A warm welcome from the Rector

Welcome to our new look web site for the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul Ash.
We are situated in the village of Ash , although we serve, as a parish, the communities of New ash Green, Ash and Hodsoll Street and surrounding lanes. The church is, in fact, only just to the south of New Ash Green. A short walk along delightful footpaths, or a couple of minutes drive will bring you to our very beautiful church, nearly 1000 years old and still set in such tranquil surroundings.

We try to cater for the worshipping needs of the community in a variety of different ways. We use both the Book of Common Prayer and the newer 'Common Worship' in our main services. We have a very capable choir with a fine choral tradition, and a very keen set of ringers for our six bells. For younger members we have a Boys' and a Girls' Brigade, and on one Sunday (usually the third) a month we have a special morning group for youngsters – Young Ash Church Alive (YACA) - meeting from 10.15am until 11:50am, mixing fun and games with more serious topics.

We also try to involve ourselves in the life of the local community with an active social calendar including Ash Fete and New Ash Green Village Day, and occasional concerts and picnics.

Do look over the pages and find out who we are - whether you are finding out about your, or the community's history, thinking of getting married or having a baby baptised - or simply surfing.

If you would like to join anything - or simply find out more do get in touch.

As a congregation we have both the joy and the responsibility of keeping what is both the oldest building in the parish, and a Grade 1 listed building, 'on the road' We have recently done a great deal of work in repairing the church tower (you may have seen the scaffolding) and a lot of work on the church organ. We are now looking, in the next few months, at work on the church bells and bell frame. We also have plans to build a small extension to the north of the church to provide much needed amenities - especially toilets! Any help here would be much appreciated - whether an offer to help in the churchyard, joining The Friends, or whatever.

We hope that anyone who joins us for worship, whether for a special service or regularly, or who joins us for one of our many social functions, or just visits for peace or to look at our grand old building, will find a warm welcome.

Try it and see.

John Peal , Rector. Summer 2009.