Churches across Rochdale have announced a series of services, events, and community activities for July, including a new assistant minister and a visit from mission partners.
St Luke's Church, Deeplish
St Luke’s Church will hold a service of Morning Praise on July 12 at 10am, officiated by Reader Sue Horobin. The service will be followed by tea or coffee and a chance to chat. On Wednesday, July 15, a Bible Study will take place at 10am, open to anyone interested in learning about the Bible in a friendly, informal setting. Later that day at 11am, a Morning Praise service will be officiated by Revd Natty Gray. The church welcomes regular members and newcomers to join its caring congregation.
St Mary's, Balderstone
St Mary's is hosting its monthly coffee morning today from 10am until noon in the parish room, offering tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and toasted teacakes. Slimming World-friendly options are available. A craft stall and cakes will be for sale, with a small donation requested. This Sunday is extra special, featuring a visit from mission partners Tom and Liz Trump, who work in Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium. The church will also welcome its new full-time assistant minister, Ben Sommervell, who has moved from the West Midlands. A bring-and-share lunch will follow the service to celebrate.
The shared prayer gathering returns tomorrow evening at St Saviour's Church on Bishopsgate Street, Chadderton, with an option to join via Zoom. Tuesday marks the last SMURFS of the term, with a Teddy Bears' Picnic from 1.30pm to 3pm in the parish room. All Smurfs families are invited, regardless of recent attendance. The midweek study groups will also meet for the last time before summer: the daytime group at 10am in the church lounge and the evening group at 7.30pm on Zoom.
St Chad's and St Mary in the Baum
Today, Saturday, July 11, at St Chad's at noon, Saturday Midday Music features the Kell Wind Trio (flute, clarinet, bassoon) performing works by Mozart, Sullivan, and Shostakovich. Admission is £6, with light refreshments from 11.30am. On Sunday, July 12, the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, services include The Eucharist with hymns at St Mary's at 9.15am and Choral Matins at St Chad's at 11.15am, with the Rev Pamela Parr as preacher at both. The Asian Christian Fellowship meets at St Chad's on Sunday afternoons.
Each Monday at St Mary's from 10am to 2pm, the Red Cross provides help for refugees, with refreshments and free admission. On Wednesday, July 15, the Toad Lane Lunchtime Concert at St Mary's features Tim Kennedy (tenor) and Carol Kwater (piano) from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, admission £6. Throughout summer, St Chad's is open to visitors each Wednesday and Thursday from 1pm to 2pm, with free admission but donations welcome. Gardening takes place Wednesdays from 1pm to 3pm, and cleaning on Thursdays from 10.30am to noon; volunteers are welcome with equipment provided.
On Sunday, July 19, the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, services include The Eucharist at St Mary's at 9.15am and Choral Eucharist at St Chad's at 11.15am, both with the Rev Pamela Parr as celebrant and preacher. Children's activities and refreshments are provided at Sunday morning services.
St Andrew's, Dearnley
St Andrew's held its service on July 5 with readings from Zechariah 9.9-12, Romans 7.15-25, and Matthew 11.16-19, 25-end. Next Sunday's readings will be Isaiah 55.10-13, Romans 8.1-11, and Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23. This week's services include morning prayer on Wednesday at 9.30am, said midweek Eucharist on Thursday at 10.30am, and a traditional Eucharist on July 12 at 9.30am.
The church is collecting poppies for a November display, with patterns available in church, and requests spare red wool. Volunteers are needed for gardening and cleaning the front of the church; contact Christine for details. This month's charity is RNLI, sponsored by Chris Longhurst. The Rochdale food bank urgently needs UHT milk, jars of jam, coffee, snacks, instant meals, toiletries, and pet food. A drill fire evacuation will be held in July or August; those who may struggle should inform church wardens.
The reflection this week comes from Song of Solomon 8:7: “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” Love is described as an incredibly powerful and resilient emotion, as strong as the sea and rivers.
