The Future of St Peter's
The future of St Peter's Church is uncertain. St Peter's is a Forward in Faith church and as a majority of the congregation oppose women priests, they may leave the Church of England in 2014, when the first women bishops will be enthroned. The Bishop of Ebbsfleet has appealed to the Roman Catholic Church and he may want to move his parishes to Rome.
The PCC of St Peter's have come up with an idea to build a kitchen and toilets extension on the church, which is being discussed at the moment and seems very likely. Another building project needed is the re-roofing and revamping of the Lady Chapel, which suffers from damp.
Another issue at St Peter's is the lack of youth within the congregation. The church only has three congregants under the age of 18, and is mainly made up of people over 60. This is a problem that must be tackled if St Peter's is to survive as a church. In 2009, Fr Peter wrote in 'Church News,' the St Peter's parish newspaper, that this was the greatest problem facing St Peter's. In the September 2009 edition of Church News, Fr Peter Moss announced that the Bishop of Salisbury has renewed his licence at St Peter's for as long as he wants to stay there.
In response to the Pope's offer in October 2009 to allow Anglican parishes to convert, Fr Peter Moss told his congregants to think carefully before making any decisions. In late 2010, St Peter's joined the new Society of St Wilfred and St Hilda, with a view to remaining part of the Catholic tradition within the Anglican Church.
Read more about this topic: St Peter's Church, Devizes
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