August 2026

Dear Friends

August is a great time of year to pause, to reflect and look ahead too.

This year at St. Andrew’s, Wanborough, we have committed ourselves to do this and we would very much like to request your help and assistance. As we apply ourselves to shaping a vision for the future, we realise it is important to gather the thoughts and reflections of as wide a spectrum of Wanborough plus Redlands residents as possible, as a crucially important step in helping to inform and shape our vision.

So, we would very much like to hear from you if you would be kind enough to spend ten to twenty minutes completing one of our community questionnaires, please. There is also one for Wanborough Community Organisations too. Questions include things like “What makes Wanborough, plus Redlands, such a special place to live?” “What are the major opportunities and challenges we face as a community at the moment?” “What role does the church and community of St Andrew’s play in village life today?” “How do you think the church could best continue to support and serve our community in the years ahead?” We would genuinely like to know your thoughts.

Therefore, those of us on the leadership team at St. Andrew’s would be enormously grateful to you if you would take the time and trouble to complete one of the community questionnaires, and an organisations questionnaire also, if that is appropriate to you;

• Either through the questionnaires accessible online at https://wellspringvillages.co.uk/helping-st-andrewsserve-wanborough-better/
• Or via a paper copy which can be picked up from St.Andrew’s church or from our doctors’ surgery.
• Or simply knock on the Vicarage door and share your thoughts in person with me.

Wanborough plus Redlands is a wonderful place to live, work and belong. As our village continues to grow and change, we want to ensure that St Andrew’s Church continues to play a positive part in the life of our community in the years ahead. As a church, we want to ensure that St Andrew’s continues to serve not only those who worship here, but also the wider community. So, this is a listening exercise. We haven’t reached any conclusions yet—we simply want to understand what matters most to our community. Whether you’ve lived in Wanborough all your life, are new to the village, attend St Andrew’s regularly, or have never been inside the church, your views are important to us. There are no right or wrong answers. We simply want to understand what matters most to the people and organisations that make Wanborough plus Redlands such a vibrant community.

The surveys will remain open until 31 August 2026. During September we will carefully review all the responses to identify the themes, ideas and opportunities that emerge from the consultation. Thank You.

If you're wondering where and when our services take place, please take a look at our website www.wellspringvillages.co.uk for the monthly service times and locations across Wellspring Villages. We offer a variety of services, from traditional to more informal, so there's something for everyone. We'd love to welcome you. Come and join us—we look forward to worshipping with you. Have a restful and restorative summer.

Revd, Steve Paynter
Stevedpaynter@gmail.com
01793 296870

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for our local community, our friends and neighbours, and the local amenities and services accessible to us in this part of your creation. Grant us discernment to fully appreciate and value what we have and the awareness of what can be done to further strengthen and develop our community life together to your glory. Amen.