Volunteer
The work we do in St Peter’s depends on people volunteering their time and skills. We need your help to keep this work going! Everyone has different talents — what can you do?
Maybe you are good at running events or baking cakes? Perhaps you are a musician, a designer or a musician? Could you help with cleaning the church or repairing things?
Offering your time and skills as a gift to the church is a rewarding way of contributing to the Berkhamsted community and expressing your faith. Even if you can only help out occasionally, an extra pair of hands is always welcome.
Below are a few ideas where you could volunteer – it doesn’t cover absolutely everything we do in the parish. If you feel you have a particular talent or would like to introduce something new to St Peter’s, have a chat with one of the clergy or churchwardens, or speak to the Parish Office.
Sidesmen/women
Task: Hand out service sheets, hymn books, take collection, welcome people to church.
Time commitment: Once every 12 weeks (rota system)
Please contact the Parish Office
Reading in church
Task: Reading the lesson at Sunday service. Help particularly required for 8am service.
Time commitment: Two or three times a year (rota system)
Please contact the Parish Office
Intercessors
Task: Prepare and read prayers in church. A training session will be held later in the year.
Time: A few times a year (rota system)
Please contact the Parish Office
Chalice
Task: Offering the Chalice at Sunday morning Eucharist.
Time: Approximately one Sunday a month (rota system) from 9 – 11:45am.
Please contact the Parish Office
Sunday Morning Coffee Bar
Task: Volunteers required to join the pool of helpers to set up, serve coffee and clear up after the Eucharist (9:30am) on Sundays.
Time: Occasionally on a rota system.
Please contact the Parish Office
Bellringing
Task: Beginners or experienced ringers to ring the church bells.
Time commitment: Weekly practice on Thursdays 8-9:15pm and then expectation you will attend most morning and evening services.
Please contact the Parish Office
Choir
Task: Singing in the choir every Sunday at 9:30am (except during August) with one Choral Evensong a month at 6pm, plus other important services a year. Children from six and adults welcome.
Time: Children practice 7-8:30pm and adults 7:30 to 8:30pm on a Friday.
Please contact the Parish Office
Church Cleaning
Task: Dusting, vacuuming, tidying
Time commitment: One hour every six weeks (rota system)
Please contact the Parish Office
Flower Arrangers
Task: Create altar pedestal and other arrangements. Need to buy flowers or use from garden, clear away previous arrangements and doing your own and keeping it watered. There is a flower fund to claim back cost of flowers if required. Also additional help required at Easter, Harvest and Christmas. No previous experience required.
Time commitment: An hour approx 5 times a year (rota system) plus seasonal hours.
Please contact the Parish Office
Upkeep of PCC properties
Task: Interest and helping preserve the church buildings and churchyards. Encompassing everything from building maintenance (DIY, gardening) to archiving and landscape design. There is also a requirement for a sound/acoustics engineer and a heating/ventilating engineer as well as someone to help progress the development of Rectory Lane Cemetery as a public amenity.
Time: Building committee meets five times a year in the evening plus expectation that members will take on specific remits/practical help. Volunteers also welcome who do not sit on the committee but would be willing to help on projects from time to time.
Please contact the Parish Office
Catering Team
Task: Join a team who can offer to help at occasional church events and make a main dish, pudding or cake.
Time: Ad hoc, as required.
Please contact the Parish Office
Concerts and Events in Church
Task: Setting up for concerts, moving pews and erecting/dismantling staging.
Time: Ad hoc, as required but usually set up required early in the day for concerts and take-down is later in the evenings.
Please contact the Parish Office
Gardening
Task: Weeding and planting flowers, especially the flowerbed in front of church. Volunteers to provide own equipment.
Time: To suit individuals’ availability.
Please contact the Parish Office
Pastoral Care Team
Task: Looking for personable people who are good listeners to visit housebound or those in hospital. Also help required to give lifts to those in need to come to church or for vital appointments. Help with the recently bereaved or those struggling in the congregation.
Time commitment: Flexible to suit needs but Pastoral group meets about 10 times a year for mutual support and to exchange ideas.
Please contact the Parish Office
Your Berkhamsted Magazine
Task: People required to write articles, conduct interviews with local people and generate ideas for content. Also volunteers wanted to help promote the magazine around Berkhamsted.
Time: Contributions required on an ad hoc basis or as part of regular monthly team. One editorial evening meeting a month.
Please contact the Parish Office
Sunday School
Task 1: At least two more Leaders required for Sunday school. Leaders are required to supervise and lead the group as a whole and smaller groups by age (3-4 years and 5-8 years). Some knowledge of, and a firm belief in the Christian faith is important. Leaders need to prepare a theme and craft for each session (lots of resource material available). No training required although there are voluntary training days offered by the diocese. Leaders need to be DBS checked.
Time: Rota working on a one month on, two month off basis but covering others where necessary. It is not an every Sunday commitment. Also required to help with Nativity, Advent celebration and annual party. There is an evening meeting once a term. Session preparation requires some time input.
Task 2: Lots of helpers for Sunday school to support the Leaders and help with activities. No training required.
Time: One or two Sundays a term on a rota basis.
Please contact the Parish Office
Little Fishes Toddler Group
Task 1: Serving coffee/juice to attendees. You will work with one other person in the Court House.
Time: Fridays in term time 9:30/10 – 11:30am every three weeks (rota system)
Task 2: Helping set up Little Fishes with toys and craft
Time: Fridays in term time, 9 – 9:30 am
Task 3: Clearing away and vacuuming.
Time: Fridays in term time, 11:30am – 12noon.
Please contact the Parish Office
School Governor
Task: People required who are interested in becoming a church Foundation Governor at Thomas Coram or Victoria schools, as and when vacancies arise.
Time: Approx eight meetings a year plus additional input.
Please contact the Parish Office
Contacts
