A very warm welcome is extended to all our regular worshippers and visitors. We hope you enjoy our beautiful church, which has been an integral part of the village of Walpole St. Peter for generations and which is steeped in history.
Please do join us for one of our regular services of worship.
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Our vision for the future is very much to take forward the work that has been done in the past. We believe that change will be accomplished through recognition and respect for the achievements and heritage of the past but placing the work and life of the church very firmly in the 21st century. The work of the church has recently been augmented by the creation of committees reporting to the parish priest and PCC. These are: Worship and Spritual, Fabric, Outreach, Social, Fundraising, Flower Festival.
Welcoming people from the local communities as new friends and congregation members and encouraging them to participate fully in the life and work of the church is our greatest priority. We see many opportunities to reach out to the local communities and in doing so encourage more people to join us in our regular worship and fellowship.
Encouraging fellowship is considered key to the success of our church and through the work of our Social and Outreach Committees a number of events, functions and get together have and are being planned and arranged.
We want to bring together more widely the local community and church. Through links with the C of E School, we want to encourage younger families into the Church by continuing to nurture, love, cherish and take relationships already developed forward and to build upon the strong links which already exist. Additionally the church building should be seen as a natural venue for School events e.g. school picnic, school leavers service, end of term services, and other uses particularly midweek.
We will work together to ensure that the Church stays open and that proper maintenance of the building continues into future generations. Currently there is a need to repair the chancel roof and an appeal is on-going. We have received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other avenues are being pursued but there is still much work to be done.
We envisage the use of the Church building for other uses, concerts and events, not only for religious services;
We wish to conserve the heritage of the Parish both in terms of the building and by recognising the achievements of the people who have made their contributions over the generations.
We believe this historical building should be a focus for the villages of the Walpole villages, regardless of whether they are churchgoers or not and that we should be encouraging people from none or other religious backgrounds into the church building.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
To maintain regular worship of God in the Liberal Anglo Catholic tradition
and to serve the community and spread the word through the teachings of our lord Jesus Christ. To listen and to be open to change. To maintain a close working relationship between our church and the C of E primary school. Through the setting up of our sub-committees, we seek to involve as many members of our congregation family in the life and work of our parish and to relieve the parish priest of many of the burdens of this work, but remain ever mindful of our need for his leadership.
OUR WORSHIP
Our worship style is traditional and Anglo Catholic. For Eucharist services the priest wears Alb and Chasuble. Our regular services are as follows:-
First Sunday of the Month Family Service 9.45am
Parish Eucharist 11.00am
Wednesday Said Eucharist 10.30am
Second Sunday of the Month Family Eucharist 11.00am
& Sunday School
Wednesday Said Eucharist 10.30am
Third Sunday of the Month Parish Eucharist 11.00am
Wednesday Said Eucharist 10.30am
Fourth Sunday of the Month Parish Eucharist 11.00am
Wednesday Said Eucharist 10.30am
Fifth Sunday of the Month Joint Eucharist 10.00am
(If appropriate) with St Mary’s
West Walton -
(alternating)
For the Sunday services the communion is celebrated at the High Altar and the Sermon is delivered from the Pulpit. Incense is used.
The general musical setting for the Eucharist service is by Merbecke and the Lord’s Prayer is said. However on alternate Sundays there is a variation on the setting for the Gloria and the Lord’s Prayer is sung.
The midweek Eucharist services are held throughout the year at 10.30am with the exception of during Lent when they are moved to 11.30am and are followed by Lent Lunches hosted by individual members of the congregation.
There are three celebrations of Evensong in the summer months taking place at Walpole St Peter’s Church, St Mary’s West Walton and at the closed but still consecrated nearby church of Walpole St Andrew.
There is a traditional Carol Service, a celebration of the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and a Eucharist Service on Christmas Day. Other special and High Day services take place as appropriate.
Baptisms are undertaken as part of the general Sunday Eucharist service and are in place of the sermon. A short homily is delivered by the priest as an alternative.
There is a reserved sacrament held in the Aumbry.