Headcorn Church

St Peter and St Paul's, Headcorn

St Peter and St Paul’s, Headcorn

St Peter & St Paul, Church Walk, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9NR.
For directions, see the map at the bottom of this page.

Headcorn Parish Church has served our community for over 900 years, whether it be for regular worship, to come together to celebrate at Christmas, Easter and Harvest or those important life events such as christenings, weddings and funerals. It is also appreciated by the many villagers  and visitors who find it a peaceful place to sit and contemplate, away from the hurly-burly of modern life.

We pride ourselves in being an open and welcoming Church to all people.

For further information, please contact Rev’d Fiona Haskett Tel: 01622 891804. Email: fiona.haskett@btopenworld.com


To donate to Headcorn Church Click Here

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

“Following Christ Together”

Our aims as a church are:

To grow together as the family of God by helping, supporting and enabling each other within the power of his love.
To deepen, through the Holy Spirit, our commitment as disciples of Christ.
To share, through word and deed, our faith with others in the community and beyond, as a witness to the living presence of Christ in the world today.

STYLE OF WORSHIP

We enjoy a mixture of formal and informal services, ranging from traditional, choir lead services of Holy Communion through to joyous all age services to celebrate special occasions such as Mothering Sunday, Harvest and Christingle where we make use of our newly installed projector and screen. We also have an annual pet service and regular healing services as well as “Songs of Praise”.

YOUTH/CHILDRENS’ MINISTRY GROUPS

‘Messy Sunday’ for children up to 11 years, meets on the third Sunday of each month at 9.45am and joins the main morning service during Holy Communion. The children are also encouraged to join in and help lead our first Sunday of the month “Come & Worship” service.

‘Sunbeams’  – our group for pre-school children and parents – meets every Friday, at 10am in the Village Hall.

“Messy Church” takes place on a Saturday afternoon about five times a year.

Our “School’s out” activities, include “Messy Science”, “Messy Lego” and family films in church – with free popcorn and soft drinks.

FELLOWSHIP.

The PCC meets in the Parish Rooms on alternate months.

There are house groups during Lent each year, and a bible study group throughout the year.

FRIENDS & FUNDRAISING GROUP

Meet throughout the year in order to organise various fellowship, fundraising and outreach activities. These include summer Sunday afternoon cream teas (with open tower), the annual “reverends revenge” quiz night, Christmas Tree Festival, Flower Festivals, concerts, meals and exhibitions

FABRIC AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
This groups assists and supports the vicar and churchwardens by overseeing the regular inspections, checks and maintenance of the church building. They also carry out minor repairs and oversee other major work related to church and churchyard

CHURCHYARD GROUP

Four teams of volunteers maintain the churchyard on a rota basis between April and November. Cutting the grass, strimming around the graves, pruning a cutting back overgrown shrubs and saplings. We are very grateful for all their efforts to keep the churchyard looking well cared for as we are not in a position to pay for professional contractors to do the work.

Please contact the vicar or Duncan Payne if you would like to be involved.

FRIENDS OF HEADCORN CHURCH

We are very much aware of the fact that, although a number of people do not share our faith in God, they still appreciate having the church building as an important landmark in our community and are keen to help ensure that it remains in good order. As a result, all money raised, or donated to the Friends, is kept in a separate bank account which can only be used for the upkeep or improvements to the fabric of the building. Recently they have paid for repairs to the mowers used to cut the grass, the installation of a new boiler and have pledged £10,000 towards major restoration work that will soon take place to one of our stained glass windows. They also made a sizeable contribution towards the projector & screen.

We are very grateful to all those who support the Friends through their fundraising activities and the regular 100 club. Please contact the vicar if you would like to be involved or know more.

LINKS WITH SCHOOLS

Regular contact is maintained with the village primary school, and a good relationship exists. They hold regular services in the church and the vicar often visits the school to take assemby. There are no secondary schools in the parish.

OTHER CHURCH ACTIVITIES

The Church has an active bellringing band, whose practice night is Thursday.

We have a robed choir who lead the singing at most of our traditional services, practice is on Friday evenings. An enhanced choir also sings at our special Easter, All Souls & Christmas services.

The Headcorn Parish Magazine, produced and published by Headcorn Parish Church, acts as a strong link with the community, with regard to both content and distribution.

OTHER ORGANISATIONS AND CHURCHES

We enjoy a good and co-operative relationship with the other three churches in Headcorn, Roman Catholic, Baptist and Methodist. Churches Together in Headcorn meets regularly to arrange shared worship and events.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR CHURCH

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HISTORY

Click here for a guide – you can view or download.

The Parish Church is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, and the present building dates back to the 11th century. The nave of this church was probably on the site of the present chancel, whose north and east walls date from that period. A south aisle, in the area of the present Lady Chapel, was added in the 12th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, a new nave was constructed, and the present south aisle was added in the early 15th century. Later in the same century, the tower and south porch were built. The nave roof is an exceptionally fine example with deep mouldings and massive rafters.

In addition to the Lady Chapel, there is a small chapel at the west end of the south aisle, dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Externally the church is approached through a lychgate, built to commemorate the year 2000, and donated by the people of Headcorn. The avenue of trees along the path were planted for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

DIRECTIONS


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HEADCORN VILLAGE

Headcorn is lucky enough to have its own Archive Centre at the Village Hall, where a wealth of local history information is stored.

If you have a local history or family history enquiry relating to Headcorn, please contact them, giving as much detail as you can about the person, family or place you are investigating.


WEALD DEANERYwww.deaneryintheweald.org.uk

CANTERBURY DIOCESEwww.canterburydiocese.org