Church Life

Clergy and Lay Helpers

	Vicars	Curates	Lay Workers
1895		Rev C Blathwayte
		Rev J R Blunt
		Rev H Parker
1906-13		Rev G E Betenson
1913	St. Peter's became a separate parish
1913-18	Rev P J Richards
1918	Rev A J Meakin (died)
1919-27	Rev I Carroll
1920-23		Rev V F Honniball	Capt W J Tarry
1923		Rev G Frisby	Capt Peevor
		Rev P C Rushmer
1927-40	Rev P B Spriggs
1936		Rev A J Stevens
1939		Rev W L Warrington
1941-46	Rev E Hirst
1947-49	Rev R McPherson Heard		Sister L Branch
1950-55	Rev E T Hughes
1951-53		Rev G Calder
1953-56		Rev B Morley
1954-59			Sister J Mason
1956-58	Rev J R Aspinall
1959-64	Rev W G Muir
1960-63		Rev J G Langham
1961			Deaconess Brandon
1964-66		Rev G Jessup
1966-75	Rev G T Barber
1967-70		Rev P Williams
1973-76		Rev P J Jeffery
	Rushden became a united parish once more
1977-83		Rev J Bateman
1977-80		Rev D Walker (St. Mark's)
1979	St. Mark's closed as a Church
1983-87		Rev G Stone
1985-87			Andy Jowitt (PA)
1987-91		Rev R Pritchard
1989-			Mrs I Parry (PA)
1992-		Rev N Denham (Min)

Others linked with St. Peter's who entered full time service
Lay Readers
Mr C S Pratt	G Morris
Mr H Dickens	B Newell (CA)
Mr K Gibbard	P Hume
Mr A Knight	G Ackerley
Mrs A Barber	J Tye (NSM)
Mr R Griffiths	H Nicholson (NSM)
Mrs V Dent (T/ing)	R Adams (CA)

Choir and Organists

In many ways there has been strong continuity in the life of the church – apart from its continuing worship and witness.  A choir was formed in the early days and still exists.  Originally it consisted of men and boys and for many years was trained by Dr Greenfield and Mr W.P.Jolley, who was also organist.  Later organists included Mr Leslie George, Mr Cox and now Mrs Joan Woods, who also trains the choir, which has included girls and women for many years.  A long serving lady member at present is Mrs D Anker.  The choirs have always joined in the Deanery and Diocesan festivals and are now affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music.

In recent years a music group has been formed to help lead Family Worship.  It includes instrumentalists and singers and was originally led by Owen Smith, followed by Ted Chamberlain, Patrick Dent and now Keith Plater.

Sunday School and Youth Work

Children’s work has always been a feature of life at St. Peter’s and Sunday school still continues, though paralleled in recent years with Family Worship services.  Many people will have memories of Mr Albert Dickens and Mr Harry Dickens, his son, who were Sunday School Superintendents for many years.  Originally the older children were encouraged to join the King’s messengers and a Boys’ Club, as well as cricket, football and gym clubs, but after 1955 they were catered for by Pathfinders, who meet for a club night during the week, as well as having a class on Sundays.

Pathfinder camps and Grendon week‑ends provide happy memories for many ex‑Pathfinders and Leaders.  A Young People’s Fellowship for the 14+, and a 13–30 group have existed from time to time.  Guides (originally formed in 1922), Brownies, Rangers, Cubs and Scouts have all played a part in Church life under such notable leaders as Miss Mary Wills, Miss Olive Elliott, Mrs Joan Gibbard, Miss Margaret Shelton and Mrs Janet Moore.  Mr Bill Elliott and Mr Harry Wood, better known to generations of boys as “Skip”.  “Skip” gained the Medal of Merit for his services to Scouting.

Adult Organisations

A Mothers’ Union was formed in the early days and still continues; there have also been Women’s Fellowships and Young Wives’ Groups (or Ladies’ Groups) which still exist, and a Men’s Fellowship or Church of England Men’s Society have also existed from time to time.  These groups have undertaken maintenance tasks around the church, room and grounds.  Now ‘Mums and Tots’ has succeeded the Baby Fellowship in giving a link with young families and baptism contacts.  Home Groups also serve a purpose for mutual support and fellowship as well as for Bible study.

Missions

Over the years many home and foreign missionary societies have been supported.  In the early days the Lebombo Mission and Waifs and Strays were supported, then the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, followed by the Church Missionary Society, the South American Missionary Society and now Wycliffe Bible Translators, with Brian and Val Hodgkin (both Rushden people) as our link missionaries in Papua New Guinea.  TEAR Fund has also been supported in recent years with special gifts at Harvest Time and through Barn Dances organised by Janet Moore and Harry Curtis.  There are also some links with the Church Army.

In Rushden itself many missions have been held to reach non‑church-goers with the Gospel and to deepen the spiritual life of Christians.  These have varied from being St. Peter’s centred, as with the Prayer Book Mission of the Rev. Dick Rees and more recently that of Captain and Mrs Edmund Wilborne of the Church Army, “Good News Down the Street” or town based missions in co‑operation with other churches.  These included Ian Knox and the Billy Graham relays.  In the 1950s several coach loads went to Wembley and Haringey to join in the Billy Graham Crusades.

Finance

Over the years St. Peter’s has managed to balance its books and has also raised large amounts of money from time to time for buildings, ministry (when direct contributions to stipends were needed) and often for mission or special needs, but this has never been easy, nor has there ever been a large surplus.  From early days there have been schemes for regular giving – Free Will Offering envelopes, a Partnership scheme, now Stewardship schemes with envelopes and covenants, in addition to Gift Days and many money raising events.

Our most recent money raising has been for the major servicing of the pipe organ (after a gap of about 30 years) and the reconstruction of the Hall kitchen – essential to meet the Health and Safety Regulations.  The Hall itself has also been re‑furbished (1994) thanks to a grant from a Parish fund established when the curates’ houses were sold.

Magazine

The magazine has existed throughout the life of the church – originally under the wing of St. Mary’s (until 1914) then independent, under names varying from ‘Advance’ to ‘Review’ to ‘Between the Spires’ and now, once more in conjunction with St. Mary’s and Newton Bromswold, as ‘Grapevine’.

Special Services

Throughout the year we celebrate the Christian Festivals of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, with Harvest Festival and Mothering Sunday and the seasons of Advent and Lent.  The Toy Service in early December provides gifts for our linked inner city parish of St. Luke’s at Hackney – the last in a line of many such links.

In conclusion we at St. Peter’s today feel honoured to succeed to the work of our predecessors over the last 100 years and pray that we shall be able to continue the work for the extension of God’s Kingdom in this part of Rushden.

Early memories by members of St. Peter’s Church

I. A year in the life of St. Peter’s Church Family in the 1930s
By Mrs Freda Parker

January
Annual Pantomime produced by Mrs Levy with a cast of Sunday School pupils.  This was the only pantomime in the town at the time.  It was later taken to Higham and Irthlingborough.

Shrove Tuesday
Special Social – young men came in overalls or boiler suits and scrambled for a piece of pancake tossed by the Vicar.

Lent
No social activities or flowers in church.

Mothering Sunday
Presentation of bunches of flowers to mothers.

Palm Sunday
Blessing and distribution of Palm Crosses.

Good Friday
Sunday School met at 9.30am and had a service round the Stations of the Cross, followed by a 3 hour service (12 to 3pm) for adults.

Easter Day
Communions at 6am, 7am, 8am.  Sung Eucharist at 10.30am.  Children’s Service 2pm.  Evensong 6pm.

Rogation Sunday
A procession behind the Mission Band to the Woodland Road/Quorn Road garden fields for a service of ‘Blessing the crops’.

Ascension Day
Communion at 5am to allow the congregation to get home for breakfast before starting work at 7.30am.

Whit Sunday
Communion began at 7am, otherwise services followed the pattern of Easter Day.

Eve of St. Peter’s Day and Sunday following
Festival Evensong – Annual Flower Service – Sunday Schools processed round the parish, led by Mission Band.  The pupils carried baskets of eggs and fruit which were for those in the parish who were ill.

First Thursday in July
Sunday School Treat – all Sunday Schools assembled at Spencer Park (the ‘Rec’) behind their banners.  The streets were lined with onlookers and all the bands – Temperance, Town, Mission and Salvation Army played for the singing of “Onward Christian Soldiers”, before each group marched to its own church.  St. Peter’s had tea on the church lawn, then walked to Mr Mason’s house in Hayway for a sports evening in a field at the rear.

Festival Sunday
September – with a United Service from the platform of the ‘Dragons’ at the fair in the ‘Rec’.

Dedication Festival
Sunday nearest to October 8^th – to commemorate the dedication of the Church.

Christmas Day
Midnight Mass.  Communion 7am and 8am.  Children’s Service in morning.

***

Weekday events through the year (except during Lent).

Monday           King’s Messengers

Tuesday           Guides

Wednesday     Scouts / mid‑week Communion at 9am.

Thursday         Social Event for the whole family – arranged by Mrs Bennett, Mrs Jervis or Mrs Page, with Mrs Wright in charge of the kitchen.

Saturday          Dance in Church Room – end at 10.30pm.  Those who attended were expected to be at 8am Communion the next morning.

***

Organisations included Church of England Men’s Society led by Mr Abbott (Mrs Parker’s grandfather) and a branch of Servers’ Guild.

As Mrs Parker says – quote –
“A busy, happy Church and a very active one.”

II. From Mr Howard Sinfield

I started attending St. Peter’s 62 years ago when I met Dorothy, my wife.  There was a Social Club.  We were both Christened and Confirmed, and later married there.

I became a Server and assisted the Vicar, Rev. Percy Barwell Spriggs, a man I have respected all my life.

On September 3^rd 1939, a Sunday morning – Ray Robinson and I were on duty in Church – a knock came on the vestry door, I answered it and was told war had been declared.  I told the Vicar who informed the congregation and prayers were said by him and Father Stevens.

During the war we could not black out the Church windows so all services were held in daylight hours.

Soon after war started the Vicar, Rev. Percy Barwell Spriggs, was  taken ill and all at St. Peter’s were grieved when he died.  Mrs Barwell Spriggs wished his body to be placed at the altar steps the day before his funeral.  There was a 24 hour vigil.  George North and I watched in 2 hour watches during the night from the vestry which was blacked out.  Mrs Spriggs gave Mr North the Vicar’s watch and me his cuff‑links in memory.  I still treasure those cuff‑links.

St Peter's Church - mainpage