Friday began with our School Services. We started off at 8am collecting all the generous donations, and then welcome EYFS and Happy Kids Nursery into church to think about what food goes into a Pumpkin Soup. This involved searching for different vegetables, and when a big enough pumpkin couldn’t be found, our Ordinand (Trainee Vicar) Josie went and found something much bigger much to everyone’s delight!Then in the afternoon, it was onto our services for KS1 & KS2 where we welcomed Chris Hewitt from the Dunham Apple Barn to talk about what Harvest meant for him. He had us back to the spring dreaming of stunning apple orchards! Lots more fun was had, Harvest songs were sung and a troop of happy kids headed off to enjoy their weekend!But the Harvest vibes didn’t stop there!On Saturday evening we enjoyed our Harvest Supper and Beetle Drive. With members from across the community, we experienced one the best organised Beetle Drives going, with lots of cheers and competitive personalities being released…..! Then we enjoyed a well earnt Hot Pot before playing more games before we headed off for some much needed sleep.But the Harvest Vibes continued!Our services on Sunday morning were full of Harvest fun – from children’s talks to an interview with a local farmer Caroline Royle as she talked about the joys and challenges she and her family face as they farm their Shorthorn cows. More donations were given, and to cap it off, we headed off for a well earnt bacon butty.But there was one last Harvest Vibe to go!The wonderful weekend was brought to a close with a very special Christening. The church was full of family and friends, and the young girl was full of laughter – in fact, we decided that we could have baptised her again and again, so much did she seem to enjoy it!So it was with lots of laughter and celebration that we brought our weekend to an end – the perfect way to finish a great few days!
Josie has spend the last year working in a church in Macclesfield as a Community Engagement Intern where she spent her days working with people on the local estate; loving them and looking at ways the church could support the greater needs of the area.Josie has a heart for people; to love them well and, in turn see how the church as a whole can get involved in supporting them wherever they can.We’re delighted that she will be joining us with her husband Isaac who has a background living in a religious community in Leicester and currently works at a crematorium in Northwich where they have just moved.She is really looking forward to meeting you all and getting involved with all that St George’s has to offer as she trains here for the next three years! And indeed, she is already praying for is all as she gets ready to start!We’ll be welcoming Josie too on Sunday 10th September—come and say hello!
It was a wonderful way to mark the start of the new academic year! After such a long summer (and the weather really didn't help) this Sunday the sun was shining, the heat finally warming, and there was a tangible sense of excitement as we gathered together after various summer holidays to welcome Russell, our new Organist and Choir Director followed by lots of tea and scones, courtesy of the ever talented Janet. We had met Russell many month ago when he came to play at a funeral of someone who he knew well. We got chatting and Claire, the Vicar asked him if he might like a coffee so that she could talk to him about some of her plans for the musical life of the church - just in case he knew of someone who might be interested. One coffee later and Russell put himself forward, and, well, we jumped at the chance! We’ve been very blessed over the years by some superb and talented organists, and following hot on the heals of our much regarded Dr. Barry Cooper who has been standing in for some years, Russell is no exception. With a CV that includes working at the Royal Northern and examining for the ABRSM, we're delighted that he has come on board. We have exciting plans to resurrect our choir, and at the same time start a new children's choir too. So do watch this space for more news about what's going on! In the meantime we are beavering away getting ready for next Sunday when there are more welcomes - a new Children & Families lead alongside an Ordinand (trainee vicar) too!
Over Covid, we found that many of our young families and children struggled to connect online, and the absence of their chatter and presence in church has been keenly felt - it felt so very empty without them!We've been steadily building that up over the last year, and it's been wonderful to hear them chattering away in the children's area, taking part in services and generally making sure that their presence is felt! Our revived Tea & Tales has also been warmly received with many children and families now counting it as part of their weekly rhythms. But as we are committed to making sure that our children and young families are at the heart of our church life, we felt it the right moment to appoint someone to help us develop what we do even more.We also have the privilege of working with our neighbouring Altrincham CE Primary School. Lots of discussions have been had over the year, and we wanted to strengthen and develop those links, so as we were putting together our job description, working within and with the school became a big part of it.So last month we were delighted to appoint Dee. Dee is a warm, generous woman full of life and energy! She has a heart for children and young families, helped no doubt by the fact that she and her husband Nick have three of their own children, and she is keen for them to explore and develop their faith, whilst also providing support and a listening ear to all that need it. Dee will both be developing groups mid week and on Sunday mornings here at St George's, and, on the school side, will also be helping lead assemblies, and starting some lunchtime groups up too. So do watch this space as we discern what our next steps are as we seek to enable children to thrive at St George's - there are so many ideas flowing; the questions will be which ones we do and in which order!
