David has a busy and varied concert career having performed worldwide, on BBC Radio 3 and at The Proms. David has also been Organist and Head of Keyboard at Eton College. He has made several recordings, some of which will be available on the evening.
Church Groups (summary)
There are many groups that exist within the framework of the Church including those that work behind the scenes to polish the brass, arrange the flowers and clean the church and parish rooms.
Please contact the parish office if you would like to find out more about offering your services for this kind of work.
Please click on the links in the text below to discover more about our Church groups
Music
The diversity of our Church is evident in the music we enjoy, both in worship services and the various concerts we host throughout the year. Visiting performers make use of our grand piano, and the church's natural acoustic makes it popular with choirs, small ensembles and soloists of all musical traditions.
Our traditional services make effective use of our two-manual pipe organ, which is played by local and visiting organists. The choir also frequently leads our worship, and we have an active and enthusiastic hand bell ringing group.
The more contemporary services are usually led musically by a worship band, often including piano, guitar, bass, drums and vocals, with a significant inclusion of young people. Other instrumentalists are involved from time to time, particularly for the larger celebrations. We have a 'worship' sound system and a projector and screen which is used for some services.
The Choir
There has been a choir at St Peter and St Paul's Church for many years and at present there are about fifteen members. The choir leads the 09.25 Parish Communion and sings a wide variety of music including Margaret Rizza, items from Mission Praise, Taizé, Iona and Church anthems.
2010 has been a year of change, with the Choir Director retiring the previous summer. However, we have recently appointed an organist / choirmaster who will take up this role in early January 2011 and has initially joined us on a six-month contract.
Bell Ringers
In October 2006 we launched a major project at SS Peter and Paul to refurbish our bells. The project came to a conclusion in September 2008 when the Bishop of Taunton, The Right Revd Peter Maurice presided over the rededication service.
Shepton Mallet Parish Church Ringing Members are now listed and fully paid up members of Bath and Wells Diocesan Association of Change Ringers, under the Frome Branch Section of their Annual Report 2008.
House Groups
Around 60 to 70 people meet in house groups across the Benefice for Bible study, discussion and fellowship. There is one group which meets in the daytime; one specifically a men's group and a further six.
During Lent groups come together in Peter Street Rooms to undertake a course of study. In recent years we have used material by Paula Gooder; looked at Living Faith in the Community and this year used the Diocesan Course Love for the Future which explored environmental issues.
Mothers' Union
The MU is well-established in the Shepton Mallet deanery and our local branch, with members prayerfully involved throughout the year.
Wives' Group
The Wives' Group is an active group that welcomes anyone, married or not to their meetings. Talks and entertainment activities take part throughout the year and help to raise awareness of each other’s differing roles in the community.
Men's Breakfast
The men's breakfast meetings have been running for nearly twenty years and currently take place monthly on Saturday mornings at The Shrubbery hotel in Shepton Mallet. The meetings comprise a healthy English breakfast followed by a talk from a visiting speaker which may or may not have a Christian theme.
Flower Guild
Only during Lent and Advent are there no flowers in the church. The ladies of the Guild ensure that at all other times there are arrangements at the altar and the two cross aisle pillars and many more arrangements during Church festivals.