Our Faith

Support for local and national missions and charities is given in two ways:

• By individual representatives who give out information and raise funds by promotional efforts, e.g. The Church has been quite active in recent years with raising money for the Leprosy Mission by coffee mornings and a sponsored walk.  In 2010 £1,422 was raised
• By the PCC through annual charitable giving. Representatives submit their bids and the PCC decides the allocation of available funds. Successful bidders are expected to keep the church informed by arranging magazine articles and having a speaker at morning service.

Since 1972 the Salisbury Diocese has carried out a commitment to help the Anglican Province of Sudan by prayer, by exchange of visits, in supporting their theological education and in their schools and medical work.

St John’s congregation are encouraged to share in this commitment, particularly in the link with the Wau diocese of South Sudan, by praying regularly and by keeping abreast of the news.

All Parishes are encouraged to be fully involved in the life of the Poole Deanery and its Synod. This Synod is governed by its Standing Orders. It has its own Standing Committee which should meet from time to time to further the Synod’s work.  Four members of the PCC attend the meeting as Poole Deanery representatives.

St John’s has been a member of CTB (Churches Together in Broadstone) since it started in the 1980s, the other members being Broadstone Methodist Church, United Reformed Church, St Anthony’s (RC) Church and the Waterloo Christian Fellowship. Broadstone Baptist Church are not members but relations are friendly and they join in non-denominational efforts such as Women’s World Day of Prayer, and as chaplain at the Junction Leisure Centre. The members’ clergy meet regularly as a ministers’ Fraternal.

Collaboration is good; lay members publish and support the special events of other churches. There is still , however, scope for more joint church projects.

This lively group has been in existence for a long time in the Parish and is part of the Deanery, Diocese and worldwide Mothers’ Union.  The local Branch is run by a committee and because of the advancing years of many of its members, it has proved difficult to find people to serve and to take responsibility as Leader - there are several ‘Indoor Members’ who are now too ill or frail to attend meetings.  From 2014 the branch has become a Prayer and Fellowship group.