'Christians Together' in Peasedown St John was born in 1995
In the 1960's, 70's and 80's the three Christian Churches in Peasedown, St John's Anglican Church, St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church and the Bath Road Methodist Church, had met together in united services in each other's church buildings three times a year. On St John the Baptist Sunday in June, on St Joseph's Day in March and at the Methodist Church's "Family Day" in November. This began the process of coming closer together, and friendships were formed. Towards the end of the 1980's one of the ladies from St Joseph's came across a letter from John Wesley (The founder of Methodism) to a Catholic in which he says: "Let us resolve, first, not to hurt one another, to do nothing unkind or unfriendly to each other . . . Let us resolve, secondly, God being our helper, to speak nothing harsh or unkind of each other . . . to say all the good we can, both of and to one another . . . Let us, thirdly, resolve to harbour no unkind thought, no unfriendly temper towards each other . . . Let us, fourthly, endeavour to help each other on in whatever we are agreed leads to the Kingdom. So far as we can, let us always rejoice to strengthen each other's hands in God.” She came to the then Methodist Minister in the village and said she thought that the Churches ought to work more closely together, and that is how this closer alliance of the Christians in the village began.
The group’s main aim is to promote Christianity as an accessible, relevant, caring faith to the people of the village, this is done in several ways. For 11 years a Village Carol Service, usually on the second Sunday in December, has been run. The event has been fortunate to enlist the help of the Bath Spa Band to play at this every year, whilst people sing well loved carols and are provided mince-pies and drinks at the close. A collection has always been taken for a local charity at this function. For many years also a Lent Study course during the 5 weeks of Lent, meeting at one or other of the three Churches, has been run. Then on Good Friday the three Churches have a Joint Service together followed by a Walk of Witness through the village. An annual Study Day is also organised, which in the past has been held at the Ammerdown Conference Centre. Christians together have also organised Songs of Praise events and prayer visiting to a huge number of the houses in the village. Peasedown St John Christians Together is affiliated to Churches Together in England.