Our Community – It is lovely to see that so many new faces have joined our Church family over the last few months. If you’ve been a regular at St Peter’s for a while and notice someone new, do go and say “Hello!”. If you are new to St Peter’s please know that you are so very welcome here and we’d love to get to know you more, so do please stay for refreshments after the service. Perhaps though, there are some members of our community that we haven’t seen for a bit. If there is someone who you usually see at Church or a community group but haven’t seen in a while, do get in touch with them, or alternatively mention it to either Rev’d Matt or Rev’d Alice.
I would like to thank everyone who so kindly donated items for our stall at the Festive Fayre. We were thrilled with the response and the amount raised towards Church funds. With that still in mind, please think about this year’s Festive Fayre as you clear away your decorations. Any which might be unwanted or surplus to requirements would be gratefully received. I can collect them if necessary and store them until the Festive Fayre in November. Many thanks. Sue Barker – 07887 361249.
Thank you to those who make it possible to run St Peter’s Toddler Group but more volunteers are desperately needed for the year ahead. If you can spare a couple of hours once or twice a month during term time and would be happy to chat to families and enjoy a cuppa, please let Laura know in the Parish Office. The sessions run from 9.30am – 11.00am on Thursday mornings in the Main Hall. Thank you.
Garden of Remembrance – Most of the items requested in my previous notice have been received. Much appreciation to all the kind people who have donated them. I now only need a wheelbarrow and loppers. Please let me know by ringing (01843) 602287 if you can spare either of these. Don Bumpstead. Thank you.
Thanet Food Link – Thank you so much for all those who give so generously to this food bank. Due to rising demand, they are desperately in need of tinned meals, pasta sauce, hot dogs (jars or tins), cereal bars. Items can be left in Church on a Sunday 9.30am – 11.00am or Wednesday morning 10.00am – 12 noon. Please would you bring donations of food into Church and not leave them in the South Porch. The baskets are in Church on the pews behind the information shelf, on the South side. This has become necessary because of recent thefts. Thank you. Sylvia Mills.
Rough Sleeping; The Homeless – Thank you for the many wonderful donations. With the colder weather having arrived, I am collecting for the rough sleepers. There is a box in the Church Porch. I will take your gifts to The Salvation Army in Ramsgate. Please donate gloves, hats and thick socks. The Salvation Army takes hot soup, food and clothing to rough sleepers and also offers breakfast in its building in Ramsgate. (If you are concerned for someone who is sleeping rough you can report the circumstances to thestreetlink.org.uk/start ). Thank you for your help. June Binfield.
St Peter’s Old Boys and Community Association – Don’t know what to do with your postage stamps? Why not bring them in to us? We are collecting for the RNIB. (These can be brought into the Parish Office or left in post box outside.) Thanks for your support. St Peter’s Old Boys.
If you are Chair of one of our Church Committees and have a meeting coming up, please remember to forward details to vicarpa@stpeterinthanet.org.uk so that the details can be included in the Pew Sheet or News Sheet.
If you would like to receive by email our weekly Pew Sheet and News Sheet with details of services and events, please register your email address with the Church (parishoffice@stpeterinthanet.org.uk). You can also check out and follow us on Facebook. Thank you.
Photographs – Please do not take photos during the service. If you want to take them after the service has finished, please ensure you only take a picture of your own child or family member. Please obtain permission from anyone else before you take their photo. Thank you.
To check your eligibility and apply for a Canterbury Cathedral Pass, see https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/visit/the-cathedral-pass/
Fundraising
The results from the recent Boot Fair will be published in the News Sheet at a later date. Thank you to all those who supported this event. Boot Fairs are also planned to take place on Saturday 10th February and Saturday 16th March. As usual the cost to hire 1 x 6ft table in the Main Hall will be £10.00.
Children’s Half Term Event – We are planning another event aimed at children and young people and this will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 13th February. Details are still to be finalised but it is likely to involve Bingo and, as it will be Shrove Tuesday, perhaps pancakes too!
Something new for this Spring – a Craft Fair! We have encountered some demand for such an event at which individuals or small clubs can sell their products and demonstrate their skills. This will take place on Saturday 4th May in the Main Hall. All craft enthusiasts will be welcome. If this event is a success, more will follow.
The next Quiz Night will take place, all being well, on the evening of Friday 31st May.
Please note that this is something of a ‘heads-up’ and that full details about the above events will be published in due course.
To Book – Tickets and bookings for all fundraising events can be purchased via the Parish Office, Hopeville Avenue between 9.30am – 12.30pm weekdays. You can also either ring to book – (01843) 866061 or email parishoffice@stpeterinthanet.org.uk Roy Brown, Fundraising Team.
Morning Prayer is held via Zoom on Monday mornings at 9.15am and in Church (in St James’s Chapel) on Wednesday mornings at 9.15am. Please enter the Church through the 1832 door. For the Zoom link, please contact Rev’d Alice at revalice@stpeterinthanet.org.uk and she will email you the link.
The Monday Home Group meets weekly at 2.30pm at 92 Dumpton Park Drive, Broadstairs, CT10 1RL, and we look forward to spending a good hour reflecting on Bible readings heard in Church the previous day; as always, we end with a cup of tea and a time of prayer. We share insights from a variety of backgrounds and Bible versions – all of which add to our wonder at the God who loves us so much. As each of our meetings is a stand-alone, please do join us, even for one session! More details (and/or if you’d like a lift) from Michael and Elspeth Cooke on (01843) 863293.
‘Hour of Prayer’ in Church on Wednesdays 11.00am – 12 Noon – A non-led opportunity to sit quietly with God, to light a candle if you would like to, and – if you feel God has said something to you which you’d like to share – to write that down for others to pray over. Come for as long or as short a time as you like, and be renewed and refreshed by God. Any questions, please contact Rev’d Alice on revalice@stpeterinthanet.org.uk and do come if you can!
The Wednesday Home Group – Our next meeting is on 7th February when we will be using the last two panels in the Big Frieze to consider Salvation and the Kingdom of God. We are a small group who meet to share Bible passages and to pray together. We meet at 21 Fig Tree Road, CT10 3AQ at 2.30pm on a Wednesday. We share a cup of tea and a chat before you go home. All are welcome. For more information or if you need a lift, please contact junebinfield@outlook.com or (01843) 861286 or 07711 072233.
Charities for 2024 – Over the last few weeks, the members of the worshipping community at St Peter’s have been suggesting charities that we might like to support during 2024. A small group was charged by the PCC to choose two (one local and one international charity) from the many suggested. I’m pleased to announce that the charities that we will be supporting this year are Pathway and Smile Train. Information can be found out about them below, and we will be sharing more details about this in the New Year. Many thanks to all who suggested so many worthy charities and causes. Rev’d Matt.