The Right Revd David Walker, Bishop of Manchester is pleased that His Majesty King Charles III has approved the appointment of the Revd Elizabeth Devall as Incumbent of Chadderton, St Matthew with St Luke to be held in plurality with St Anne, Royton.Revd Liz's last service at St Mark, Heyside will be Sunday, 8th September ahead of pastoral re-organisation for St Mark's Church.Everyone at St Matthew and St Luke is looking forward to welcoming Revd Liz with a Service of Welcome being held on Wednesday, 25th September at 7:30 pm.Please keep all parishes involved in this period of transition in your prayers over the coming months.
It has been a privilege to spend time with our community in these holy seasons of Lent and Eastertide.Below are some pictures from our Service of Light and Choral Eucharist this morning. Thank you to all our volunteers who have helped make this week such a success, and to the flower arrangers who always do a fantastic job in keeping church looking at its best!Thank you also to Revd Canon Richard Hawkins for presiding at our services during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday. We thank him for his guidance in thoughtful prayer and worship.
Yesterday, we were please to host this year's World Day of Prayer for our local area. It was a lovely occasion to come together as one Christian community unified in prayer for peace and justice. Thank you to everyone involved in organising this event, and to everyone who attended. You can find out more about the World Day of Prayer initiative by clicking <a href="https://www.wwdp.org.uk/">here</a>
Today, Sunday, 18th February, the Revd Canon Richard Hawkins led a short service to formally bless and open our new Garden of Remembrance. This new area of our churchyard will be used as the final resting place for ashes of the deceased, and we hope it will be a space for quiet contemplation, reflection, and prayer. We have specifically chosen plants and greenery to promote this. The names of those buried in the garden can be inscribed on the central memorial, a face of which reads,"'I am the resurrection and the life,' says the Lord. 'Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.'" (John 11:25-26)It was a wonderful occasion to finally see what we have been designing and planning for over a year come to fruition. We would like to thank Revd Canon Hawkins for leading the blessing of our garden, and to everyone who attended!
