June 2022
Welcome to our What's On page. Here you will see a list of activities that are going on within and across our three churches. If an item relates to a particular church, it will be indicated at the start as follows:
CTS: Christ The Servant, Digmoor
SMD: St Michael's Dalton
STM: St Thomas The Martyr, Up Holland
PARISH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - MON 16 MAY
This was a very useful, well attended and important meeting in the life of our parish. A copy of the report can be found online here and minutes will follow as soon as written up.
JUBILEE THEMED COFFEE MORNING AT SMD - TUES 7 JUNE
10.30am-12.30pm ar SMD. All welcome.
THE OCCASIONAL SINGERS CONCERT AT SMD - FRI 10 JUNE
A special Platinum Jubilee Celebration concert will be given by these great singers, with audience participation encouraged in the second half! Tickets £8 including refreshments and are available from Barry Moult at SMD or on the door.
ARCHDEACON'S VISITATION - MON 13 JUNE
This is the service when Churchwardens are sworn into their office and PCC members and sides people (welcomers) are welcomed and encouraged in their work and ministry. For our Deanery, this tales place on Monday 13 June 7.30pm at St Michael's, Aughton. Churchwardens who cannot attend this service need to attend another Visitation Service because the swearing into office is required.
BURST INTO SONG - EVERY FRIDAY @ THE HUB STM
A new weekly singing support group for people with dementia has been set up. We need volunteers to come and enjoy singing together to offer support for those with dementia and their carers.. Every Friday 12.30pm at STM.
PCC MEETING - WEDS 22 JUNE
Taking place at St Michael\'s, Dalton. 7.30pm start.
PAUL GIVENS' ORDINATION - SUN 26 JUNE
Paul Givens will be ordained Deacon on Sun 26 June at Liverpool Cathedral. If you would like to go and want to travel on a coach from the parish, please add your name to the list at the back of each church as soon as possible, so we can cater for the required number of parishioners wishing to travel in this way. Please do your. best to attend and support Paul in his amazing journey.
PLEASE NOTE: there will be no morning services at any of our churches that morning, but a joint service to welcome Paul as curate will be held at CTS at 6pm that day.
PARISH PLANNING DAY - SAT 17 SEPT
Members from all three churches are encouraged to attend, in order to help clarify priorities for the next year. 10am-4pm, venue TBC.
IMPORTANT CHANGES AHEAD FOR ST THOMAS THE MARTYR
The bad news is that dry rot has been discovered in the North and South wings of the church. This is extremely serious - the fungus works its way through concrete, meaning that it needs to be dealt with urgently. The good news is that it means that, as part of the work needed to remove it, we can develop the next stage of changing the space within church to be more flexible and serve the community and congregation in the way that the building was intended. Please watch Paul's video here, and which can also be found on the home page.
We shall update you here with any future requirements to close the building so that work can commence.
FOOD BANK & CO-OP
We can now do even more to support our Food Bank. If you shop at the Co-op, please make sure you have a membership card and swipe it every time you shop there. Also, make sure you register and say you want to support UP Holland Community Hub Food Bank. Then for every £1 you spend in the Co-op, 2p goes to your membership card and 2p to the food bank! You can register by clicking here. Simply sign in or register, go to 'Choose a local cause' and select the Food Bank. The Co-op is also one of the generous suppliers to the food bank, so thanks to everyone involved.
PARISH SOCIAL EVENTS
There are lots of social events planned currently, especially by CTS and SMD, some of which are mentioned below. All the funds raised go directly to that church, so please do your best to support these events, and bring your friends along. After all, they are organised for YOU!
DONATIONS: PLEASE AVOID USIING CHEQUES!
Our bank, HSBC, has informed us that they now charge 40p for every cheque banked. We are, of course, extremely grateful for every donation and appreciate that using cheques is still a preferred method for a small number of people. However, we are sure that you will appreciate this not being an efficient payment method any more. Electronic bank transfers are far cheaper and more efficient, to the degree that cheques will no doubt be ultimately phased out. It would be so much cheaper for us if those of you who donate via cheque could use either cash or bank transfer; if you would like to donate via bank transfer, please obtain the bank details from one of our church wardens - we cannot display on this site due to security and data protection regulations.
UP HOLLAND COMMUNITY HUB - HELP REQUIRED
The formal opening of the Up Holland Community Hub took place on Friday 30 April. The Hub involves the Post Office and Becket's Café at St Thomas The Martyr Parish Church, and the food bank at St Thomas The Martyr Primary School. Volunteers are needed for all aspects of the support - if you can help in any way, or would like to find out more, please email hubsecretary@uphollanddalton.org.uk .
FUNERALS, BAPTISMS AND WEDDINGS
Please use the forms in the above menu to make a request and contact the clergy.
MONEY COUNTING
We are making arrangements so that all collections and money paid to the churches and parish can be counted and banked centrally. We need people from all three churches to volunteer to do this (one day on the week), at the moment planned for Tuesday morning. Please speak to a churchwarden if you would willing to help out.
FOOD BANK
Please leave donations in any of our churches and they will be sent to a local food bank where food and other items (e.g. toiletries) are desperately needed. Please be as generous as you can in these challenging times. Weekend supplies can be found from 10am onwards at St Thomas The Martyr church, with a donations tin available for those whom are able to contribute. These donations allow the Food Bank volunteers to buy goods that are not donated by stores, e.g. toiletries, nappies.
PARISH MAGAZINE
The monthly parish magazine has now been replaced by The Beacon Newsletter, which will be available on this site shortly
AND FINALLY...
We are working on a revamped website. Stay tuned for a brand new look for the Beacon Churches!