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The life of the Parish is based on its Statement of Purpose:
Buckingham Parish Church exists to: • worship God • follow God’s way • make God’s love known
The Character of the Congregation St Peter and St Paul Parish Church has a diverse congregation, reflecting the character of the town. Not only are all ages represented, but also various church traditions which mingle harmoniously to give a rich and varied character, and this is in turn reflected in the service pattern and musical direction. There is respect within the congregation for the various traditions and encouragement to all to continue to explore their faith. The church provides a welcoming, encouraging atmosphere with a tangible spirituality, in which lay participation makes a significant contribution. The congregation enjoys and supports the wide range of activities undertaken by the church.
Buildings Buckingham Parish Church occupies a prominent position near the centre of the town, the spire being a familiar landmark clearly seen when approaching Buckingham from almost any direction. The church was built on land owned by the town to a classical Georgian design and consecrated in 1781 following the collapse of the medieval church, which stood in its churchyard about 200m from the current location. The chancel and striking nave buttresses were added by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1866. The building is Grade 1 listed. The ancient churchyard around the old church is now closed. Buckingham Parish Church is a handsome, light open building with normal seating capacity of about 360 but this can be increased to 600 to accommodate special services and events. These numbers exclude performers. It is the largest church in the area and is used for Diocesan services such as Ordinations, by the local community for services like Remembrance Sunday, by the University for graduation ceremonies, by local schools for carol services and by the local Music Festival, Choral Society and others for concerts. It has also been used by the BBC for a successful ‘Songs of Praise’ recording. The building is generally in a good state of repair and is a beautiful example of the period, much admired by visitors. The building is left open during the day to provide a place of peace, solitude and prayer for the many people who come in. There is no church hall, but recently-added meeting rooms, kitchen, toilet and office have added welcome facilities for all users. The modern, 4-bedroom, Rectory is located in a small housing estate within easy walking distance of the church. It has spacious accommodation including a study/office, dining and living rooms and a good sized garden. There is also a smaller detached 3-bedroom house with garage, normal living accommodation and large study for a Curate. This house is in a small estate about 1km from the church and is held in trust for the Parish. There is an adequate ‘Curate’s Fund’ which pays for maintenance and enhancements.
Worship The worship pattern represents the character of the congregation, reflecting the many aspects of the Christian community; traditional Eucharists, informal all-age worship and alternative liturgies. There is a group of servers who assist at the main communion services. Traditional Anglican vestments are worn for the main services. The worship pattern is based on the Eucharist. The main Sunday service is at 10am. The main communion services use Common Worship, and 1662 for 8am services. The weekly evening ‘Ignite’ services at 6pm are non-liturgical. A small but experienced robed choir and various musicians, including a Junior Band, assist worship. A variety of musical instruments regularly complement the piano and organ. New English Hymnal and Mission Praise hymnbooks are used, together with more recent worship songs. The church has a CCL license to reproduce hymns and music. There are regular meetings of the leaders of the Choir and other musicians to discuss and co-ordinate church music Junior Church meets during the 10am Parish Communion, after which children rejoin their parents. The church has an open baptism policy. Parents are asked to attend an introductory session and then the Thanksgiving Service or Baptism is organised. There is a midweek 10am Communion service on Wednesdays and a Toddler Church on Wednesday afternoons at 2pm in term time. |