Service Times
- 8am Holy Communion
- 10.00am Sung Eucharist
- 6.00pm Evensong
- Plus daily services
St Peters is a church within
the Anglo-Catholic tradition
that believes in a daily
communion service
The Church is open daily
for private prayer
between 9am and 5pm
Click for service schedule
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What the intercessions mean to me (By Val Luck)
My first reaction to being asked by Fr. Peter to go on the rota for leading Intercessions was one of absolute shock. I knew he was thinking of involving the congregation in this, of course: it had been on his mind for years, and I had heard from Gerry that he’d resurrected the idea, but ME? NEVER! In fact, a few years ago we were discussing it in the Oak (where else?) and Peter, in speculating who he might ask, said “There’s you, of course”, to which I asked if he really thought that a good idea? After all, everyone at St Peter’s knows I’m rubbish at prayer, and I didn’t think we were ready for a woman in that sort of role at that time anyway.
I thought Peter had accepted that, and that, as far as I went, it had gone away, so I was taken by surprise when he rang me up and asked me to do it. I repeated the question was he sure? Then talked total gibberish at him for several minutes to give myself time to think. Well, I say think; actually, there wasn’t really any thought involved – just waiting to see what came out of my mouth. It must have been the Holy Spirit that decided and spoke for me: I know I made no conscious decision to agree, but agree I did, more, I suspect, to my surprise than Peter’s.
I’d give it a go, and see how it went. The preparation went very badly at first. After all, I really am bad at prayer. I had no idea how to start, and I really struggled, nearly having a nervous breakdown in the process, but decided to see if it felt right on the day. To my surprise, though I was very nervous, it DID feel right, I can’t explain how or why. The Holy Spirit again, I suppose. It certainly wasn’t my doing.
I still find the preparation difficult, and can only do it with my Taizé chants playing loudly behind me, the peaceful music and the prayers deadening the stress. The adrenalin still runs high when I get up to the lectern, but it still feels as if I ought to do it, so I carry on. I’m not sure that I, personally, am actually praying standing in front of you, but that doesn’t matter. It’s not about me. I do think, though, that the prayer input from me comes when I am preparing the material, so it has become important, at least for the time being, that I am involved. I’m told that my prayers matter, too, and this seems one way of getting involved in prayer. I don’t know how well I do, but, as I said, it’s not about me, and I feel it is God’s will for me to make it part of my ministry at St Peter’s. So, for the time being, since neither He nor Fr. Peter has said anything to the contrary, you’re stuck with me!
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