Friends of St Peter’s
Please sign our guestbook
Leave us a message below
Download and print our brochure
You can download it here - the pdf is 650KB. You will need Adobe Reader to view it, if you don’t already have it installed. The format is two A5-sized pages side by side on one A4 sheet, so you can print it back to back, then fold it in half to form a booklet.
Read the “Friends Newsletter”
You can download our Friends Newsletter from December 2008 - it’s a pdf of size 3.8MB.
We are called to serve
St Peter’s Church has been in Braunstone since 1186, and we hope to be there for many years to come. But Braunstone is a very different place from the farming village of 800 (or even 100) years ago. Most Braunstone residents of today don’t have a lot of money, and we are called by God to serve especially those who are poor. In order to serve our community of 13,000 people and point them towards the love of Christ, we have to learn new ways of operating – and to resource these we need help, financial, expertise and energy.
Gallards Hill, in the Braunstone Estate
Old friends and new
We’ve recently met or heard from people who used to attend St Peter’s – some former choirboys and ex-Sunday School pupils. Friends of St Peter’s will not have a formal structure (unless you think it needs one) but we hope to encourage an informal network of old and new friends: people who remember the St Peter’s of old, and people who want to share in the mission of St Peter’s today.
St Peter’s Choir in open-air procession
Financial needs
Then there’s an opportunity to help St Peter’s by your financial gifts. We finished our ordinary reserves in 2006 and still failed to pay all our bills. The Diocese is being very understanding, but we really ought to be paying more of our “Parish Share” towards the cost of our clergy.
Oh yes – and there’s a bill for nearly £70,000 coming up for the roof. We’re raising money locally for this (there’s a jar for pennies in the local pub!) and we’ve applied to English Heritage for a grant. But even after the roof is finished there’s more to do, to make good the damage done by water coming through the gaps in the roof, and to upgrade our toilets and storage space for use in the 21st century.
Make your gift tax-efficient
If you live in the UK and pay income tax, you can gift-aid any donation you make. (Please download the form, print and fill it in, then send it back to us.) Many thanks for anything you can do to help us. And if you’re in the Leicester area any time, please get in touch, and we’ll show you round!
Chris Burch
Messages from our Friends
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Joy Vincent said:
Hello all at St Peter’s, it has been a while since Andrew and I have attended Sunday services. But we will never forget the beautiful service that Rev Chris Burch gave us on our special day on 23rd April 2005. We will remember you all in our prayers.
on November 16th, 2009
We always attend remembrance service and we do try to attend Christmas Mass each year,
But we wish you all health, and happiness, and a very happy 2010. -
caroline said:
hi we have admired your church many times & been to a couple of the christmas services, can you please tell me if you are having one this year & when. we live in devon but have a narrow boat & often travel your way. thanks caroline
on October 21st, 2009 -
Peter Gurney said:
Hi St Peter’s, in the 1980s I was a regular at St Peter’s, the vicar was Alan Archer at the time and the Rector was a Mr. Woods, he lived in a house on Braunstone Lane facing the pub. Happy days.
on September 17th, 2009 -
Brian Beck said:
I was choirboy and server during period from about 1943 to 1954. The Vicar was Billy Gibb for most of the time and choirmaster Ernie Withers. We had a good cricket team playing in a local league at Aylestone Rec. Sunday Services were 2x communion - 1x sung-matins and evensong at 6.30pm.
on June 26th, 2009
Does anyone remember those days? -
Bob Topley said:
I’m located in Collingwood Ontario Canada and I’ve been researching my family tree for about 4 years. I was very pleased to come across your web site as my ancestors are from Braunstone. My great great grandfather Frederick Topley married Sarah Ellis Oct. 14, 1851 in Braunstone, My great grandfather Edward Topley was born Jan. 7, 1856 in Braunstone and he later married Mary Rowlands Aug. 27, 1878 in the Church of Braunstone. Their son, my grandfather, Frederick was born at 4 West Bond St on Nov. 12, 1879. Is St. Peters Lane near your church? In the 1861 Census Frederick and Sarah’s family lived at The Old Hall Farm on the Winstanley Estate in Braunstone. In the 1871 Census Ann born 1853 and Edward born 1856 were not living at home as Edward was out apprenticing to be a blacksmith. In the 1881 Census they were still living at The Old Hall Farm. However, his wife Sarah Ann and the daughters had all died and he was living with his son Edward, daughter in law Mary Rowlands and grandson Frederick. Later on Christmas eve 1881 Edward died of tuberculosis at 22 St. Peters Lane. Does your church have any archival information dating back to that era? I look forward to your response. Thank you for your time and consideration.
on May 18th, 2009
yours truly,
Bob -
Jackie Lockwood said:
I would like to say “Thank you” to all and God (who guided me to this church after a lapse of 17yrs) for making my first visit to St. Peter’s a welcome one. I have many questions about my faith in God that need answers and I hope to find them in future visits to God’s lovely church St. Peter’s. Hugs to all, Jackie.
on April 27th, 2009 -
Lisa Bryan said:
Just a quick hello from myself and the children Daniel, Laura, Chloe, Chesney, Rachel and new addition Kerry. Hope all are well and send our love.
on April 21st, 2009 -
Marianne Jensen said:
hello - we are from Denmark. My son and his wife live in Leicester. we looking forward to come in you church on april the 11. our grandchild should be baptised that day. My son is danisch and his wife is english. how is baptising in england?
on January 21st, 2009 -
Tricia Morris said:
Dear St Peter
on March 30th, 2008
On 27th March 1948 my mum & dad married in your church and to night we will celerbrate a diamond wedding with friends and family, they had seven children who were baptised there and I myself who was married there on 3rd September 1988. Thank you Bette & Bill Morris -
Roz said:
Just wanted to congratulate the team on the website - love the photos. Keep up the good work!
on January 6th, 2008 -
Marie Welch said:
Hello all at St Peters. Merry Christmas to all. hope yr all well and ready for christmas. I love this time of year it’s so exciting. hope you enjoy it as much as i do if not more. God Bless. x x x x.
on December 5th, 2007 -
Yousef said:
Hello all ,,,
Happy to write to you.
on November 5th, 2007
Best regards.
Yousef
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