A group of local churches in the Midsomer Norton and Radstock area will gather to celebrate and reflect on the achievements of the past year at a series of annual meetings.

St John’s Church in Peasedown St John and St Julian’s Church in Wellow will take a break from their regular Sunday schedule to look back at some of the highlights of the past 12 months.

The Revd Matthew Street, who leads both Anglican parishes, expressed that there is much to be thankful for. He said: “Members of all our churches take God’s call to make a difference in the community very seriously. This past year, all of our churches have seen many positive developments that we are excited to celebrate.”

“These include the continued development of our community outreach work; meeting over 200 local children at either one of our holiday clubs, Bubble Church or a school assembly; and being able to give over £9,000 away to good causes.”

The St J’s Group has published a detailed report covering their activities and achievements over the past year. This report is available to the public and can be accessed online through their official website at www.stjsgroup.church.

The meetings will also include the appointment of new members to join the Parochial Church Councils, which are groups of individuals who work alongside Revd Matthew Street in each parish. These councils play a key role in overseeing the spiritual and practical work of the churches, helping to guide and support the ongoing mission and activities in the local community.

Matthew added: “Our annual parochial church meetings do have a serious element of elections, annual reports and seeking God’s guidance for the year head. But they also do have a much lighter, celebratory side where we look back at our success stories in the areas in which we serve.”

Other achievements include working with The Learning Tree Day Nursery to open a new pre-school in Peasedown St John, celebrating 10 years of the monthly women’s coffee morning, and the appointment of a new Associate Priest.

The churches have also supported community projects like Peasedown’s Party in the Park festival, with members of St John’s Church playing a key role in the management of The Hive Community Centre and the development of youth work at the centre.

Additionally, the church has played a significant part in the ongoing management and delivery of the Somer Valley Foodbank, which fed nearly 2,000 people in 2024. The church also celebrated Revd Matthew Street and his wife Jane’s 20 years of service to the community and hosted the area’s first Dementia Awareness Conference.

For the latest updates from the St J’s Group, visit www.stjsgroup.church. The public is welcome to attend the Sunday services on April 6 at St Julian’s Church in Wellow at 10am, and St John’s Church in Peasedown at 4.30pm.

These services will provide an opportunity to meet Revd Matthew Street, church leaders from each parish, and members of the congregation.