Churches across Rochdale have announced their schedules for September, featuring a range of services and community activities. St Luke's Church in Deeplish will hold a Morning Praise service on September 6 at 10am, officiated by Reader Sue Horobin, followed by tea or coffee and a chance to chat. Another Morning Praise service is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, at 11am, officiated by Revd Natty Gray.
St Mary's Balderstone Activities Resume
St Mary's Balderstone is welcoming back its regular groups after the school summer holidays. A men's breakfast will take place this morning at Christ Church (Block Lane, Chadderton, OL9 7QB) starting at 9am, offering a free full breakfast. Guests do not need to be church members or Christians to attend, and all men are warmly welcome.
Tomorrow's morning service begins at 10.30am, continuing the sermon series in Proverbs, with this week's reading from chapter three. Children's groups for ages four to 11 restart tomorrow, featuring Bible stories, songs, and arts and crafts. The service begins together before children head to their groups, with refreshments in the parish lounge afterwards.
The Sunday Evening prayer gathering returns this week at Christ Church, offering a time to pray together over various areas, causes, and individual concerns. All are welcome, with an option to join via Zoom. SMuRFs (St Mary's Under Fives) restarts Tuesday afternoon from 1.30pm to 3pm in the parish room, a stay-and-play session for children aged 0-5 and their carers, including crafts, singing, stories, and healthy snacks. The cost is £1 for one adult with child and an extra 30p for each additional child.
Holy Trinity Littleborough Art Exhibition
Holy Trinity Benefice of Littleborough is preparing for its annual art exhibition on September 4, 5, and 6, marking its sixth year. The exhibition is open to artists throughout the Diocese, whether amateur or semi-professional, and artwork is typically offered for sale. Craft stalls, a bar, and refreshments will be available throughout the weekend, with free admission. A special Children's Craft Day on Saturday will allow children to create craft items to take home.
The Benefice has also announced the disbandment of its Youth Theatre Workshop due to the rising cost of licences, which have reached over £1,500 per show. Unsold costumes, including military items and nun costumes from The Sound of Music, are available for purchase. Some costumes have already been sold to societies in Germany, Italy, Norway, and America, as well as professional companies.
St Chad's and St Mary in the Baum Events
St Chad's and St Mary in the Baum have a busy schedule for September. Tomorrow, September 6, the 14th Sunday after Trinity, includes The Eucharist with hymns at St Mary's at 9.15am and Choral Eucharist at St Chad's at 11.15am, with Rev Anne Gilbert as celebrant and preacher. The Asian Christian Fellowship, worshipping at St Chad's on Sunday afternoons, can be contacted at 07983 388169.
The Red Cross provides help for refugees each Monday at St Mary's from 10am to 2pm. The Friends Together Bereavement Support Group meets at St Chad's on Wednesday, September 9, from 10am to noon. The Toad Lane Lunchtime Concert on September 9 features Anne Butterworth (soprano), Stephen Taylor (baritone), and Elaine Marsden (piano), with admission at £6.
St Chad's, a Grade 2 listed building, is open to visitors each Wednesday and Thursday until September 10 from 2pm to 4pm, with donations welcome. Gardening takes place each Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm, and cleaning each Thursday from 10.30am to noon, with volunteers welcome. Heritage Weekend, organised by The National Trust, will see St Chad's open on September 11 from 2pm to 4pm, September 12 from 11.30am to 4pm, and September 13 from 12.30pm to 4pm.
Next Sunday, September 13, the 15th Sunday after Trinity, includes The Eucharist at St Mary's at 9.15am with Rev Morley Morgan, and Choral Matins at St Chad's at 11.15am with Rev James Read. The next Saturday Midday Music at St Chad's on September 19 features Robin Shakespeare, organist and director of music at St Anne's Church, Manchester city centre, with admission £6 including light refreshments.
St Andrew's Dearnley and Other News
St Andrew's Dearnley is hosting an intergenerational service on Sunday at 9.30am, welcoming families. A Return to School Sunday service will be held on September 6 at 9.30am, where school bags can be blessed. The Littleborough Churches Together Harvest Festival is on September 20 at 3pm at St Mary's RC Church, and the Mothers' Union meeting is on September 7 at 2pm. Volunteers are sought to help garden and clean up the front of the church, and the charity for the month is RNIB, sponsored by Christine Longhurst. The Rochdale food bank's most needed items include UHT milk, jars of jam, coffee, snacks, instant meals, toiletries, and pet food.
For those wishing to submit news for inclusion in the Rochdale Observer print edition, the deadline is 4pm each Wednesday, with submissions via email to info@inyouarea.co.uk.
