveston, St. Mary the Virgin in Olveston, St. Mary de Malmesbury in Littleton, St. John’s in Elberton and St. John’s in Aust. The Rev. David Moss is our vicar for all five of these churches. St. John’s, Aust has its own district church council and its own church officers.

Contacts

Ministers

Rev. David Moss (01454 415190) Vicar of North Severnside Benefice
Trevor Cook (01454 618442) serves as Focal Minister.

Churchwardens

Jon Burnett (01454 633835)
Jenn Dickens (01454 632312)

Aust Village

Because of its location at the ‘old passage' (the ferry crossing of the River Severn at its narrowest for forty miles upstream) Aust has had a fascinating history since Roman times. Some 800 years ago, the ‘ancient chapelry' was linked to the bishops of Worcester, who had a palace at Henbury (long before there were bishops of Bristol), and a little later it was linked to the medieval priory at Westbury-on-Trym.

John Wycliffe, a pre-Reformation reformer who with his followers was the first to translate the Bible into English, drew some income from being the Prebend of Aust - ie he had a ‘stall' at Westbury Priory (though scholars now think it is unlikely he ever visited Aust).

Though a small village, seemingly truncated by the M48 motorway over the Severn Bridge, and a dual carriageway to Avonmouth, Aust is a thriving community. The old church school is now a village hall, used by local groups and available for hire.

St John's was a major venue during the 1400th anniversary of St Augustine's mission to England in 597AD, because Augustine may have met the Welsh bishops here. The church was fortunate to receive a major grant from English Heritage for its extensive repairs some ten years ago; and is currently planning to improve its basic facilities.