From the Vicar
Parish Magazine, December 2023 / January 2024
Dear Friends
Advent is upon us once more, that season of waiting and preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, as well as reminding ourselves that He will come again one day. I don’t know about you but I’m conscious that each year this time can fly by with Christmas services, Christmas shopping, and Christmas cards, so much so that often I have little time to reflect on what it is all about. One of my favourite times of this season is just before our first communion of Christmas at 11.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. I like to get to church early if I can and just sit in a near dark church, take the time to pause, to look at the crib and to be reminded of the wonderful simplicity of God’s salvation plan. How might you make time to remember ‘the reason for the season’ this year?
Taking up the theme of waiting, I’m pleased to report that planning permission has finally been granted for our church extension by Warrington Borough Council. The wardens and I met with Bill Schafer, our architect, at the end of October and we talked about the next steps for moving the project forward. These have included drawing up a specification of our kitchen requirements, discussing access for materials on and off site, and hopefully this month inviting tenders for the work. I hope that we will agree a contractor at our January PCC meeting and then we will know what the funding gap for the project will be. As well as getting our fundraiser to apply for grants, we will also be having a focus on giving during Lent next year leading up to a Gift Day on Easter Sunday, 31 March. All being well, we will start the work after that and hopefully it will be completed by the end of next year. All of this will require hard work, time and effort (as well as sacrificial giving) and so we are looking to appoint a volunteer Project Manager to oversee the liaison with the architect, contractors, diocesan advisory committee and council. Details are available on our website, or do speak to me if you are interested.
To continue the theme, we are also currently waiting for the repair of our church clock. Many of you will no doubt have noticed that it has been running 20 minutes late recently. We had this fixed and then the same problem occured again so it has been switched off at present (as has the tower lighting which is on the same fuse). We are applying for funding to get this fixed and hope to have it up and running again before Christmas. And on the theme of funding, may I say a big thank you to all who supported us through their shopping at the Co-op which has resulted in us being given a grant of just over £3,000 to replace our non-LED lights with LED ones. Many thanks also to those who supported our social evening with the Boy Band at the end of October which raised £668 for church funds and our Christmas Fair on 18 October which raised nearly £1,500.
With my best wishes to you and your loved ones for a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
Jeremy Tear
Pioneer Team Rector
Team Letter, August 2023
Dear Friends
It’s been a while since I last wrote, so my apologies for that, but life has been busy! One of the things which has been a particular focus in recent months has of course been Fit for Mission, the diocesan initiative to help us as churches in our deaneries to grow together Fit For Mission – Diocese of Liverpool. It was good to see a number of people from all our team churches at the Archdeacon’s visitation at St.Mary’s in June, when we heard from Canon Neil Cook, the Rector of Wigan, about the opportunities and challenges of working though a change programme. This of course takes time and is never all plain sailing but Neil did speak of some real encouragements that have come to the churches there through combining efforts to serve the people of that town and to share Jesus with them.
In terms of our own deanery, you may have already heard that there will be meeting on the subject of finance as it relates to Fit for Mission at Christ Church Padgate on Wednesday 27 September at 7.30 p.m. All are welcome but if you would like to attend, please email Gill Dottie at gill.dottie@liverpool.anglican.org by the end of August. There are also plans for a deanery vision morning for PCC’s on 16 September and a Fit for Mission Fair on the evening of 11 October but times and venues are yet to be worked out. I’ll keep you posted. A number of our PCCs are in the process of meeting Harriet Roberts, the newest member of the Fit for Mission Team, whose task is to help provide answers to the questions people may have about this process, so that they can make an informed decision by the end of November. If you would like to contact Harriet with your own questions or if you would like to have a conversation individually or in a small group, please do not hesitate to contact her via email at harriet.roberts@liverpool.anglican.org.uk with your contact details.
It was great to be able to attend the ordination of priests at Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday 10 June, including Rebecca Lloyd from St.James. The journey to being ordained priest can be a long and demanding one, as can the experience of being one! Last month I attended a service for my former training incumbent in Timperley who was celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. So do please keep Rebecca and all those ordained with her in your prayers.
I would like to thank members of our Team churches who gave up their time to help with the Churches Together stall at the Penketh Carnival on Saturday July 8th. Despite the tremendous downpour at the end, we were fortunate to have some dry weather during the rest of the day and to have some good conversations with and prayer for people who attended. Speaking of Churches Together, you may be aware that St.Joseph’s Catholic Church in Penketh are celebrating their centenary on Saturday 23 September which is a cause for rejoicing. Please keep their priest, Father Raymond, and their congregation in your prayers.
Later this month, local churches will once again be having a presence at the Creamfields Festival in Daresbury from 22-28 August. They are recruiting a team of 70 volunteers from the churches and there may still be some spaces if you are still interested in helping. Apply to volunteer at Creamfields 2023 ! Whether you can help or not, one thing we can all I hope do is provide a packet or two of Jammie Dodger’s. Why Jammie Dodger’s you may ask? Because they have a heart in the middle and as these are shared with festivalgoers, they will be a sign of God’s love to them. Drop off packets at your team church.
Finally, there will be a Church Warrington meeting on Wednesday 6 September at 7.30 pm at Wycliffe Church on Bewsey Street in the town centre to promote and pray for the leaflets being distributed across our town in preparation for the carols event at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday 14 December at 7 p.m. If you can help distribute leaflets, please let your Vicar know.
With my best wishes and prayers.
Jeremy Tear, Pioneer Team Rector
Get In Touch
ST Mary's Church of England
Liverpool Road, Great Sankey,
Warrington WA5 1RE
HOW TO GET HERE
Travel by Bike: There are cycle racks to lock your bike to in front of our extension.
Travel by Bus: The number 14 and 15 services run from Warrington Town Centre to near the church and take about 15 minutes.
14 - Warrington - Hood Manor - Penketh/Gt Sankey (Circ) | Warrington's Own Buses
15 - Warrington - Hood Manor - Gt Sankey/Penketh (Circ) | Warrington's Own Buses
Travel by Train: The nearest station with a regular service is Warrington West. Trains from both Liverpool and Manchester take around 30-40 minutes. It takes 15 minutes to walk from the station to St.Mary's.
Warrington West Station | Trains to Warrington West & Times | Northern
Travel by Car: The church is situated just off the A57 road from Warrington Town centre to the M62 motorway at Junction 7. There is a small area to park in front of the church, which takes about 5 to 6 cars. Otherwise, there is parking at the Sankey for the Penketh train, which is a 5-minute walk away.