ST ANDREW’S, DEARNLEY

WITH Advent well and truly behind us, to say nothing of the Christmas and New Year break, we are well and truly facing a fresh start now with all things 2024, resolutions, new beginnings and the happy knowledge that the days will soon be getting longer and Springtime is not too far away. In Church we are back to something like normality with Sung Eucharist at

9.30am tomorrow (Sunday) and as this is the first Sunday of the month Family Worship at

11.15am and Evening

Prayer at 5pm. Family Worship is so timed that there will be something like half an hour between the end of the first service and the start of the second, thus giving early worshippers time to have a coffee and a natter in the parish room before going back into Church for the Family Service.

Last Sunday it was good to see such a large St Andrew’s representation at a joint service for Anglicans and Methodists at Smithy Bridge Methodists. The church was full, standing-room only, and it was good to see the two denominations coming together so comfortably and with so much friendliness. We should do it more often ... especially the coffee and mince pies bit at the end!

There were no hymn books - but no need because the words of each hymn came up on two big screens at the front of church - and there weren’t enough prayer sheets to go round - an indication, perhaps, that there were more worshippers there than anticipated. Overall, though, it was a service that was well delivered jointly by Rev Ruth

Jackson, Methodist Superintendent for this area, and Rev Rachel Battershell, our vicar at St Andrew’s.

It was dog friendly too - what a great idea for those owners who know how to train dogs to behave themselves in God’s house. For a semi-rural location too it was a great idea.

As has already been stated, let’s have more of the same.

Each can learn something from the other and that’s got to be good. What can we at St Andrew’s learn? For one, singing with gusto.

The Methodists are noted for singing without inhibition. The lady next to this reporter even apologised for NOT singing because she had undergone a procedure that affected her throat.

Doesn’t that tell you something? Away from last Sunday. Please continue to bring items to Church for Rochdale Foodbank so we can continue to help those in need. The Foodbank also requires plastic shopping bags.

To contact anyone at St Andrew’s about anything relating to Church and Church life ring Rev

Battershell on 07748 113121, warden Janice Perkins on 07730 367919, warden Christine Longhurst on 07766 404 282 or Lay Reader Geoff Hurst on 370 047.