Magazine from 1915

Having mentioned a brochure from 1915, a member of our congregation - Lynn Cotton - gave me a copy of a Church magazine dating from 1915.

The "letter from the trenches" came from her Great Uncle Fred. The "Tom" it mentions is Lynn's grandfather. Fred was killed in action on 4 June 1915 - less than a week after he sent the letter.

Website update: new phosots

A professional photographer, Simon Short, was in church over the weekend. I've put some of his photos on the website. They depict the church interior.
Click on the link here.

A beautiful new dawn

Thankfully, I had my camera to hand when I entered church early yesterday morning. The sun was strong, low and streamed in through the stained glass windows at the East end of church. See for yourself the glorious effect the light evokes.

An exciting discovery

A church member has given us an old brochure published by the Parish Church in 1926 (thank you to Brian and Margaret Smith).
The front and back covers (the first and last of the images here) are rather discoloured, but the other pages are still crisp and fresh.
The brochure was prodcued to advertise a plan to radically enlarge the chancel: "plans are already in existence for a most beautiful chancel in pure Gothic. It only awaits the munificence of of any patriotic citizens who would welcome the privilege of enriching the life of the Town by so noble a monument of reverence and art."
The brochure comes in the form of short articles with quaint old adverts. A real treasure trove.
Click on any of the images to get a better view.

Paul Monk will soon be leaving us

Our curate, the Revd Paul Monk, has accepted the appointment of Assistant Curate and Team Vicar designate in the Medlock Head Team, on the other side of Oldham.

In due course, the Monk family will move into the Vicarage at St Barnabas, 1 Arundel Street.
Paul will be licensed at Holy Trinity Waterhead on 28 October.

The licensing service will be led by the Bishop of Middleton, the Rt Revd Mark Davies, and starts at 7:30 pm.

Paul's leaving service will be on Wednesday 9 October, at Oldham Parish Church, starting at 7:30 pm.

Visit to Gorton Monastery

On a calm July evening, a group of us went to the newly re-opened Gorton Monastery, in Manchester. We had a fabulous time.

Barbeque at the Rectory

On Saturday 11 July, about 50 of us met at the Rectory for a fantastic social event. The threatened rain held off.

When the cooking was completed, we taught the younger children how to burn incense, by giving each a few grains of incense to throw on the glowing charcoal embers.

Welcome to our blog!

The current church was built in 1830-1834, and replaced an earlier, medieval church. Oldham Parish Church is therefore not the oldest church in Oldham. It is, however, the largest and most beautiful.