Tuffley
The population of the Parish is about 8,500 (1991 census figures). The racial mix is predominantly white, with a few Asian and Afro-Caribbean families. Unemployment is low, and people are involved in a wide range of jobs including factories, offices, teaching, management and technical work, and a good deal of self-employed trades.
Local schools include a large academy, a boys Grammar School , and two Infant and Junior Primary Schools .
There is a Community Centre, a Library and a Leisure Centre (based at Beaufort Academy School) . There are a few local shops, although the main supermarkets are a little further a field at Quedgeley; Abbeydale; Barnwood and The Quays.
Whaddon
The Parish of Whaddon is now much reduced from its historical importance. The population is about 75. The area is rural, with several farms. There is also a Steiner School close to St Margaret’s Church with which there are some limited links. One of the farms includes a busy shop and garden centre.
The style at St Margaret’s Church is consciously traditional, as an alternative to the more contemporary flavour at St George’s Church, but at the same time there is a progressive flavour and a readiness to learn new hymns or to try new ideas, for example Taize choruses are sometimes interpolated within said psalms at evensong.
There is quite a range of special services at both churches, many of them deliberately arranged on weekdays. St Margaret’s Church is known for its Christmas Carol and other candlelit services. Increasingly popular is the St George’s Carol Service, which is fully supported by its Singing Group. There is a developing ministry of healing at both churches.
At both churches there is an established tradition of lay involvement in worship.
Children’s work at both churches is being reviewed. The Family Praise service at St Margaret’s Church has a small but stable congregation; but children inevitably drift away as they grow into their teens. At St. George’s Church the 10.30am Family Service on the 3rd Sunday of the month is currently geared more to all ages. This whole area will remain under regular review and development, and in particular we acknowledge the need to increase work with younger people generally.
A recent development is communion by extension, now taken from both churches to several residential homes for elderly people, with whom we have valuable links. Ministry amongst elderly and housebound people includes regular visiting and sick communion. In the past both Parishes have taken part in worship at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on Sunday mornings.
The St George’s Centre is in constant use with the Tuesday ‘Coffee Pot’ and ‘The Thursday Day Centre for the Elderly’ meeting regularly every week. There is an established programme of church-based social events as well as an Entertainer’s Group who stage an annual pantomime every February. The Centre is extensively used by outside organisations, including a strong Scout and a Guide group, a Mother and Toddler group, regular Blood Donor sessions, as well as private functions, Parish events, and more. Most of the schools have a church member serving on their Governing bodies and church staff regularly visit the lower age ranges and lead assemblies. The ‘Open-the-Book’ scheme, supported by members from both churches, make weekly visits to the infant and junior schools within the parish. Most schools also visit our churches as part of their school curriculum activities.
There are links with the Grange Baptist and English Martyrs Roman Catholic churches, which are both geographically very close to St George’s Church.
Both Parishes support on a quarterly basis four charities:- The Philippine Trust, Mission to Seafarers, US and Christian Aid. St Margaret’s has also a close link with work in Tanzania.
Both Parishes are interested in Fair-trade issues: St George’s has signed up to being a Fair-trade Parish.
Other services include ‘Stations of the Cross’ at St George’s Church plus ‘Sunday Specials’ on occasions. Of course both churches are used for the Occasional Offices as required.
St George’s Church is used regularly for private prayer normally being unlocked in the daytime; the use of votive candles is popular in both churches.
Additions to the weekly timetable can be found in our weekly newsletter – ‘Signpost’, and our monthly magazine – ‘Crossroads’ is available in print form as well as on this web site
Both churches use public address systems, wired to an inductance loop to provide excellent quality of sound for the hard of hearing. Switch to ‘T’ on the deaf aid.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our services where you will receive a warm welcome!