East Sutton Church

St Peter and St Paul's - East Sutton

St Peter and St Paul’s – East Sutton

St Peter & St Paul, East Sutton Road, East Sutton, Kent ME17 3DE.

The Parish is in the far North East of the Deanery bordering on the parishes of the North Downs Deanery to the North, Sutton Valence to the West and Headcorn to the South.

For more precise diretcions, please see the map at the bottom of this page.

For security reasons, the church building, sadly, has to be kept locked when not in use. The church is open to the public on the first Saturday in each month in  Summer.

STYLE OF WORSHIP

Our worship is mainly centred on 8am and 6pm services from the Book of Common Prayer. However we have recently introduced a new family orientated service at 11.30 on the third Sunday of the month during which we have celebrated such things as Fathers Day and had a Pet Service. These services are followed by refreshments.

OTHER CHURCH ACTIVITIES

There is a combined team of bell ringers who ring at both St. Michael’s, Chart Sutton and our church.  They ring at St. Peter and St. Paul on the first Thursday in each month and for Evensong services, and at weddings and funerals.  There is a ladies choir which assembles for 3 to 4 services a year and, if asked, at weddings and funerals.  In common with many other churches, we lack the benefit of a regular organist but we have the benefit of excellent organists if and when they are available to play at Evensong services.  To assist in maintaining the churchyard, a working party (sometimes 20 strong) assembles on one evening each Summer.  there is an established and well-organised flower rota system.

FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES

Our church is conspicuously successful in its fundraising activities; raising some 20% or more of its annual income from these means.  These (with the 2009 profits from these activities) include a coffee morning (£300), the Summer Party (£1830), the sponsored bike ride (£380 for the church), a barn dance (£260 for the church) and the Christmas Fayre (£750) and others.  The success of these events is due very largely to the hard work and dedication of parishioners who man stalls and organise the events.

PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY

The Parish is in the far North East of the Deanery bordering on the parishes of the North Downs Deanery to the North, Sutton Valence to the West and Headcorn to the South.  Although there are a few parishioners who work elsewhere, the employment of most parishioners is related to businesses within the parish, in particular agriculture.  It is the smallest parish in the Weald deanery – the population numbering no more than 250-260.

Notwithstanding the small population, the church provides a focus for village life.  The current electoral roll is 20 and, ignoring festival and special services, attendance at our services averages between 10-15.

To donate to East Sutton Church Click Here

PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR CHURCH

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OTHER LINKS

The Parish has within its boundaries H.M. Prison, East Sutton Park.  This houses up to 100 women who are, by and large, nearing the end of their custodial sentences.  It is generally thought to be a well run prison which fits well into the community.  The Park, as it called, provides a venue (and much assistance on the day) for both the Coffee Morning and the Summer Party.  In return, the Church provides a place of worship for many of the prisoners and the Park’s own Carol Service in December.

The church is open to the public on the first Saturday in each month in  Summer.

HISTORY

There was almost certainly a wooden church on the site of the present building in Saxon times.  The original stone church was probably built by about 1150.  after several modifications and expansions (including the addition of the chancel and two small chapels) it assumed its present outward form with the completion of the tower and the South porch in about 1450.

DIRECTIONS


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WEALD DEANERYwww.deaneryintheweald.org.uk

CANTERBURY DIOCESEwww.canterburydiocese.org