Our worship continues to be quite varied, and through it we have worked to deepen individual and corporate spirituality. The Eucharist was a particular focus last year, being the subject of a study evening with Bishop Ian, in June, and ‘Bringing Worship to Life, in September. In the autumn twenty adults and young people spent time exploring faith and worship, culminating in 16 of them being confirmed in December.
Each week we come together to worship God and bring to him the reality of our lives – our successes and achievements, our failures and hurts. Through this community we share the highs of new life, new and renewed relationships, and healing, and supporting one another in disappointment, bereavement, marriage breakdown and illness, to name but a few. Our Vision Statement, Growing Christians to Worship God and Serve his World reflects the essential relationship between Christian growth, worship and service.
The number of weddings at St Peter’s now varies enormously from year to year, (2006 – 26; 2007 - 9) and over 10% involve at least one partner who has been previously married, the clergy following the Church of England guidelines, in this respect. Baptism ministry remains an important element of our work and it is wonderful that a number of parishioners share in the visiting of those who are bringing children of baptism, and the subsequent service itself.
The Parish Office continues to be the administrative hub of our Church community and a key access point for the community at large. It contributes enormously to our public profile and we are very grateful to Abby and Sarah, and to all those who support them in their work.
In an area of the country in which community spirit is not as embedded as in some other places, our occasional social events help us to get to know one another better and to bind us together – our celebration with Pasta Bonga in the spring, Surrey Brass in June, and the Fish & Chip quiz night in November, were particular highlights.
The Vicar has been Rural Dean for 18 months and is working on a programme to encourage parishes to draw on one another’s strengths and insights, especially in the area of Christian Mission. He completed his B.Th. studies in April 2007 and was delighted that many parishioners attended the graduation ceremony in the cathedral in November.
Our Planned Giving programme in the autumn was a great success not least because the newly formed Stewardship Team have undertaken to maintain people’s awareness of the need for the stewardship of our financial resources on an annual basis from now on. The numbers of people in planned giving are being maintained and very slightly increased. However, we do need to start to think and pray and plan carefully with regard to the stewardship of time and energy, so that we do not over-burden those with existing commitments, yet call for a realistic contribution to the life and mission of the Church from others.
We could not finish without recognising the joy and cost of being a living community. We are delighted when people come to join us and to make their contribution, and we are saddened when others leave us. We have had to say goodbye to Joe and June Bennett, David Nash, Pat and Bryan Ellis in 2007, and as 2008 dawned Liz and Chris Outtrim moved to Hereford. Finally, we record the deaths of Chris Webb, Marjorie Simmonds, Dorothy Rice and Elsie Bidmead. Each will be missed by their family, their friends, and by St Peter’s Church Community.
PS from Nick: Having been ‘under the weather’ in the middle of last year I would like to pay particular tribute to Jonathan’s commitment to maintaining ‘business as usual’ and for co-coordinating such a successful ‘Bring Worship to Life’ weekend in September. I recognise as well how many others have willingly given time and energy to maintaining the life and witness of the church, and to supporting me personally with love, care and prayer. I hope they will recognise that my particular words to Jonathan are also representative of my feelings towards them as well, though I leave them ‘unnamed’.