|
Service Times
Sunday: 10.00 Sung Eucharist Monday: 19.30 Eucharist Thursday: 19.30 Eucharist Friday: 08.30 Morning Prayer Contact Church Office: 0161 224 0535 Email: holyinnocentsff@gmail.com Latest news UPCOMING DATES Monday September 3rd: “At home in church” farewell meal and gathering for the Zweck Lench family (off to Australia in the early hours of Tuesday morning) 4.30-6.30pm. Saturday September 22nd: The Golden Jubilee of Ordination for the Revd Bill Wilson will be celebrated with a Eucharist at St James Sussex Gardens, London W2 3UD at 12 noon. Previous news THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARENA BOMB ATTACK: MAY 22ND, 2018. The church will be open tomorrow, May 22nd from 8 – 9.30am for anyone who wishes to come in to light a candle or take a moment to remember. It will be open again from 2-3pm, and we will join in the national 2 minutes silence at 2.30pm. Last year, the day after the attack, the church was open during the day. As people sat in silence, the sound of the police going into the house where the attacker had lived was clearly heard. Members of our congregation who were nearby were shocked to see armed police and the helicopter flying overhead. Later conversations with members of the emergency services brought home the real sense of horror and the long term effects of what had happened and the damage that was done. Our prayers today are for those who died, for their families and friends who still mourn them. And for this city – that love may be stronger that hatred, and may change the hearts of those who would turn to violence. All are welcome to join us. APPOINTMENT OF NEW RECTOR In November the details of the parish were published, and the post of Rector, as a half-time post, was advertised. An interview was held just before Christmas. We can now announce that the Revd Richard Young has been appointed as our new Rector. Richard is an established and long-term friend and supporter of this parish. He has helped us out at least once or twice a month during our interregnum, and on some weekdays as well. He lives in the parish. He has been a non-stipendiary priest for nearly 20 years. His aim, on retirement, was to take up a house for duty post. Circumstances have led to his rethinking this. Richard tells us that he is drawn to this parish with its balance of action and contemplation, and feels a certain amount of trepidation where taking on the sacramental and Eucharistic tradition is concerned, but is ready to work at it. He is hoping to be present with us electronically over the next few weeks, and we hope that he can take up his role officially after Easter. If you need to contact us regarding the reading of banns, for funerals or for other information please contact us by phone or email as shown above and we will get back to you as soon as possible. About us The Holy Innocents Fallowfield is one of very few Anglican churches in the country named for the children who Matthew’s gospel tells us were killed by Herod in his rage after the visit of the Magi. Their feast day is three days after Christmas, on December 28th – out of bible chronology with the feast of the Epiphany, and a bit of a contrast with the celebration of the Nativity. For many years now the church has drawn people from beyond the actual boundaries of the parish. Family links and ties, people who have arrived in Manchester for work or study and stayed, and in more recent times a large cohort of Iranian converts to Christianity. The majority population of the parish are the students who live in the houses and halls of residence near the church for about nine months of the year. This means we have a constantly changing community around us. The church is on Wilbraham Road, just near the junction with Wilmslow Road. Our congregation is very mixed. The people around you if you come to a service could be anything: student, lecturer, asylum seeker, nurse, judge, refugee, florist, wrestler…. They are drawn to be part of the worship offered here, to feel part of the generations of prayer that have filled the walls, to be in what has been described as a ‘thin space’ where the veil between this world and the next can sometimes seem quite transparent. We sing music from every century and from across the world, we use a formal liturgy with structure, space and silence. Holy Innocents is a church where Eucharistic worship – the centrality of the mass, or Holy Communion – is at the heart of its life and witness. The liturgical year is kept in full, particularly at Christmas and Easter. The church is in the Deanery of Hulme, one of the deaneries of the Diocese of Manchester. The worship is formal - predictable elements are repeated at each service. The readings are taken from the Church of England lectionary, with designated readings for each day. There are candles, sometimes incense, a robed team of ministers and the Eucharist is presided over by a priest. Great emphasis is placed on the importance of this sacrament, and other sacraments. Silence and time for reflection are equally important. The church has a history of involvement in social justice issues. We see it as part of our Christian mission and duty to offer care and support to those who might for whatever reason be vulnerable, or in challenging circumstances. Due to our name, we feel a strong link to the ‘innocents’ of the world: not only children, but all those who for whatever reason are powerless or unable to affect their own futures. While the worship of the community is formal and focused, we hope that the welcome extended to newly arrived members is warm and balanced. The community is used to change and turnover: people who stay for a while and move on, and people who leave and then return. People who come into church are welcomed and valued. The church seeks to be a place where people can be who they are before God. Music, imagery and symbolism are important, and people can be drawn to the worship by this. People who come into the church are sometimes struck by the uncluttered but welcoming structure. A large resurrection crucifix dominates the wall. The risen Christ’s arms are there to include and embrace. This shape is extended in the layout of the sanctuary. We try not to use too many words, and to make them count. We pray for those who are ill, for the departed and remember the anniversaries of those who have died. This is important, as it gives congregants the sense of belonging to a community which is greater than just the one church. Over the years, non-English speakers have attended services at the church and found themselves able to feel involved and moved despite not understanding every word. Local and useful links: St James’ School St Aphrahat |