St. Mary's Church, Grassendale, Liverpool L19 0NE

Thanks to all who were involved in the fantastic Nativity at St. Mary's !

Celebrating international Messy Sunday St Mary’s brought two congregations together – uniformed organisations Praise Service and L19: Messy Church – for Messy Creation. Everyone was invited to pray, make crafts, sing old songs and new and hear the Messy Message, all on God’s Creation theme. Afterwards they spilled out onto the church gardens for a BBQ and summer plant sale.

New dads & tots group supported by L19: Messy Church

Monthly on Saturday mornings 10am-12noon starting Sat 29th January & then the last Saturday of every month.

Meet other dads & male carers, enjoy bacon butties & newspapers. Pre-school children only. Play equipment.

St Mary’s Church Hall
24th April 2010
11am-4pm
Refreshments
Opportunity to browse
Wanted: books in good condition
Wanted: helpers on the day (I hr of your time)
Tel: Judith: 0151 724 1932 or Joy: 0151 724 3832 or Tony & Cassie: 0151 291 1767

Alpha starts this week at St. Mary's, for more information please contact Alison Ellis.

180 members of L19: Messy Church celebrated Messy Christmas on 5th December with all-age crafts, Christmas puppets and turkey rolls. We look forward to the next time we meet on Sat 13th February 2010.

• See some photos!

Adoring angels and surprised shepherds helped bring the Nativity story to life at St Mary’s 11 am service with KFJ leading the whole service and young George on the keyboard. Well done KFJ!

St Mary’s Tots Team began when Rev Michael Greenwood was incumbent and a focus on welcoming parent/carers with young children became a priority. Over the last 10 years St Mary’s has invited and welcomed all ages and made a fellowship area at the back of church which especially welcomes the very young. A team of 16 now rota a welcome which focuses on young children and resources for their needs as they absorb the whole atmosphere of worship during the service at 11 am. St Mary’s is a ‘Child Friendly Church’ Awarded church which takes provision of the children & young people seriously.

On 20th September Rt Rev James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, preached at St Mary’s Praise Service and commissioned children’s leaders in a service which declared St Mary’s as a Children’s Resource Church for the Diocese of Liverpool. Linda Jones, Team Leader of the Church Growth & Ecumenism Team, described to the congregation, of all ages, what a Resource Church is. Children’s and youth leaders, past and present, were presented with long service certificates by the Bishop of Liverpool in recognition of their ministry at St Mary’s and for God. Bishop James invited every child to come forward for a special blessing and over 100 children were blessed by him during a very special time in this all-age service. St Mary’s has a story to share and would like to encourage other parishes by sharing their story so far.

Organisers of Liverpool Women’s 10K Road Race had extra help this year. St Mary’s Cub Scouts looked after the drinks station at the start/finishing post and gave out thousands of drink bottles to the runners. Members of St Mary’s Church and a Cub Scout leader were cheered on in the race. Congratulations to everyone!

You only have to look at the joy on these children's faces to understand how they all felt on Easter Day when they took their first Holy Communion before Confirmation! Between 40 and 50 children & young people have been on a six week course with all-ages through Lent, lead by Rev Paul Ellis, at each 11 am service. This interactive and visual teaching allowed all ages to ask questions and experience the awe, wonder and grace of being invited to the Lord's Table. In accordance with the Diocesan Policy and authorisation of Bishop James, St Mary's is now one of many parishes in the diocese who admit children to Communion before Confirmation. St Mary's operates an open age policy. After the service the children invited everyone to have cake to celebrate this wonderful occasion.

The April 2009 edition of the Magazine is now available for download (PDF).

St Mary's celebrate Mothering Sunday with daffodils, songs and presentations

In memory of the late Marie Wellings, a member of St Mary's Mothers' Union, a new wedding kneeler was blessed in church on Mothering Sunday. Members of St Mary's Mothers' Union took part in the service and ran a cake stall

St Mary's Scouts took off to Frodsham for their preparation for the 2 day hike & camp element of the Chief Scout Award. Each team had prepared a route card, had to navigate, use an emergency shelter and of course, make a brew!