​The Festival Church

A vibrant, creative space in the heart of Stroud - welcoming and full of life - a sanctuary and spiritual home - a church full of music, art and community - a lively parish church at the centre of mission and charity - a church for everyone
in the heart of Stroud.

Welcome to the Website of
​St Laurence Parish Church, Stroud
You can find out all about our church and the journey that we are on by browsing our website pages using the navigation tabs on this page. Alternatively, you can look for specific items by using the Search facility at the top of the page. We hope you find it interesting and that you are able to visit us and play a part in our journey. We would love to welcome you in person.  

It is with profound sadness that we report the news of the death of Polly Higgins. The award winning author, barrister and international ecocide law advocate passed away on Sunday 21st April. She was diagnosed last month, at the age of 50, with an aggressive cancer and given six weeks to live.

Polly spent much of her time campaigning to make ecocide an international crime and had launched a push for businesses to be made liable for any harm they do to the environment. She presented her proposal for ecocide to be recognised as an international crime to the United Nations Law Commission, describing it as 'one simple law to protect the Earth'. She gave up her job and sold her house to finance the campaign. Polly was also author of Eradicating Ecocide and created the first non-commercial trust fund for Earth Protectors.

Polly's funeral will take place at St Laurence on
Friday 3rd May at 10.00am
The Service will be conducted by Revd Simon Howell
This will be followed by her burial in Slad, close to where she lived

Everyone is welcome at the service 
Polly requested that nobody should wear black

Everyone at St Laurence sends their deepest sympathies,
​thoughts and prayers to Polly's family and friends

​Check out our latest news and special features
as St Laurence continues to be an exciting venue for brilliant, cutting edge, world class events

​
​Stroud Sacred Music Festival
​Events throughout the year
​Stroud Sacred Music Festival 2019 will be happening on ​Friday 5th and Saturday 6th July. But there's a whole series of other amazing supporting events and activities taking place throughout the year.

CLICK HERE
​TO SEE ALL THE LATEST
STROUD SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL
​NEWS AND EVENTS

​
​Girish Patel & Friends
"The Journey of Peace 2019"
​Monday 6th May
to Saturday 3rd August
A 3-month pilgrimage around the UK's great centres of faith and spirituality, with gatherings along the way to celebrate unity in diversity, with music, food and silence.

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR
DEDICATED GUIDE TO
GIRISH PATEL & FRIENDS
​"JOURNEY OF PEACE 2019"

​
​Jazz Stroud 2019
​Saturday 25th May
We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting Jazz Stroud 2019 in May. It's sure to be spectacular! 

CLICK HERE
FOR OUR PREVIEW FEATURE ABOUT
​JAZZ STROUD 2019
​@ ST LAURENCE

​"Shift"
​Saturday 1st June 
to Friday 7th June
An exploration of movement and making art with the body, ​that transforms the way we feel and behave 

CLICK HERE
TO SEE OUR SPECIAL
​PREVIEW FEATURE

Awakening the Wild's
"DanSing Festival 2019"
​Friday 26th July to
​Sunday 28th July
​A three-day festival of awakening and reconnecting with our wild nature, through movement, voice, community and world class live music. With an exquisite line-up of musicians and facilitators from the world of conscious dance, voice and sacred/world/folk music, in what promises to be a magical weekend.

CLICK HERE TO SEE
THE FULL PROGRAMME
AND READ OUR
​SPECIAL PREVIEW FEATURE

​
Good on Paper "Hidden Notes"
Saturday 28th September
and Sunday 29th September
A brand new two-day festival event from Stroud's very own monthly arts listing magazine, Good on Paper. Featuring unique performances by modern classical composers from leading independent record labels, the event includes an international array of artists from Austria, Germany, Iceland, Poland, Ukraine, Canada, Japan, Argentina and the UK.

CLICK HERE
TO READ OUR
​SPECIAL PREVIEW FEATURE

​​Take a Virtual Tour of
​St Laurence here 
with grateful thanks to Andy Willis Photography​

​St Laurence: The Festival Church​​​​​

Good On Paper Party 2019
Saturday 5 January 2019

Stroud Wassail 2019
Saturday 12 January 2019

Stroud Film Festival 2019
Saturday 9 March - Sunday 24 March 2019

Stroud Sacred Comedy Festival 2019
Friday 15 March - Saturday 16 March 2019

​Easter Holy Week 2019
Sunday 14 April - Sunday 21 April 2019

Stroud Jazz 2019
Saturday 25 May 2019
​
Stroud Sacred Music Festival 2019
Friday 5 July - Saturday 6 July 2019

​Awakening the Wild's "DanSing Festival 2019"
Friday 26 July - Sunday 28 July 2019

​Good on Paper's "Hidden Notes"
Saturday 28 September - Sunday 29 September 2019

Stroud Community Christmas Tree Festival 2019
Sunday 1 December - Sunday 8 December 2019

Advent 2019 @ St Laurence
Sunday 1 December - Tuesday 24 December 2019

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