Rochdale Faith News: Saturday, January 7

St Luke’s Church, Deeplish

St Luke’s Church, Deeplish will hold a Holy Communion service on January 8 at 10am.

Monday, January 9: Bible Study. 10.30 am in the church side room. This is open to anyone who wants to find out more about the Bible in a friendly, informal setting. We are continuing our Advent course, you can still take part if your missed last week.

Wednesday, January 11: Morning Praise service on Zoom at 11am. For further information please see our webpage here.

Wednesday, January 11: 2pm Board Games Club. Several board games will be out as well as Scrabble. If you don’t know how to play Scrabble but would like to learn or you are an experienced player who want to have a couple of hours of friendly social chat and a game of scrabble come along. No need to book, just turn up.

Thursday, January 12: Ladies only Zumba at 10am. It costs £3 and you need to book. Please contact Catherine.szymanskyj2@yourtrustrochdale.com or ring 07814 712 271.  We are a friendly group and have space for new members.

We look forward to welcoming our regular members and anyone who would like to join our very friendly, caring congregation.

The Benefice of Littleborough

Sunday, January 8: Epiphany, 9am is Holy Communion at St. Barnabas, Shore. 10.15am is Holy Communion at Holy Trinity. 11.30am is Holy Communion at St. James, Calderbrook.

There will be refreshments after the services. Please come along and join us, you will be made very welcome. For further information please visit our website here or ring 01706 375322 and leave a message.

St Chad's and St Mary in the Baum

For over 800 years, St Chad's, on Sparrow Hill, overlooking the town centre, has been Rochdale's Parish Church. With our sister church, St Mary in the Baum, we provide mostly traditional forms of Anglican worship, and you are warmly welcome to join us on Sundays and during the week.

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 8, we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world and the visit of the Magi - the three Kings or Wise Men - to the stable in Bethlehem. Morning Service, with hymns, is at St Mary's at 9.15am, and Choral Mattins at St Chad's at 11.15am. Both services are led by Fr Darren Quinlan and the preacher is Susan Horobin.

Each Monday, at St Mary's, the Red Cross provides help for refugees from 10am until 2pm. Refreshments are available and admission is free.

On Wednesday next, January 11, at St Mary's at 12.30pm, the Toad Lane Lunchtime Concert features Tim Kennedy, piano. Admission is £6.

On Thursday next, January 12, Holy Communion is at St Chad's at 10am. A Place of Welcome is at St Chad's from 10.30am until noon, with coffee, cake and fellowship. Admission is free.

Sunday next, January 15, is the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany. The Eucharist is at St Mary's at 9.15am, when the celebrant and preacher is the Rev Sue Morgan.
Choral Eucharist is at St Chad's at 11.15am, when the celebrant and preacher is the Vicar, the Rev Anne Gilbert.

The Asian Christian Fellowship meets at St Chad's each Sunday at 1pm.

St Andrew's, Dearnley

We were blessed last Sunday to host a combined Sung Eucharist with Wardle Village Church and with the Methodists from Dearnley (across the main road), Smithy Bridge and Greenhill in Littleborough.

We even had with us a gentleman from St Chad's RC Church in Cheadle. He was in the area for the weekend and came with one of the visiting groups.

The RC Church, of course, was mourning the passing of former Pope Benedict XVI and at a time of Christian unity and on such a weekend of solemnity for Roman Catholics everywhere it was indeed a privilege and a pleasure to welcome our friend from Cheadle and all his fellow visitors from different Churches nearer home.

We can't wait to host the next one. Bring it on!

Tomorrow we are back to normal with our usual Sung Eucharist at 9.30am, running simultaneously with Sunday School for the children in the Parish Room. They re-join their families before the end of the main service and one of the morning's highlights is provided when they are invited to go to the front of church and display, or tell us, what they have been doing in Sunday School.

No one can do it better, or in a more compelling way, than children. Long may they flourish at St Andrew's, both in Church and school.

In term time, of course, we have a Family Service every Wednesday afternoon at 3.45pm, to which we encourage children from school to meet up with their families after school and take the short walk to Church.

Finally, don't forget our ongoing WWW (Warmer Wednesday Welcome) scheme in which we welcome anyone to spend some time with us in the parish room every Wednesday from 9am to 4.30pm. Just stay as long as you wish - it's warm, comforting, you can have a brew and a chat  and even something to eat.

At any time between 9am and 4.30pm, each Wednesday, we offer a free-to-use, warm, welcoming environment for anyone who would like to visit us. We have refreshments, lunch, wi-fi. all FREE, as well as phone charging facilities, toilets for the disabled with proper access, board games, space to read and the opportunity to meet new people.

It will be great to see you - either in Church at 9.30am tomorrow (Sunday) or next Wednesday in the parish room for WWW.

Incidentally, while you are with us, please pick up our 'Welcome to St Andrew's' card and the Diocesan booklet called 'Church For A Different World'. If you can't find them at the back of Church or in the Parish Room please ask one of our two Church wardens, Janice or Christine, who are usually working/circulating in the parish room every time we meet.

There are lots of others on hand to help too. Whatever your question, all you have to do is ask. See you tomorrow!

St Mary's, Balderstone

Happy New Year! Who’s made a New Year’s resolution for 2023?

We believe that as children of grace we don’t need to do anything to earn the love of God, but New Year’s resolutions can be a great way to kick start a new habit or break an old one! There’s still time too if you haven't chosen one yet!

If you’ve been thinking about trying church, we’d love you to join us tomorrow. Our All-age Communion service starts at 10.30am. Light refreshments will be served in the parish room after the service.

Also tomorrow, our weekly evening prayer gathering restarts at St Mary’s, 6.30pm-7.30pm18:30-19:30. All are welcome.

SMuRFs (St Mary's Under 5's) stay-and-play resumes this Tuesday, 1.30-3pm in the parish room. Smurfs meets every Tuesday in term time. They have a drink and snack, do some craft and singing. There is also story time.

New members are welcome. There is a small charge of £1 for one adult with one child and an extra 30p each for extra children.

Small Groups - there are two groups meeting - Wednesday evening, 7.20pm-9pm, in the building or via Zoom or Thursday evening, 7.20pm-9pm, Zoom only. Everyone is welcome.

New Youth Bible Study (14-18 year olds) starting Sunday, January 15, 4pm-5.30pm. The group will meet at our sister church Christ Church Chadderton, once every two weeks in the afternoons. Parents, please contact Rev Ben Wilkinson (via Facebook or email) to register young people or for more information.

For further information, please get in touch by email: stmarysbalderstone@gmail.com or see our Facebook page.

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