Mission Action Plan 2018 to 2023
St Peter’s Eaton Square is an Anglican parish church, a few minutes walk to the north of Victoria Station. Built in 1827, it was almost destroyed by fire in 1987, then rebuilt, retaining its classical exterior. Today the light and spiritual interior is a beautiful place for worship, for concerts and for many community events. Inside the building is a large Parish Hall, meeting rooms, office spaces and accommodation, enabling the Church to host a wide range of groups and events, both commercial and charitable. St Peter’s has car parking space which is carefully managed and crypts rented to the Body Doctor and the Knightsbridge Kindergarten.
St Peter’s Eaton Square is an Anglican parish church, a few minutes walk to the north of Victoria Station. Built in 1827, it was almost destroyed by fire in 1987, then rebuilt, retaining its classical exterior. Today the light and spiritual interior is a beautiful place for worship, for concerts and for many community events. Inside the building is a large Parish Hall, meeting rooms, office spaces and accommodation, enabling the Church to host a wide range of groups and events, both commercial and charitable. St Peter’s has car parking space which is carefully managed and crypts rented to the Body Doctor and the Knightsbridge Kindergarten.
St Peter’s is an inclusive church which welcomes all, and our varied congregations reflect the vibrant parish and city we serve. At St Peter’s worship is offered to God in the catholic tradition and we seek to include people from many different backgrounds, whether young or old, at our midday Eucharist, lively Family Eucharist, Prayer Book Communion Service and beautiful Sung Eucharist each week. St Peter’s is a place where outstanding choral music is offered by our choir as part of our worship and where music of the highest standard is promoted through the Eaton Square Concerts and hosted in many other ways. Christian faith is nurtured and taught through careful preaching, study groups, pilgrim courses, quiet days and confirmation preparation.
St Peter’s Church is strongly committed to supporting the outstanding work of our parish Primary School, and through the clergy and volunteers is involved with other schools in the parish and beyond. We seek to play our part in the life of the Diocese of London by fulfilling our financial responsibilities, hosting Diocesan services, promoting vocation, supporting Diocesan initiatives and enabling both laity and clergy to contribute to the wider church in a variety of ways. The Vicar of St Peter’s works with an Assistant Priest, the Revd Julie Khovacs, and the parish has a Licensed Lay Minister, Dr Judith Richardson, and several paid staff.
The Mission Action Plan of 2012 guided the people of St Peter’s through a period of challenge. Despite changes of Vicar and Assistant Priest in that time, it renewed the vision of the church as a generous and inclusive community. In 2018, after consultation with the PCC and congregation, the new MAP builds on all that has been done well in the past and offers a roadmap for the Church’s action and priorities over the next five years.
The Mission Action Plan of 2012 guided the people of St Peter’s through a period of challenge. Despite changes of Vicar and Assistant Priest in that time, it renewed the vision of the church as a generous and inclusive community. In 2018, after consultation with the PCC and congregation, the new MAP builds on all that has been done well in the past and offers a roadmap for the Church’s action and priorities over the next five years.
Offering Worship
We want to:
Continue in the footsteps of many generations before us in offering sincere and joyful worship to God, in the catholic tradition of the Church of England.
Celebrate the love of God through fine choral music and inspiring preaching.
Provide opportunities for worship which is accessible to people of any age and many different backgrounds, though a wide range of services.
Enable all to participate in the worship we offer by reading, serving, singing, praying, administering the chalice, welcoming and offering hospitality.
Ensure that the church is a place of prayer and quiet throughout the week, and that our worship is clearly and attractively publicised.
We want to:
Continue in the footsteps of many generations before us in offering sincere and joyful worship to God, in the catholic tradition of the Church of England.
Celebrate the love of God through fine choral music and inspiring preaching.
Provide opportunities for worship which is accessible to people of any age and many different backgrounds, though a wide range of services.
Enable all to participate in the worship we offer by reading, serving, singing, praying, administering the chalice, welcoming and offering hospitality.
Ensure that the church is a place of prayer and quiet throughout the week, and that our worship is clearly and attractively publicised.
Forming Young Disciples
We want to:
Ensure that children and young people are included within our church life and that their safety is always paramount. Provide creative opportunities within the Family Eucharist to enable children and young people to grow in faith. Encourage the participation of older children (8+) in the Sung Eucharist to enable their growth in faith, spirituality and understanding.
Build on the success of St Peter’s Poppets’ two pre-school play groups per week by developing links with the church community and its worship.
Deepen our relationship with St Peter’s CE Primary School and links with Preparatory Schools in the Parish. Expand our relationships at Westminster City School and other local Secondary Schools.
Develop the Youth Group and expand its activities to support spiritual and social growth and to provide pastoral support.
Continue to build good relationships between the Church, its members and the local community, and increase our awareness of local needs. Provide a safe, pastorally sensitive environment for children and young people.
Deepen the faith and discipleship of young people through confirmation preparation.
Enable the families of newly baptised children to be included in the life of the church community, its learning and its worship.
Continue to fund a Pastoral Assistant to support these activities.
We want to:
Ensure that children and young people are included within our church life and that their safety is always paramount. Provide creative opportunities within the Family Eucharist to enable children and young people to grow in faith. Encourage the participation of older children (8+) in the Sung Eucharist to enable their growth in faith, spirituality and understanding.
Build on the success of St Peter’s Poppets’ two pre-school play groups per week by developing links with the church community and its worship.
Deepen our relationship with St Peter’s CE Primary School and links with Preparatory Schools in the Parish. Expand our relationships at Westminster City School and other local Secondary Schools.
Develop the Youth Group and expand its activities to support spiritual and social growth and to provide pastoral support.
Continue to build good relationships between the Church, its members and the local community, and increase our awareness of local needs. Provide a safe, pastorally sensitive environment for children and young people.
Deepen the faith and discipleship of young people through confirmation preparation.
Enable the families of newly baptised children to be included in the life of the church community, its learning and its worship.
Continue to fund a Pastoral Assistant to support these activities.
Forming Adult Disciples
We want to:
Use appropriate opportunities to enable people to find Christian faith, and come to baptism and confirmation. Build Christian discipleship within the community and life of the Church in accordance with the Diocese 2020 Vision Strategy, utilising the ministry of clergy, our Licensed Lay Minister and other members of the congregation.
Continue the Faith Group and Pilgrim courses and develop new opportunities for learning, Christian discipleship, and the deepening of personal faith through Bible study and pastoral support.
Increase the Sung Eucharist congregation by providing fine music, good preaching, a consistent welcome and through effective publicity.
Encourage spiritual growth through Parish retreats, quiet days, prayer and spiritual direction.
Deepen our practice of Christian stewardship of money, time and skills.
Encourage people to explore and foster the development of their own Christian vocations in work, life and varieties of Christian ministry.
We want to:
Use appropriate opportunities to enable people to find Christian faith, and come to baptism and confirmation. Build Christian discipleship within the community and life of the Church in accordance with the Diocese 2020 Vision Strategy, utilising the ministry of clergy, our Licensed Lay Minister and other members of the congregation.
Continue the Faith Group and Pilgrim courses and develop new opportunities for learning, Christian discipleship, and the deepening of personal faith through Bible study and pastoral support.
Increase the Sung Eucharist congregation by providing fine music, good preaching, a consistent welcome and through effective publicity.
Encourage spiritual growth through Parish retreats, quiet days, prayer and spiritual direction.
Deepen our practice of Christian stewardship of money, time and skills.
Encourage people to explore and foster the development of their own Christian vocations in work, life and varieties of Christian ministry.
Developing the Church Building
We want to:
Continue to maintain the building for the benefit of future generations.
Build an access ramp to the portico.
Improve the Parish Hall, Welcome Room, meeting rooms and all the Church’s facilities, including currently under-used spaces, to:
Support our outreach activities, particularly Poppets, the Youth Group and use by charity and community groups.
Provide attractive spaces for commercial hire.
Offer appropriate facilities (especially kitchens and toilets) for larger functions and concerts.
Build up the Church’s financial reserves to support our careful maintenance of the building in the coming decades.
We want to:
Continue to maintain the building for the benefit of future generations.
Build an access ramp to the portico.
Improve the Parish Hall, Welcome Room, meeting rooms and all the Church’s facilities, including currently under-used spaces, to:
Support our outreach activities, particularly Poppets, the Youth Group and use by charity and community groups.
Provide attractive spaces for commercial hire.
Offer appropriate facilities (especially kitchens and toilets) for larger functions and concerts.
Build up the Church’s financial reserves to support our careful maintenance of the building in the coming decades.
Transforming God’s World
We want to:
Be a welcoming and inclusive Church which serves our parish, our church family and all visitors.
Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Support selected charities on an annual basis, and selected charities at Christmas, where we can make a difference to their operations (local, national and international).Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Engage with our parish community, reaching out with practical care in the name of Christ, to support local workers, residents, homeless people, schools, the elderly, lonely and the vulnerable.
Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Be aware of major new developments in our parish and engage with them where it is appropriate.
Run events which combine charitable fund raising and social interaction in order to build the Church family and to bring together those who worship at different services.
Use the Church facilities to support our work with the Poppets, Welcome Boxes, and the Youth Group, and the work of our many charity partners, including the AA.
Encourage the use of the building by choirs and orchestras for rehearsal and performance, to increase the accessibility and enjoyment of live music and to develop our reputation as a church where music is valued.
We want to:
Be a welcoming and inclusive Church which serves our parish, our church family and all visitors.
Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Support selected charities on an annual basis, and selected charities at Christmas, where we can make a difference to their operations (local, national and international).Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Engage with our parish community, reaching out with practical care in the name of Christ, to support local workers, residents, homeless people, schools, the elderly, lonely and the vulnerable.
Donate at least 10% of our Church Giving to charitable outreach causes.
Be aware of major new developments in our parish and engage with them where it is appropriate.
Run events which combine charitable fund raising and social interaction in order to build the Church family and to bring together those who worship at different services.
Use the Church facilities to support our work with the Poppets, Welcome Boxes, and the Youth Group, and the work of our many charity partners, including the AA.
Encourage the use of the building by choirs and orchestras for rehearsal and performance, to increase the accessibility and enjoyment of live music and to develop our reputation as a church where music is valued.