St Peter & St Paul Over Stowey
The Parish
Hello and welcome to the parish of Over Stowey, which covers a large area of countryside almost entirely within the Quantock Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s mostly farmland, forest, woodland and heath, but there are five small hamlets in the parish with a handful of houses scattered in between. The tiny village of Over Stowey, home to the church and the village hall, is the centre of activity for the resident community.
Because of the Green Belt there has been no new development in the parish for years so property is at a premium, social housing is very limited and population growth is static. There are no shops, cafes or pubs here, but we’re only a mile or so from Nether Stowey, which has all three.
The Church
There has been a church here for nearly a thousand years, where the love of God is made known. It’s hard to be objective, but we hope we are a welcoming, open church where everyone is accepted and equally valued. We aim to be rooted in God’s Word and guided by the Holy Spirit; to uphold the nurture and discipleship of our faithful congregation and at the same time make our witness relevant to the whole community.
We try to exercise a ‘ministry of presence’, meeting people where they are and walking shoulder to shoulder with them. We have a strong connection to the countryside around us and we share the view that encounter with God often happens in and through nature.
Most of us are over 60. But the age profile of the congregation is not representative of the parish where the largest number of people are aged between 45 and 59. It would be great if we could redress this. Children come to church occasionally, on high days and holidays, most often with grandparents. Several of our congregation come from neighbouring villages.
St Peter and St Paul's church is open every day from 10am - 4pm.
The Building
Dating from the 12th century the current building is largely of Victorian renovation and extension and has many notable and historical features, but above all it offers a peaceful and prayer-soaked atmosphere often remarked upon by visitors.
We are blessed with a fine set of stained-glass windows of the late 19th/early 20th century – 6 were made by William Morris & Co, 4 of which were designed by Edward Burne-Jones, the British artist and designer; 5 by John Hardman & Co of Birmingham; and 2 by Clayton and Bell of London. We also have some fine wall memorials and floor slabs, a magnificent brass candelabrum and medieval bench ends. Information leaflets are in the church. The life of the church and community of Over Stowey at the turn of the 19th century is documented in the published diaries of The Revd. William Holland, a former incumbent. This, along with local associations with the Romantic poets, attracts quite a lot of visitors.
The tower houses 6 bells, dating back to the 15th century, which currently are only rung for special national occasions and for weddings as we are in need of a team of regular
The churchyard is a delight to see at all seasons starting in early spring with snowdrops and crocuses followed by a host of daffodils, and in the autumn cyclamen appear giving a patchwork of colour.
Worship
Historically St Peter and St Paul has a traditional evangelical churchmanship, but in recent years we have experienced a wide variety of different styles and approaches to worship. So, broad and central is probably a more accurate description. We are always open to new ideas and we rejoice to be flexible. We do like music and candles!
There is a service here every Sunday, and we use both Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship liturgies. We tend to loiter after the 9.30am services and enjoy a good natter over tea, coffee and biscuits (cake if we’re lucky!). Our most well attended service is the traditional Carols by Candlelight which attracts over 100, many of whom are not regular church goers.
Organisation and Activities
We have ordinary PCC meetings every other month attended by the Rector. We have a resident Reader whose ministry is mainly focussed within the parish. The PCC regularly supports and makes annual donations to charity or in a response to need. Each Christmas we enjoy taking carols round the parish and donations received go to a nominated charity, as does sponsorship of tower floodlighting during Advent.
We try and organise several social events each year that are enjoyed by church goers and non-church goers alike - we regard our fundraising as a vehicle for mission and outreach - but it does take its toll on our energy resources. Every month we hold a coffee morning in collaboration with the village hall committee, and our Harvest Supper is very popular, as are our Lent lunches.
A Patronal flower festival is held at the end of June each year, including cream teas, and we are always keen to welcome volunteers to help with flower arranging and church and brass cleaning.
Finances
Parish Share and clergy expenses are fully met and our financial position is reasonably stable at the moment, though with elderly congregation this may change in the next five years. Fundraising is essential to supplement planned giving. A useful contribution is made by the Parish Punt, a licensed lottery run by the PCC.
We are also grateful for the Friends of Over Stowey Church (FOSC), a registered charity, distinct from the PCC, that exists to provide a designated fabric fund.