What is Muddy Church?We have been running Muddy Church at St.Andrew's since September 2018. Follow our group on Facebook Muddy Church is a community of people that gather together to draw closer to God and each other,by intentionally wandering and wondering outside.We noticed early on that this was a wonderful way of deepening our connections with God, each other and the natural world.We were awarded two years of funding from Saltley Trust in 2019, to research and develop our Muddy Church.The hope was that we could start to share our experience and knowledge with other churches.https://www.saltleytrust.org.uk/muddy-church-research-at-st-andrews-rugby/During easing of lockdown restrictions we have been able to offer individual family trails around our Muddy Church base at 'May Blossom Farm'.
St Andrew's Runs -Sustainable SaturdaysAn Eco Fayre for the CommunityUsually the first Saturday of the month 10am-3pm. With stall holders selling hand-crafted, eco gifts, with no plastic, plus plastic free consumables available to purchase. Normally with 'free' live music and/or storytelling. If you would like to enquire about being a stall holder please go to Transition Town website and complete their online enquiry form. transitiontownrugby.orgOur Recycling StationWe are currently able to recycle your printer ink cartridges and milk bottle tops. There is a recycling collection point at the back of church for you to leave your items.Toilet Twinning,https://www.toilettwinning.org/St Andrew's Church is working with Rugby Baptist Church to enable Rugby to become a Toilet Twinned Town, Emma Tiller is our town ambassador. To do this we have to raise the profile of toilet twinning in the town and also twin a certain number of toilets - everyone can help. If you twin your toilet, be sure to mention Rugby Toilet Twinning. Rugby Toilet Twinning has a Facebook Page where you can find out more about what's happening. It is shocking to think that 2.3 billion people don't have somewhere safe to go to the toilet worldwide. This charity supports communities in the provision of toilets- a simple but hugely effective way of helping communities, reducing danger for young people and women, and reducing the spread of disease and illness. Rugby Toilet Twinning has run a number of events to raise money. St Andrew's raised money through the 2018 Christmas Tree Festival and the recent Clothes Swap Event. Our toilet block has been twinned and also the Rectory toilet and many toilets in the homes of congregation members. Have you done yours yet? If you use our toilets, please pop a donation in the box so that we can raise money to help people worldwide.
St Andrew's Church is the owner of two areas of land in the town centre, the Gardens immediately around our church building and the graveyard behind the church which backs on to Elsee Road. Both these areas of land are officially closed graveyards, so no new interments can be made (other than ashes in our Memorial Garden). As they are closed they are now maintained by Rugby Borough Council who are responsible for their upkeep. However as landowners we are aware of our responsibility to support RBC in enabling the land to be used for the benefit of local residents and visitors. To that end we are working on two projects in partnership: the first is described below:St Andrew's Gardens is a much loved and well used green space at the heart of Rugby Town. It's a key venue for the Rugby Bike Fest, Festival of Culture, and the Food Festival all of which are rapidly growing in success. We want to invest in the gardens to provide more scope for events, plus provide bespoke outdoor space for new initiatives and community projects. The gardens deserve a new lease of life - St Andrew's Gardens a space for everyone will do just that, transforming the space through new bee friendly planting specimens, creating a peaceful and tranquil space for all to enjoy. At the Heart will commission a new public art work which will zone the play and performance space from the peaceful area of the memorial garden. You can pledge to have a loved one memorialised and remembered in this special design.
St Andrew's Church is set in the middle of the town centre in Rugby but we serve our whole parish. We work in partnership with different organisations and are an active member of Revive, Rugby Churches Working Together. As a group we co-ordinate and support an impressive number of projects: Rugby Foodbank, Hope 4, Gift of Years, the Winter Night-shelter and many other social action projects. Members of our congregation are involved in these projects at all levels, as well as many other Christians from other Rugby churches. Read more here: Rugby Revive. If you are interested in volunteering in any of these contact the charities directly. St Andrew Benn Primary School - a voluntary aided Primary School. Our Rector is the co- Vice Chair of the Governing Body and the Parochial Church Council is responsible for nominating Foundation Governors to the Governing Body. We are very proud of our school and the way it serves the local community. Rev'd Shelia Bridge is the Chaplain at the school and services are often held at St Peter John Church on Clifton Road. The Harris Church of England Academy sits just outside our parish, but as the Church of England Secondary School in Rugby and with historic links to our parish is part of the wider St Andrew's Community. The Chair of Governors is a member of the St Andrew's Community and the Rector visits to help with seasonal services. Civic Church - St Andrew's is the civic church of Rugby and is proud to pray for and support the civic life of the town. Every year on Civic Sunday the new Mayor is welcomed and prayed for, along with all the Councillors and the wider civic community, at a special service in church. Our Rector is also not just the Rector of St Andrew's, but is historically known as the Rector of Rugby. They take part in civic services, most notably the annual Remembrance Day Service at the Memorial Gates. Historically St Andrew's has hosted Hustings prior to General Elections as well as being a venue for public mourning and grief, for example, after the Manchester bombing. As a central venue, we see our role as being, 'a sacred place for Rugby' and ensure we are open and respond to any events of national importance, providing space for people to mourn or celebrate as necessary.
