St Peter's Church, Harrogate
We are a growing worshipping community of over 500 people, including around 100 children and young people. In normal times there are 21 acts of worship each week and it is possible to get something to eat or drink before, during or after almost every one of them! There are plenty of opportunities to get stuck in as a volunteer - or just to sit quietly and allow the community to carry you, if that's what you need just now.
We believe that:
- Jesus provides a full picture of what God is like - and a living picture of the kind of people God calls us to become.
- Following Jesus happens when we allow ourselves to be led by and filled with the Holy Spirit.
- God the Father calls us into intimate relationship with him by inviting us to trust in Jesus.
Our Values
Open: accepting of people without pre-condition or judgment.
Generous: seeking to be a sign of God’s generosity in the way we treat one another, and in our efforts to bless the town and wider world.
Engaged: engaged with our local community, responding to social need, and working to support one another in the challenge of following Jesus in everyday life.
Our Vision: Feeding Hungry People
Our vision is to be a community where people's hunger for belonging, purpose and God himself are ever more truly satisfied.
Belonging: A place where every person is accepted, known and valued.
Purpose: A place where every person is encouraged to live out their unique vocation.
Worship: A place where every person is enabled to offer whole-heart and whole-life worship to God.
Children and Young People
We believe that children and young people deserve our particular care and respect. We are committed to enabling them as individuals who are accepted, known and valued, are encouraged to discern and live out their vocation, and who are enabled to participate fully in worship.
Isolation and Loneliness
We recognise isolation and loneliness as one of the greatest challenges faced by many people living in Britain today. We are committed to valuing everyone, including those who commonly find themselves excluded or ignored in other contexts.
Our building
St Peter’s Church has occupied its site in the middle of Harrogate for over 150 years. Built in the neo-Gothic, high Victorian style, it was originally established to serve the needs of the growing population and the increasing number of visitors to the town. The church’s foundation stone was laid in April 1870 and the subsequent building of the church was carried out in stages as funds became available. The new church was consecrated in October 1876, although the tower was not finished until 1926. Inside there is much to see, including: eight stone carvings of heads in the nave, representing Archbishops of York and Canterbury; a collection of beautiful painted glass windows; the oak altar rail by Robert “Mouseman” Thompson and a fine four-manual organ.