News
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GAP 3 gets underway - and we've got the T-shirt to prove it! The latest round of Growth Action Planning (GAP) involves new parish packs being given out during the Archdeacons' Visitations, and parish teams giving presentations about how the process is working for them. St James, Gatley, entered into the spirit of things with gusto by putting their own spin on the occasion. They wore T-shirts bearing the slogan 'St James GAP ley'. PICTURED are Vicar Bob Read and members of the congregation. Archdeacon Ian Bishop is standing behind them. |
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Bishop invites all to celebrate our Queen's achievements A service of celebration for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee will take place at Chester Cathedral from 3pm on Sunday 27 May. The Bishop of Chester is encouraging people from right across our diocese to attend. Bishop Peter will preach at the service, which he says will give a chance for people to come together and celebrate the magnificent achievements of our Queen, who he says has been an "inspiration throughout the years". |
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And there are lots of other Jubilee celebrations ... Parishes across our diocese are celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with a range of special lunches and events. Her Majesty's Coronation took place on 2 June 1953. As well as the big service planned for Chester Cathedral on Sunday 27 May(reported seperately), there will also be an informal ecumenical jubilee service at Christ the King Church, Birkenhead, on Sunday 10 June, starting at 3.30pm. Churches across the Wirral of different denominations have been invited to send two representatives (or more if they wish), and the Bishop of Birkenhead will attend, as well as a range of civic dignitaries and private citizens. |
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Salt - so often mentioned in the Bible - gains a new significance Eight parishes in our diocese will celebrate a Sunday morning service with a difference at a special Salt Sunday this weekend (Rogation Sunday, 13 May). Salt Union, operator of a salt mine and supplier of road salt to local authorities, has presented every church holding a Salt Sunday service with a sample of Cheshire rock salt - mined from almost 200 metres underground at Winsford Rock Salt Mine. |
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A much-loved figure retires ... Jenny Dent retired after nearly 30 years of faithful service to the Diocese of Chester as part of our administrative team. Mum-of-two Jenny, aged 65, first worked as a secretary in the Swinging 'Sixties in Manchester. In her first role for the diocese, she was a secretary based in Abbey Square, and later worked at the old Church House in Raymond Street, Chester, before coming to our current office sat Aldford, where she has worked in support of various departments covering ministry, mission, social responsibility DAC functions. |
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An invitation to prayer ... Councillor Pamela Booher would like to invite all parishes in the Cheshire West and Chester area to pray with her at a civic service as she begins her year in office as Lord Mayor of Chester. The service - at Chester Cathedral on Sunday 20 May, starting at 3.30pm - is an opportunity to come together to pray for the civic life of the borough, which covers Chester, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Helsby, Neston, Malpas, Northwich, Winsford and rural areas. There will be light refreshments afterwards at Chester Town Hall. |
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A pilgrimage by clergy A twelve-strong group of clergy from our diocese went on a walking pilgrimage along St Cuthbert's Way from Melrose in Scotland to Lindisfarne in Northumberland back in March. The pilgrims included the Archdeacon of Macclesfield, the Ven Ian Bishop, and his predecessor, the Ven Richard Gillings, who now lives an active retirement in Scotland. PICTURED are the Revds Steve Rathbone and Ian Sparks on the Pilgrim's Causeway at Lindisfarne. |
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Ian Rumsey is our new Parish Development Officer The Revd Ian Rumsey (pictured) is our new Parish Development Officer for the Macclesfield Archdeaconry. Ian, who has been Vicar of Holy Trinity, Hurdsfield (near Macclesfield) since 2004, has been a priest in parish ministry since 1991. He worked as a seismologist in oil and gas exploration before being called to ordained ministry. The 54-year-old father of two sons is married to Colleen, a teaching assistant. In his new role he takes over from the Revd Steve Wilcockson, who left our diocese late last year to become Archdeacon of Doncaster. |
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Celebrating Her Majesty's reign Parishes across our diocese will be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee over the next few months, with most of the special lunches and events taking place in June. Her Majesty's Coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Among those parishes commemorating the jubilee will be Tattenhall and Partington & Carrington - and there are many others. Also, the Bishop of Chester will take part in a special jubilee civic service at Chester Cathedral on Sunday 27 May, (which all are welcome to attend) and will also attend a Churches Together in Crewe service at St Michael's Church, Ford Lane, Coppenhall, on Saturday 2 June. Bishop Keith will attend an ecumenical jubilee service at Christ the King Church, Birkenhead, on Sunday 10 June, starting 3.30pm. |
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New font at Mossley church The new solid oak font at Holy Trinity Church, Mossley, Congleton, replaces a Victorian stone font which was removed during the development work at the west end of the church. The new font was designed and made by Garry Olson, a furniture-maker from Wilmslow - PICTURED HERE with the Revd Canon David Taylor, Rural Dean of Congleton and Team Rector in the town. |
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Penitent thief returns church stave A thief who stole an ornate stave from St Martin’s Church in Marple has handed it back with an apology. The silver-topped, hand-crafted Churchwarden's stave (used in escorting visiting bishops) was stolen eight years ago during a break-in at the church, causing dismay among parishioners. All efforts to trace the stave came to nothing. Then one day late last year a penitent thief knocked at the vicarage door and handed back the solid silver top of the stolen stave - wrapped in a carrier bag. |
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Award for Wirral parish's ecology work St Mary's Church in Upton, Wirral, has gained an Eco-congregation Award. The criteria for the award was met - after much hard work by parishioners - across three areas of activity: spiritual, practical and community. Parishioners are PICTURED celebrating after receiving the award. |
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CD funds-booster for Frodsham church Six organists have come together to make a CD (pictured) of the James Jepson Binns organ being played in St Laurence’s Church, Frodsham. The idea behind the recording is to sell it to raise funds for the Grade 1-listed church (which needs work doing in its tower and other parts) and for conservation of the church’s magnificent organ. |
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Tell us YOUR memories of the Coronation The Archdeacon of Macclesfield wants to hear from any east Cheshire people who remember going to London in 1953 to line the streets and witness the Queen's Coronation. The plan is to invite those people to tell their memories of the historic day as part of a special church service in April for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Those with fond memories will be interviewed by BBC radio presenter Jenni Murray as part of a service for Cheshire East Council's jubilee celebrations for all the towns and villages which make up the borough. |
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TV drama filmed in Bishop's garden A film crew of around 40 took over Bishop's House and garden in Chester to record a scene for a four-part political drama to be shown on Channel 4 later this year. After alterations - including the erection of a synthetic brick wall and the hiding of a summer house by fake trees - the garden, off Abbey Square, was transformed into a look-a-like garden of Number 10 Downing Street. |
