St Margaret’s Church in Burnage is having a year of celebrations to mark 150 years since it was founded. The church has lined up an exciting calendar of events to bring the congregation and community together in joy, reflection, and gratitude for a century and a half of service.
Revd Matt Calladine shares his excitement about the anniversary, saying, "Any anniversary is a great opportunity for mission and outreach – even more so when it is a century and a half! We’ve been preparing since January 2023 with our Mission Action Plan, starting with a year of preparation, then a year to honour the laying of the church's foundation stone in 1874. Now, we are in our year of celebration.”
So far, the festivities have included:
A launch weekend in January, marked by an afternoon tea followed by a special Epiphany worship service led by Bishop Mark Davies.
A Celebration of Marriage in February, when the registers were out, a cake was made and the local community were invited to come and celebrate marriage. As part of the celebration there was a short service where couples were given the opportunity to renew their vows and sing along to some wedding hymns. The service was followed by tea and cake.
The excitement continued over a consecration weekend on 14th and 15th March, with an incredible exhibition at St Margaret’s on the Saturday and a ‘Bring and Share’ lunch on the Sunday. Curated by two church members, the exhibition documented the church’s history and was followed by a quiz and parlour games evening. The next day, Bishop Mark Ashcroft, who used to serve as a curate at St Margaret’s, returned to preach at the Sunday morning service. Afterwards, over 100 people gathered for a ‘Bring and Share’ lunch, which involved plenty of food and fellowship.
The celebrations don’t stop there, and there is much more to come throughout the rest of the year. Revd Matt is especially looking forward to events in May and September:
“Star Wars Sunday – May the Fourth. This will be a Sunday Morning worship service with a resurrection theme, where people will have the option to dress up or dig out their Star Wars merchandise! We are also looking forward to the Alpha Course in September. While the anniversary celebrations are full of fun, the year is also about mission and supplying people with pathways to deepen or discover faith in a welcoming and supportive environment.”
As St Margaret’s reflects on 150 years of faith and community impact, Matt also shares his hopes for the church’s continued legacy: "We’re praying for new believers, and our vision is clear. We want to ensure a stable future for St Margaret’s, one that will allow us to celebrate 200 years in 2075 and beyond. In fact, we’re hoping to still be going strong in 2175, celebrating another 150 years!"
Please keep St Margaret’s in your prayers as they continue their 150-year celebrations and look forward to many more years of mission, service, and joy.