St Peter's Church Whitstable

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2008-07-22T08:44:00.052+01:00

Baptisms and Weddings

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Baptism is an important entry point into the Christian family and represents a very important spiritual moment in the baptised child or adult's life.

We welcome all enquiries for Baptism (also known as "Christening") at St Peter's.

Before you go ahead and book a baptism you may want to explore more by clicking on this link http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/baptismconfirm/

If you want to go ahead and book a service or discuss the matter further please telephone the vicar on 01227 272308.

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There is no charge for a baptism service. If you live in the parish of Whitstable, it is fine for you or your child to be baptised (christened) here. If you live elsewhere please can you contact you local vicar first before contacting us, just to check he or she is happy that you come to us for the service. We do not expect you to bring a letter from us, this is entirely on trust.
At St Peters you do not have to be married to have your child baptised, although we are obviously keen that you do consider marriage as we believe it provides the best context in which to raise children.
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Parents and godparents should already be baptised. If you have someone in mind to be a godparent who is not baptised, or if you are a parent and are not baptised, please contact the Vicar, Rev Simon Tillotson, by emailing him at tillotsons@googlemail.com
Baptisms take place during the main Sunday morning service which start at 10.45am and finish at about 12.15pm.
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It is possible, if you are not keen on making the promises of baptism, to go for a service of thanksgiving, which is a very special service in itself. The website link above has details of this option. It is important that you contact Simon our vicar about this before you go along to the church so please email him at tillotsons@googlemail.com or telephone 01227 272308.

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WEDDINGS

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St Peter's Church is an ideal location for your wedding.

Weddings are perhaps one of the most important occasions in anybody's life, and we at St Peter’s would guarantee you the warmest welcome if you chose to have your wedding at our church.

Weddings are not booked by email or telephone but in person. Please telephone the Vicar, Fr Simon, and arrange to see him at the Vicarage. His telephone number is 01227 272308.

If you can, please bring photocopies of your passport or driving license with you as proof of identity as this is a legal requirement.

Before you decide to get married at St Peters you may want to explore this link which will provide you with plenty of details on getting married in church.

Please click on this link, but please remember to return to this webpage to read the below information!

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/weddings

As we get to know you we will share with you our Christian understanding of what the wedding ceremony means. The minister taking the service, who is likely to be either Fr Simon or Fr Chris, will also want to get to know you and help you plan your service so as to make it as special a day as we possibly can for you.

When you read the details on the website just mentioned, you will discover that at least one of you should have an address which you consider "home" in the parish of Whitstable in order to book a wedding here.

If this is not the case there are some new rules which mean that even if you do not live in the parish you may be able to marry at St Peters. Talk to Fr Simon about this.

Also, if either of you have been married before, you should contact Fr Simon as although divorcees are married at St Peter’s there are circumstances where this may not be possible, especially if the new relationship developed during the period when the previous marriage was in existence.

Although the legal cost of the ceremony is only £247 this year, this does not include the charges for the verger, organist, banns, choir, and video recording license. We will clarify these charges with you when you come and book.

With every good wish

Fr Simon Tillotson

FOOTNOTE
Here below are the questions you will be asked when booking – they will help you to understand whether you qualify for marriage at St Peters or not.

1. Would you mind confirming if either of you has been married before?

If the answer is YES and the previous partner is still alive then no booking should take place and the couple should contact Fr Simon. The booking cannot go ahead now even with a provisional date.

If the answer is NO then please go to question 2

2. Would you confirm that you live in the parish of Whitstable on a regular basis and that you are both UK nationals?

If the answer is YES then the booking can proceed. If one of the parties is not a British national then the wedding can go ahead with a provisional date but some nationalities need a special license and they must talk to Fr Simon before taking this further. This is only for certain countries.

If the answer is NO to living in Whitstable then proceed to question 3.

3. Has one of you ever lived in the parish of Whitstable for more than six months?

If the answer is YES then the booking can go ahead. The couple can use their addresses where they live now and should not use parental addresses.

If the answer is NO then please go to question 4.

4. Has one of your parents ever lived in the parish of Whitstable for more than six months during your lifetime?

If the answer is YES then the booking can go ahead. The couple can use their addresses where they live now and should not use parental addresses.

If the answer is NO then please go to question 5.

5. If questions 2, 3 and 4 do not apply to you there are still ways in which you can be married in Whitstable.
These are
a) One of you was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;
b) One of you has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;(see footnote)
c) One of your parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
d) One of your parents or grandparents were married in the parish. (All of these refer to Church of England services)

Footnote: If none of these apply the only way the couple can get married at the church is if they attend an Anglican church in Whtistable regularly for six months. Once they have done this they can come back and book the wedding. They do not need to go on the electoral roll for weddings after October 2008.

Fr Simon Tillotson July 2008

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2008-04-20T15:31:00.020+01:00

ST PETER'S QUIET GARDEN

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On Pentecost Sunday, May 11th 2008, the Rt Rev Stephen Venner, the Bishop in Canterbury, came to dedicate our renovated garden for the use of church members and the wider community. It was a very special day.

Anyone is welcome to come to our garden. It is always open.

Please do come and visit soon.

"Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6.31, NIV)

Our Quiet garden is affiliated to the world-wide Quiet Garden Movement which promotes reflection and contemplation in the context of God's love.

Much of the garden is young. We look forward to seeing it grow and develop with us and with you.

As you look at the photographs, please use any of the following to help you in your own reflections and contemplation.

"God Almighty first planted a garden: and indeed it is the purest of human pleasures" Francis Bacon

"Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe." Voltaire

"I weave a silence on to my lips
I weave a silence into my mind
I weave a silence within my heart
I close my ears to distractions
I close my eyes to attractions
I close my heart to temptations.

Calm me O Lord as you stilled the storm
Still me O Lord, keep me from harm
Let all tumult within me cease
Enfold me Lord in your peace"

From "The Edge of Glory" David Adam

"And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things...
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah!
bright wings!"
From "God's Grandeur" Gerald Manley Hopkins

Lord God Almighty, Origin of the Universe and source of all beauty. We give you thanks for the loveliness of plants, and for the gifts of joy and hope and comfort which they offer to us.

In loving your creation, help us Father, to love you better, and to give you the glory in all that you do. We make this prayer in the power of the Spirit, though Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

"May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm on your face,

And the rain fall softly on your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand."

Old Gaeilic Blessing

Please come and use our garden - it's there for YOU!

History of St Peter's

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HISTORY OF ST PETERS – THE FIRST 100 YEARS

St Peter's has an interesting history. Here it is in chronological order:

1870 ST PETER’S STARTS LIFE AS A MISSION CHURCH
At a time of growth for organised religion it was decided to start up a Mission Church in Whitstable. As a temporary measure, the Temperance Hotel and attached storehouse in Bexley Street were secured for £180. The upper room of the store was to be used for services and would hold about 200 people. The lower hall would be for a Sunday School and perhaps a Day School for up to 100 children. The main house would be the Vicarage. On Wednesday 29th June 1870, St Peter’s Day, the Mission Church was opened. Many gifts were presented to the new church by a wide range of individuals and groups from the town.

1871 MISSION SCHOOL OPENED
51 children were entered in the books on Sunday March 26th. Half this number could not read, did not know the Lords Prayer or Commandments and had never been taught the Catechism. The schools had 110 Sunday and 170 weekday scholars varying in age from three to fourteen. A night school was opened during the winter months for men and boys at a charge of 1d per evening. In 1871 Henry M.Maugham, uncle of the author W.Somerset Maugham, took over as Priest-in-Charge in the life of St Peters.

1898 SEEDS FOR A NEW CHURCH BUILDING ARE LAID
In Dec 1898, a meeting was held in the Forresters Hall (now the Whitstable Museum in the High Street) to consider what steps should be taken to provide the long needed permanent church building of St Peter. £680 was pledged meaning that land could be acquired and a church could be erected albeit constructed of corrugated iron.

1902 FOUNDATION STONE LAID FOR THE NEW CHURCH OF ST PETERS
The building of a brick Altar and Sanctuary, attached to the corrugated structure, was completed in 1902. This was commemorated by the laying of a foundation stone which was accompanied by great excitement in the town. The Right Reverend Montgomery, father of Field Marshal Montgomery of Alamein, consecrated the brick additions.

1903 BUILDING CONTINUES
Fund raising continued to permit further building this included collecting obsolete bun pennies, farthings, ship halfpennies and buying a brick at a nominal cost (usually a shilling a brick).

1904 CHANCEL, CHOIR VESTRY AND LADY CHAPEL BUILT
New brick built parts were added to the corrugated iron structure which was now used as the nave with the main door opening onto St Peter’s Road.

1910 KINGSDOWN PARK PAGEANT AND SALE OF GOODS
One of the fund raising events was a large pageant held in Kingsdown Park (a large piece of recreational land in Tankerton).

1924 WORK ON A NEW STONE NAVE STARTS
The temporary Nave structure was purchased by the 1st Whitstable Troop of Boy Scouts for £100. The structure was dismantled and erected in Acton Road.

1925 NAVE AND TRANSEPTS ARE COMPLETE
The actual building work was completed in mid 1925 costing £6716, beyond the expenditure originally contemplated, leaving an overdraft of £1700.

1930 NEW ORGAN
An organ was installed which was originally built in 1902 for The Bethlem Hospital (Once the original ‘Bedlam’ and now the Imperial War Museum in South London).

1936 PORCH COMPLETED
The porch in Sydenham Street was completed.

1937 CHURCH HOUSE ACQUIRED
Church house in Cromwell Road was purchased for the sum of £500. Work started on building the Clergy Vestry and lavatory on the site prepared 35 years previously.

1939 - 1945 FIRST WORLD WAR
In 1940 the following instructions were issued regarding Air Raids:— ‘If the ‘All Clear’ has not been sounded within 15 minutes of a service, it will not take place. If a warning is sounded when a service is in progress, all children who live within 5 minutes of the church will be sent home, unless with an adult. Adults may leave the church if they so wish. Those remaining will stay while the service proceeds. Parents who wish their child to run home while at Sunday School, must apply to the Vicar for a ‘Home Card’.’
In 1941 a land mine exploded in Victoria Street and a piece had gone through the roof of the Nave.

1946 ALTAR PANELS COMPLETED
The three spaces in the Altar are filled with painted panels reminding us of St Peter and his life.

1949 STATUE OF ST PETER
A statue of St Peter was placed in the church.

1950 TRIPTYCH ABOVE HIGH ALTER OBTAINED
The Triptych, above the High Altar was obtained from a Convent at Clewer, near Windsor for £200.

1952 NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
negotiations were under way to obtain a set of 14 Stations of the Cross. They came from Bekesbourne Church, near Canterbury, where they had been for 70 years, and were, incidentally, the first Anglican Stations of the Cross made since the Reformation. They were dedicated in 1954.

1955 ALTAR DEDICATED IN NORTH TRANSEPT
On Feb 2nd 1955, an Altar was dedicated in the North Transept which now forms a chapel.

1957 ARCHBISHOP FISHER VISITS
A congregation of 300—350 gathered for his visit.

1962 NEW BELL INSTALLED
Plans were going ahead to replace the cracked bell with a new one although it took some two years to get this into operation.

1963 STAINED GLASS IN LADY CHAPEL
Three stained glass windows were placed in the Lady Chapel, they represent a modern approach to the traditional mediaeval style.

1957 ARCHBISHOP RAMSEY VISITS
A congregation of 300—350 gathered for his visit.

1970 CENTENARY
June 1970 marked the centenary of the conception of St Peters.

Message from Father Chris Seppala

2008-02-25T18:13:00.006Z

Father Chris Seppala is the Honorary Curate at St Peter's, taking a major role in presiding and preaching at the morning services, which he does three times a month.

Father Chris adds this welcome to one already given by Father Simon:

The community of St. Peter in Whitstable extends a warm welcome to you, and invites you to join us in worship. We are an open congregation, and hope that people of all backgrounds will find it easy to be amongst us, even if you can only attend occasionally.

Our worship is English catholic, and we make good use of authorised liturgy. We aim to use all our senses in our approach to God, though some senses more than others... We also try to keep scripture, reason, and tradition in a dynamic relationship in the teaching and preaching. Those who are baptised, (but not necessarily confirmed,) and have been prepared to receive Holy Communion are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Eucharist. We also offer baptism, matrimony, private confession, and anointing to those who request it.

Our aim as a community is to help people of all ages and backgrounds to obey the Two Great Commandments of Our Lord Jesus Christ in their daily lives: love of God, and love of our neighbour. We also want to make good use of the various gifts and talents that members of our community bring to St. Peter's. (If you have a gift or talent which you would like to use in the service of God and neighbour, then please let us know.)

Fr Chris Seppala

Who's Who

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Rev Fr Chris Seppala is our Honorary Curate. Fr Chris presides at most of main morning services at 11.15am.

Rev Fr Simon Tillotson is Team Vicar for All Saints and St Peter's churches. Fr Simon takes the morning service once a month and the evening service three times a month, as well as celebrating at our Tuesday Eucharist every week at 10am.
David Wright is our Lay Reader. He preaches on average once a month.

As we update this website we will add a personal message from David and Fr Chris. Fr Simon's welcome message is already on this site.

We also hope to add photographs of church wardens and other church members in due course.

Sunday School

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SUNDAY SCHOOL takes place at St Peters Church Hall, opposite Westmeads school.

Details below:

Sunday School meets at 10am nearly every week in the year at Church House, which is opposite Westmeads School on Cromwell Road, a few minutes walk from St Peter's Church.
Enquiries are most welcome - call Peter on 770087 for more details.

Location

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St Peter's is just a few hundred yards from the High Street, Harbour Street, and the Harbour. It is situated half way down Sydenham Street, as it meets St Peter's Street.

There are seven car parks identifiable on the map above. Three of these are only about five minutes walk from the church. The railway station is about a ten minute walk from the church. Whitstable railway station connects with the Ramsgate to Chatham to London Victoria line.

Calendar for 2009

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ST PETER’S CHURCH, WHITSTABLE

PRINCIPAL FEASTS AND SOLEMNITIES IN 2009

Sundays:
Sung High Eucharist at 10.45 am;
Sung Evensong at 6.30pm (Benediction on the first Sunday) ;
The Evening service on the last Sunday will be at All Saints
(subject to revision after April).

Tuesdays
Said Eucharist at 10am;

Sunday dates in bold

JANUARY

1st The Circumcision of Christ
4th THE EPIPHANY
10th St Peter’s Christmas Party, 2.30
11th The Baptism of Christ
18th Second of Epiphany
24th Mini Market in Church House, 9.30 - noon
25th Conversion of Paul the Apostle; no 6.30 service at All Saints
30th Charles, King and Martyr, 1649

FEBRUARY

1st The Presentation of Christ; Candlemas (transferred)
6th Accession Day, 1952
8th Septuagesima; Third before Lent
15th Sexagesima; Second before Lent
22nd Quinquagesima; Next before Lent
25th ASH WEDNESDAY: Sung Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes, 8pm
27th Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm

MARCH

1st First in Lent; St David, Patron of Wales.
Bread and Cheese Lunch at Church House;
Stations of the Cross, 6.30pm
6th Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm
8th Second in Lent; Stations of the Cross, 6.30pm
13th Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm
14th Mini Market in Church House, 9.30am - noon
15th Third in Lent;
St Peter’s AGM, 4pm in Church House, followed by Compline
17th St Patrick, Patron of Ireland, c.460
20th Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm
22nd Mothering Sunday; service followed by refreshments.
No Evening Service – special event at Seasalter
25th The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary
27th Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm
29th Fifth in Lent; Passiontide begins. No evening service at All Saints,
but Evensong with Stations of the Cross at St Peter’s, 6.30pm

APRIL

3rd Compline in the Lady Chapel, 8pm

HOLY WEEK
5th Palm Sunday; Benediction, 6.30pm
9th Maundy Thursday: 8pm Sung Eucharist with the Stripping of
the Altar and Procession to the Altar of
Repose; the Watch until Midnight
10th Good Friday: The Watch 6am – noon;
12 noon The Liturgy of the Day
11th Holy Saturday and Easter Eve: 8pm Blessing of the Paschal
Candle and Renewal of Baptismal Vows
12th EASTER DAY: THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD:
SUNG EUCHARIST WITH PROCESSION;
SUNG EVENSONG at 6.30pm
13th-18th Easter Week
18th Kent Coastal Band Concert, 7.30pm
19th Low Sunday
23rd St George, Patron of England, c.304
25th St Mark the Evangelist
26th Third of Easter; Evening Service at All Saints

MAY

1st Sts Philip and James, Apostles
3rd Fourth of Easter
4th English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation
8th Julian of Norwich, c.1417
10th Fifth of Easter
14th St Matthias the Apostle
16th Mini Market in Church House, 9.30am - noon
17th Rogation Day
19th Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, 988
21st ASCENSION DAY
24th Sunday after Ascension
25th The Venerable Bede, Monk and Scholar, 735
26th Augustine, First Archbishop of Canterbury, 605
31st PENTECOST

JUNE

1st Whitsun Week begins
7th TRINITY SUNDAY
11th Barnabas the Apostle
14th First after Trinity
17th Alban, first Martyr, c.250
21st Second after Trinity
24th St John the Baptist
27th St Peter’s Open Day, 2-5pm
28th Third after Trinity
29th Sts Peter and Paul, Apostles

JULY

2nd Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
5th Fourth after Trinity
11th Mini Market in Church House, 9.30am - noon
12th Fifth after Trinity
19th Sixth after Trinity
22nd St Mary Magdalene
24th Broadstairs & St Peter’s Band Concert, 7.45pm
25th St James the Apostle
26th Seventh after Trinity

AUGUST

1st Lammas Day
2nd Eighth after Trinity
6th Transfiguration of Our Lord
7th The Name of Jesus
9th Ninth after Trinity
15th Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
16th Tenth after Trinity
23rd Eleventh after Trinity
24th St Bartholomew the Apostle
28th St Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and teacher, 430
29th The Beheading of St John the Baptist
30th Twelfth after Trinity

SEPTEMBER

3rd St Gregory the Great, 604
6th Thirteenth after Trinity
8th Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
13th Fourteenth after Trinity
14th Holy Cross
19th Autumn Mini Market in Church House, 9.30am - noon
20th Fifteenth after Trinity
21st St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
27th Sixteenth after Trinity
29th St Michael and All Angels
30th St Jerome, Translator of the Scriptures, 420

OCTOBER

4th Seventeenth after Trinity
10th Kent Coastal Band Concert, 7.30pm
11th Eighteenth after Trinity
13th Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1066
18th St Luke the Evangelist
25th Twentieth after Trinity
28th Sts Simon & Jude, Apostles

NOVEMBER

1st All Saints
2nd All Souls; Eucharist 8pm
3rd Richard Hooker, Priest, Anglican Apologist, Teacher, 1600
8th Remembrance Day
15th Second before Advent
20th Edmund, King of the East Angles, Martyr, 870
22nd CHRIST THE KING
28th Christmas Mini Market in Church House, 9.30am - noon
29th ADVENT SUNDAY
30th St Andrew the Apostle

DECEMBER

6th Second in Advent
8th The Immaculate Conception of The Blessed Virgin Mary;
Carols at the Duke of Cumberland, 7.30pm
13th Third in Advent
15th Carols at the Duke of Cumberland, 7.30pm
18th Broadstairs & St Peter’s Band Concert, 7.45pm
20th Fourth in Advent; Christingle Service, 3.30pm
21st St Thomas the Apostle
22nd Carols at the Duke of Cumberland, 7.30pm
24th Christmas Eve; Sung Eucharist 11.30pm
25th CHRISTMAS DAY
26th St Stephen, Deacon & First Martyr
27th St John, Apostle and Evangelist
28th The Holy Innocents
29th St Thomas of Canterbury, Archbishop and Martyr, 1170

Welcome

2008-02-21T14:30:00.005Z

A warm welcome to St Peter's Whitstable website!

St Peter's Chuch is situated on Sydenham Street in the quiet residential part of Whitstable next to Harbour Street, and just a few hundred yards from the harbour.
It is one of the six churches in the Whitstable team, meaning the six churches which make up the Church of England's presence in Whitstable.

I am the team vicar of both All Saints and St Peter's churches. Rev Fr Christopher Seppala is our Honorary Curate who takes many of the services at St Peter's in the morning. Please do read his introduction to the website, which will give you more insight into our church.

St Peter's is a friendly church in the anglo-catholic tradition. Our main Sung Eucharist takes place at 10.45am every Sunday, and there is also a Sunday School from 10.am at the Church House, on Cromwell Road. Evensong, Benediction, or Stations of the Cross follow at 6.30pm depending on the time of year.

In the meantime, we do hope to see you shortly!
May God bless you

Rev Fr Simon Tillotson

2008-02-21T13:54:00.000Z