We have been taking about pilgrimage at our church meetings and Revd Liz announced today (Trinity Sunday) that we are about to embark on a pilgrimage with the Northern Saints to Lindisfarne - the cradle of Christianity in England.Revd Liz has pledged to walk 325 miles starting today and ending on St Aidan's Day - 31st August. She will walk around Chadderton and Royton - and sometimes further afield - and will plot the miles walked on a pilgrimage map. The pilgrimage route will take in churches, cathedrals, monasteries, convents and a variety of holy sites.As we journey we will learn more about these pilgrim places and about the holy lives of the saints we encounter and that walk with us, and we will be invited to pray for the places we visit and the people we meet.We can follow our pilgrims progress on social media and when you come to church.There will be opportunities throughout the summer for people to join Revd Liz on her pilgrimage walks.Revd Liz is also seeking sponsorship for this physical challenge raising money both for our church and for Dr Kershaw's Hospice. Details of how to sponsor Revd Liz will be available later in the week.Our pilgrimage prayer is written by Lindisfarne artist Mary Flesson.Keep checking back on our Facebook page for updates and join us this summer as we "Walk with the Northern Saints, on a pilgrimage to Lindisfarne".#NorthernSaintsPilgrimage
Being a Praying People - Day by Day with Ss Mark and Anne It has been said that “a church that walks together with God is a church that will thrive and draw others to it”, and so part of our mission and our call must be to become a community of prayer. It can be easy to become discouraged when we pray on our own. There are competing demands on our time, we may not be in the mood, things crop up or we simply forget. We may not even think we have to pray every day. Jesus, though, told us we must persevere with prayer. When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he replied with “Our Father…”. Christian prayer is always “we” prayer – We are the Body of Christ. When we pray, we are never alone, and we pray as part of the Body of Christ. To become a praying community, we are being asked to commit to pray at least the Psalm prayer for the day and the Lord’s prayer (Stage 1), “Day by day with Ss Mark and Anne”, wherever we may be, so that even if we are physically alone, we know that we are always praying with others - with the Body of Christ here in Heyside and Royton and indeed with the wider Church of Christ. Evelyn Underhill, a twentieth century spiritual writer wrote, “The world is full of jangling noises. You know that there are better melodies. But you will never transmit the heavenly music to others unless you yourselves are tuned in to it…giving…it careful and undivided attention during part of each day… you must yourselves be spiritually alive.” By God’s grace may way we walk together as a community of prayer seeking to: stay close to Jesus; live up to our calling as his friends; tune into the heavenly music so we might share that music with others and so do his will. With prayers and blessings, Revd Liz
For wedding/funeral enquiries contact Sylvia Coppock on 01706 846710 or 07900232708For Baptisms enquiries contact Diane Jones on 07961 934763For General Parish business/enquiries contact Barbara Hindle on 07711355960
For wedding/funeral enquiries contact Sylvia Coppock on 01706 846710 or 07900232708For Baptisms enquiries contact Diane Jones on 07961 934763For General Parish business/enquiries contact Barbara Hindle on 07711355960
