1958
June 26 1958 the Stonegrove Estate was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Later in the year a Service of Dedication took place on the site of the new church. Other churches and denominations were also vying for a church here. (A step of faith by St. Margaret’s as the money was still to be raised)
Later in the year a Service of Dedication took place on the site of the new church. Other churches and denominations were also vying for a church here. (A step of faith by St. Margaret’s as the money was still to be raised)
October 1959
During the month of October 1959 an Elizabethan chest was
placed outside St. Margaret’s Church in Edgware. This was the beginning of St.
Peter’s Church.
After much prayer and discussion it was decided to plant a mission church on the new estate being built in Stonegrove.
The Revd. J. Melville Scutt (Rector) stood by the ‘chest’ inviting passers-by to contribute towards the new church. The money was soon raised with the help of a very generous donation given by Mr William Evans the former managing director of Challen’s Pianos. (More details of this can be found on our ‘History Page’)
After much prayer and discussion it was decided to plant a mission church on the new estate being built in Stonegrove.
The Revd. J. Melville Scutt (Rector) stood by the ‘chest’ inviting passers-by to contribute towards the new church. The money was soon raised with the help of a very generous donation given by Mr William Evans the former managing director of Challen’s Pianos. (More details of this can be found on our ‘History Page’)
Early Sixties
The
building of the new church started the first ‘church hall’ was a wooden hut
which was erected a short distance from the church building.
In the mid seventies a foyer, a lounge, and kitchen was added to the end of the corridor where the toilets are, this joined the church to the ‘hut.’
In the mid seventies a foyer, a lounge, and kitchen was added to the end of the corridor where the toilets are, this joined the church to the ‘hut.’
In 1962 the Right Reverend the Bishop of Willesden
laid and cemented in the foundation stone. This stone can still be seen to the
left of the entrance Lobby.
Probably the first wedding to take place at St.Peter's took place in December 1963 between Dave & Val Lay.
1985
On the 13th. April 1985 after a Youth Club evening and everything
was closed up for the night the Hall caught fire and because of the high winds
that night the majority of our Hall burnt down destroying all of the equipment
stored inside.
The Police said the Hall had been broken into and the fire started deliberately.
Some time later a bigger prefabricated church hall was built.
1986
1986 New Church Hall built
2002 -2003
2002-2003 Described by the Leader of the Council Committee as "an insignificant little church on the corner of a run down council estate that never was considered and never would be part of the Regeneration Scheme."
December 17th. 2014
Ground blessing ceremony
What is the connection between the two pictures above?
Both pictures feature a Rector of Edgware pointing randomly in the air?
The first photo, is of our present Rector the Revd. Mike Clark with Pioneering Minister Revd. Simon Rea (St. Peter's), Team Vicar Revd. Paul Berry (St. Andrew's) and Team Curate Revd. Kostakis Christodoulou (St. Margaret's), pointing over the land where the new St. Peter's Church / Community Centre will be built.
The second photo taken in 1958 of the then Rector of Edgware the Revd. J. Melville Scutt pointing over the land where the present St. Peter's was to be built.
The photos, below, were taken on the 13th. December 2014 when a group of us from St. Peter’s, St. Margaret’s and St. Andrew;s with Ian Sessnan and Micheal Bye, who are representing us on behalf of the Diocese in the negotiations involving the building of the new Church / Community Centre, held a short service in our Church Hall before making our way to the building site for a ground blessing service.
We celebrated with communion and we sprinkled the ground with Holy water and prayed for the ground as there have been at least two tragic deaths have occurred in this area the main one being the murder of Kyan Prince, the school boy who was stabbed to death at the gates of Edgware School.
We prayed that no lasting curse would be in the left in the ground by the spilt blood. We also prayed for the future building and its ministry.
14th. March 2015
ground-breaking ceremony
A new £4.2 million joint community and church centre has been launched on Stonegrove estate, a former post war council estate, in Edgware.
After a significant period of community and stakeholder engagement – part of a £235 million regeneration project to transform Stonegrove estate into a vibrant new suburb – plans for a community centre and new church building were merged into one and work on the building has now started.
Over 70 guests attended the ground breaking ceremony, including residents, local councillors, the Mayor of Barnet Hugh Rayner and members of St Peter's Church, Edgware, which agreed to move its location in order to support the Stonegrove regeneration project.
Commenting on the event, the Archdeacon of Hampstead, the Ven Luke Miller said:
"I have nothing but praise for the work St Peter's has done in gathering together residents and stakeholders to drive this project forward. They have also made a bold decision to relocate the church building in order to support this important redevelopment and the residents of Stonegrove can now look forward to a fantastic new facility centre at the heart of their community.
"The Diocese of London has been hugely supportive of this project and has played a key role in encouraging and supporting St Peter's through a Bishop of London's Mission Fund grant and through the expert help and advice from its Property and Strategy departments."
Director of Property at the Diocese of London, Michael Bye, said:
"This project, which will see one excellent building being built rather than two lesser buildings, represents good value for money and will provide an important service to the local community. All parties involved, including St Peter's, the Stonegrove Community Trust, Family Mosaic, LB Barnet, and Barratt London all deserve a huge amount of credit."
One local resident present added:
"There is so much going on already at St Peter's Church for the community, and there will be so much more that can happen when the new centre opens – I can't wait."
Leading prayers with the multi-cultural crowd at the end of the event, the Revd Simon Rea, Pioneering Minister at St Peter's, thanked God for the ways He had blessed St Peter's often through hard times.
He also highlighted how the Church had joined with other stakeholders to bless the local people though involvement with universal youth work, provision for families through SureStart and how much they were looking forward to a future vision of 'something more' together with community.
On Saturday 14th. March 2015 we joined with the residents of the new and old estates and ministers and church members from St. Margaret’s and St. Andrew’s for a ‘Ground-breaking ceremony’ for the new Church - Community Centre.
The Ceremony started off at the Edgware Green Marketing Suite. Among the dignitaries who attended were; Matthew Offord Member of Parliament for Hendon with his wife Claire,
Andrew Dismore, London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, Barnet's Mayor Cllr. Hugh Rayner with his wife Susan, Archdeacon of Hampstead the Ven. Luke Miller, Michael Bye, Director of Property for Diocese of London, Ian Sesnan, Acting Head of Strategic Development, Chris McConnachie, (Resident Independent Advisor) at PEP, Dan Goodman Shadow Community Trust Chairman. Along with Revd. Mike Clark, (St. Margaret’s, Revd. Paul Berry, (St. Andrew’s) and our own Pioneering Minister Revd. Simon Rea.
Opening speeches were given by Shadow Trust Members Julie Okpala, Val Lay and Ingrid Beal.
This was followed by a prize giving for our young people who took part in a logo designing competition. The prizes were presented by the Mayor and Dan Goodman.
Among the winners were; Eugenia, Michael, Jamie, Alex, Courtney, Georgina, Jhanelle, Jessie, Joshua and Evie.
The entries from the competition were displayed on the hoardings leading up to the site of the Church / Community Centre.
After the presentations we moved to the building site.
After we had all assembled on the site Simon donned a hard hat and Hi-Vis vest and took up his very shiny shovel as he took part in a symbolic breaking of the ground with the Mayor Cllr. Hugh Rayner and Dan Goodman.
(Although it didn’t look like they did much digging and very little sweat was seen.)
After speeches and prayers we returned to the Marketing Suite for some much needed refreshments. A good day was had by all.
After a significant period of community and stakeholder engagement – part of a £235 million regeneration project to transform Stonegrove estate into a vibrant new suburb – plans for a community centre and new church building were merged into one and work on the building has now started.
Over 70 guests attended the ground breaking ceremony, including residents, local councillors, the Mayor of Barnet Hugh Rayner and members of St Peter's Church, Edgware, which agreed to move its location in order to support the Stonegrove regeneration project.
Commenting on the event, the Archdeacon of Hampstead, the Ven Luke Miller said:
"I have nothing but praise for the work St Peter's has done in gathering together residents and stakeholders to drive this project forward. They have also made a bold decision to relocate the church building in order to support this important redevelopment and the residents of Stonegrove can now look forward to a fantastic new facility centre at the heart of their community.
"The Diocese of London has been hugely supportive of this project and has played a key role in encouraging and supporting St Peter's through a Bishop of London's Mission Fund grant and through the expert help and advice from its Property and Strategy departments."
Director of Property at the Diocese of London, Michael Bye, said:
"This project, which will see one excellent building being built rather than two lesser buildings, represents good value for money and will provide an important service to the local community. All parties involved, including St Peter's, the Stonegrove Community Trust, Family Mosaic, LB Barnet, and Barratt London all deserve a huge amount of credit."
One local resident present added:
"There is so much going on already at St Peter's Church for the community, and there will be so much more that can happen when the new centre opens – I can't wait."
Leading prayers with the multi-cultural crowd at the end of the event, the Revd Simon Rea, Pioneering Minister at St Peter's, thanked God for the ways He had blessed St Peter's often through hard times.
He also highlighted how the Church had joined with other stakeholders to bless the local people though involvement with universal youth work, provision for families through SureStart and how much they were looking forward to a future vision of 'something more' together with community.
On Saturday 14th. March 2015 we joined with the residents of the new and old estates and ministers and church members from St. Margaret’s and St. Andrew’s for a ‘Ground-breaking ceremony’ for the new Church - Community Centre.
The Ceremony started off at the Edgware Green Marketing Suite. Among the dignitaries who attended were; Matthew Offord Member of Parliament for Hendon with his wife Claire,
Andrew Dismore, London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, Barnet's Mayor Cllr. Hugh Rayner with his wife Susan, Archdeacon of Hampstead the Ven. Luke Miller, Michael Bye, Director of Property for Diocese of London, Ian Sesnan, Acting Head of Strategic Development, Chris McConnachie, (Resident Independent Advisor) at PEP, Dan Goodman Shadow Community Trust Chairman. Along with Revd. Mike Clark, (St. Margaret’s, Revd. Paul Berry, (St. Andrew’s) and our own Pioneering Minister Revd. Simon Rea.
Opening speeches were given by Shadow Trust Members Julie Okpala, Val Lay and Ingrid Beal.
This was followed by a prize giving for our young people who took part in a logo designing competition. The prizes were presented by the Mayor and Dan Goodman.
Among the winners were; Eugenia, Michael, Jamie, Alex, Courtney, Georgina, Jhanelle, Jessie, Joshua and Evie.
The entries from the competition were displayed on the hoardings leading up to the site of the Church / Community Centre.
After the presentations we moved to the building site.
After we had all assembled on the site Simon donned a hard hat and Hi-Vis vest and took up his very shiny shovel as he took part in a symbolic breaking of the ground with the Mayor Cllr. Hugh Rayner and Dan Goodman.
(Although it didn’t look like they did much digging and very little sweat was seen.)
After speeches and prayers we returned to the Marketing Suite for some much needed refreshments. A good day was had by all.
May 1st. 2015
Planning permission given for new Church & Community Facility.
L-R Matthew Duncan Barratts,
Dan Goodman Stonegrove Community Trust, Revd. Simon Rea Pioneering Minister at St. Peter’s Community Church,
Stonegrove,
Rob Sprunt architect,
Tony Westbrook LBB Head of Regeneration
On
May 1st. 2015 Planning permission was given for the building of the
new Church / Community Facility.
The official Deed documentation for the new Church and Community Centre were signed by Archdeacon Rev.d John Hawkins, Rector Revd. Paul Berry, Pioneering Minister Rev.d Simon Rea, Church Warden and LLM Julie Okpala and Church Warden and LLM Dave Franklin.