Vision
The ultimate desire at St Peter’s is for people to know Jesus, as their Lord, as their Saviour and as their Guide through life. If you are wondering what this means to us, and want to find out more, please have a look at our page about “Being a Christian”.
Our Vision is for St Peter’s to be a Church that is Rooted, Seeking and Reaching:
Rooted in Word and Spirit
Seeking God in Prayer and Worship
Reaching out in the Presence and Love of Jesus
‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray……’ 2 Chronicles 7:14
This is a recognition that we are constantly called to refresh our commitment to God – a call to prayer and reflect the underlying powerhouse for us to explore. But it also reflects a humility to recognise the need for reflection and, where appropriate, lamentation, confession and cleansing, coming back to the Lord, our first love.
‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ Matthew 28:19-20
Described as “Gods ‘vision’ for His Church” by one person, this is Jesus’ Great Commission that underlies all we do. It is the driving force and our obedience to it is fundamental to the growth of the Church. The question we have is “how?” … how can we describe what this looks like in the life of St Peter’s and the way we articulate it?
‘The Spirit … has anointed me to preach good news … He has sent me …’ Luke 4:14-23
Jesus had a clear sense of his work which involved “preaching”, “being sent” and “releasing.”
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.’ John 4:35
Jesus recognised the readiness and imminence of the harvest.
‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’ John 10:10
And Jesus sensed the abundance of the harvest.
The clear conclusion from these verses is that the inspiration for what we seek to be and do is in Jesus, and in Him alone. We seek to be released, to be sent out build His Kingdom, all to the glory of God. Nothing else. Full Stop.
St Peter’s has sometimes been described as being ‘Charismatic Evangelical’ but it is impossible to “box” a church into any one category. There may be elements of the Gifts (Charismatic) and we certainly aim to be reaching out and Bible Based (Evangelical) but St Peter’s is far more than that – we seek to be a place where all are welcome, all are able to play their part and all are valued. Finding a description that speaks of Biblical integrity, openness to the Spirit, sacrificial worship and outreach that bears fruit – impossible in a couple of words. This has been true in the past and can clearly be true again now and in the future. Whatever has changed over the years, there is a clear desire in the responses that now is the time for us to return to God. The verses from the end of Joshua’s life describe the decision that is explicitly bound up with the Vision:
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:14/15
If we choose God then we can expect the Holy Spirit to do immeasurably more than we can ask or think among us and through us. (Ephesians 3:20).
And for 2025 … we sense that God is calling us to “Live The Kingdom”. 2024 was a Year of Reaching Out, which saw a large number of events that are bearing fruit. Whilst we seek to continue this work, a momentum has meant our role in it is calling us to simply live the life God is calling us to, alongside this we are beginning to build relationships with in the community.