News & Views

Dear Friends

Hey! Here’s an idea. A talk – but it’s “online”! You know, you watch it through your computer. Yes, I know. What a wacky notion. I bet nobody else has thought of it. It’s so modern.

Heigh ho. One can but try.

So anyhow…

Just in case you can’t spend nearly enough time looking at a screen, here’s more.

I am doing a talk (entirely new) on 11 February which may interest you.

It’s for the CCT (Churches Conservation Trust), and titled: ’Dreams, Distractions and Destruction: Britain’s lost Arts & Crafts Churches’.

It is at lunchtime: 1 p.m.

The talk is free and open to all. If you are interested, you can sign up here: https://www.facebook.com/events/147756693521434

In March 2020 daffodils  were in flower in the garden, the same clump have a bulb in bud today, will we have another flower in the same year?

The leaves are falling and filling the gutters and hoppers. If they are not cleared it could result in water ingress and damp. I am pleased to say these leaves were cleared today.

The Rev. Caroline Wickens departs Long Street Methodist Church to continue her 45 mile sponsored ride around the Churches in the Circuit.  Donations are  in aid of the Faith Network for Manchester and donations can be made via the Ride for Faiths Together page on gofundme.com

Go to the Web site manchestermethodist.org.uk  to see the Week by Week worship list.

Worship for Sunday 18th October, by Deacon Pru Cahill

Why not try viewing or listening to the live daily prayers at 10.00am  and streaming throughout the day from Wesley’s Chapel.

Following the long lock down, Theo (martial arts leader) held his first session on Monday last. Although having to have his classes outside to conform to guide lines, it was good to see the premises in use once again. After this Monday’s  outside session, he should be able to move back inside during the last week of the month.

While doing our weekly check of the building this morning, I opened the main church door to check the rain hopper and was surprised to be greeted by a delivery man. On balance he was more surprised than me to see the church door open. The delivery was a copy of a new book, by Julian Treuherz and Peter De Figueiredo, in which they “pull back the curtain to reveal 111 fascinating and eccentric destinations” in and around Manchester. “Edgar Wood in Middleton”, together with a photo of the garden and church feature at number 32 (alphabetic order). I suggest the church and school rooms fall in the fascinating category rather than the eccentric!

In line with the Methodist Church policy I did the weekly buildings check, as the Church is not being used during lock down. Shortly before 11.35, I noticed the sun shining on the font and took a photograph, while watching the shadow I was surprised to see how fast the shadow was moving across the stone and bronze sculpture and took a second image. Note the time between the two images and the distance the shadow travels.

The road outside the Church was awash on Sunday before the start of the service at 11am.  Inside did not escape water ingress, staining can be seen on the wall in the photograph below.