Thursday 2nd February                  10.00am Holy Communion

Sunday 5th February                     9.45am Holy Communion
4th Sunday before Lent                 3pm Evensong
                                                                 Service at Newhey Manor at 11.30am

Thursday 9th February                 10.00am Holy Communion

Sunday 12th February                   9.45am Holy Communion & Baptism
3rd Sunday before Lent
PARADE SUNDAY                             3pm Evensong

Thursday 16th February                10.00am Holy Communion

Sunday 19th February                   9.45am Holy Communion
2nd Sunday before Lent                3pm Evensong

Thursday 23rd February               10.00am Holy Communion

Sunday 26th February                  9.45am Holy Communion
Sunday Next before Lent              3pm Evensong

Wednesday 1st March                   7.30pm Service of Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
Ash Wednesday

Thursday 2nd March                     10.00am Holy Communion

Sunday 5th March                        9.45am Holy Communion
1st Sunday of Lent                        3pm Evensong
                                                   Service at Newhey Manor at 11.30am

Dear friends,

At the time of writing, the second phase of our church building restoration programme is coming to a close. All the work that was scheduled to be done, has been done, and to a very high standard.

The external gates at the West end of the churchyard have also been lovingly restored and are now back in place.

A couple of months ago, all I could think of was a neat and tidy church building, free from scaffolding, dust, paint, plaster etc.

However, the whole experience, whilst being sometimes disruptive, has been a pleasant one - not least due to the care, sensitivity and respect that has been afforded to us and St Thomas Church by the Main Contractors - Lambert Walker.

We feel that we have made friends with all their workers and in a strange sort of way, even though all the work has been completed, we will miss their presence around the place.

And so we move on.

Ash Wednesday falls on 1st March 2006 - and there will be a Service of Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes at 7.30pm.

I am keen that as Christians, we should observe the beginning of Lent, and as such, recognise Ash Wednesday for what it is - a day of obligation.

Also, as in previous years, I would encourage any who are candidates for Confirmation to attend this service.

Historically, Easter was always the time when people were confirmed in the faith, and the beginning of Lent was always seen as a natural starting point for their final preparations.

This year, the Confirmation Service will be hosted by St Ann, Belfield on Monday 3rd July 2006 at 7pm. Please let me know if you wish to offer yourself as a candidate.

With every good wish,

February 5th         4th Sunday before Lent                     1 Corinthians 9:16-23                           Mark 1:29-39

February 12th       3rd Sunday before Lent                     1 Corinthians 9: 24-27                         Mark 1:40-45

February 19th       2nd Sunday before Lent                     Colossians 1: 15-20                            John 1:1-14 

February 26th       Sunday next before Lent                    2 Corinthians 4:3-6                              Mark 9:2-9

March 5th             1st Sunday of Lent                               1 Peter 3:18-22                                    Mark 1:9-15

Your Parish Church

Once again a new year is beginning and, like most of us, St Thomas' Church is having to look to its resources and commitments, to try to budget for the coming year's expenditure.

As you will appreciate, the day-to-day running costs which are familiar to all of us, eg heating, electricity, insurance, are increasing year on year and it is necessary for us to try to increase our income simply in order to cover these, let alone other items which may become payable during the year.

It is obvious to all of us who live in Newhey and its surrounding area that the church building is a landmark seen for miles around, and everyone who travels on the motorway is aware of its presence. When we return from holiday (or just travelling back from work or a day out) the sight of the spire seen from afar lets us know that we are nearly home and back in our familiar, well-loved village.

We know that there is something special about Newhey which draws us back, even in some cases from considerable distances, and people who are born and brought up in Newhey have a bond with, and great affection for, the village. People who come to live here after being newly-wed and setting up home tend to stay, and it then becomes the place in which they bring up their children, taking them to church, enrolling them in the local schools, etc, and the cycle goes on.

We would all agree that our church is a great (if not the greatest) contributor to this feeling of being welcomed home whenever we enter Newhey, and former residents who now have to live elsewhere still feel themselves to be definitely "at home" here; some still make a special effort to attend services whenever possible.

Please think about the part St Thomas' plays in the life of Newhey, and how we would feel if it were no longer there, looking out over the village and being there for the most important events of our lives -when we are Christened, Confirmed, married, and then taking us home to God when our earthly lives are over. During the past few years, several special services took place at St Thomas' to celebrate these landmarks, and all who took part in them found them enjoyable and deeply moving.

However, it is not just these special occasions that St Thomas' is here for. Our church is there all the time, for everyone living in the parish of Newhey to enjoy even if they do not attend services, and it is fair to ask everyone to consider making donations towards our running costs.

Once again, we would mention that all donations made under the Gift Aid Scheme will make them worth more by enabling us to reclaim the tax already paid by the giver, and only needs a simple declaration form to be signed.

You have already shown your interest in our church by taking the magazine each month, and will he aware that this year marks the 130' anniversary of the founding of St Thomas' - please help us to ensure that it is still there watching over our village for at least the next 130 years.

Slide Show

We have just managed to secure an additional event to our social calendar - a showing of some of the best photographic slide images from the many club photographers throughout Great Britain.

This superb show is to be held in our school hall on Monday 13th February commencing at 7.30pm and is only one of three showings in the whole of the Lancashire and Cheshire region.

For further information and tickets please contact John Smith or just come along on the night - this is an evening not to be missed!

Building Works

Those who attend church regularly will have seen how well the building works have progressed since their commencement in late July.

The skill, care and obvious dedication of our main contractors, Lambert Walker Conservation and Restoration Ltd has ensured that the work has been carried out to the highest standards with the minimum disruption to our Services.

Our thanks go to the Managing Director, Adrian Walker, and his Quantity Surveyor, Mark Antrobus for all the forethought that went into planning the work. Special thanks goes to the Contracts Supervisor, Marcus Walker, who was always available on site, actively ensuring that the work was carried out to a high standard and on schedule. He always listened to any concerns that we might have had and was only too willing to show the church representatives around the work that was going on.

Thanks also go to our Architect, John Prichard of Lloyd Evans Prichard, our Quantity Surveyor, Matthew Lee of T Sumner Smith, and to our Structural Engineer, Fred Tandy.

Finally this work would not have been possible without all the many kind and generous donations received by our joint appeals secretaries, Derek and Christine Hambler and the essential grants from English Heritage/ the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Diocese of Manchester and the Pennines Township.

The last bits of the work are now taking place along with the general tidying up - we hope that when you look around the church you will think that it has all been worthwhile.

There will be more work to be done in the future to the transepts, the high roof and windows to further ensure that the building remains in good condition for future generations to Worship here.

Fellowship Group

Our Fellowship group do not meet during the winter months - their first meeting will be on March 1st -make a note of the date in your diary!

Burns Night

Our Burns Night Celebrations took place in the school on the 28th January - there will be a full report and hopefully pictures in the next issue of the magazine

Parish Prayers

Bible Sentence 
Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God; I will seek to do thee good. 
Psalm 122:9

Our Prayers
Eternal and Living God, who graciously promises your presence wherever two or three are gathered in your name;
We give you thanks that “Phase 2” of the renovation work of our parish church have been brought to a successful completion.
We thank you for the skill and perseverance of the builders, 
The careful guidance and administration of the Architect, Engineer and all who have overseen these works
And the vision and boldness of our Parish Priest, the Parochial Church Council and its Treasurer, in commissioning and finding the means to finance this operation.

Especially at this time Lord, we thank you, for all who have generously contributed towards raising the finances to carry out this work. 
May St Thomas’s church always serve to advance the work of God in this place,
May it never cease to be a place of worship and prayer in Newhey, 
Direct and bless the work that it does,
May it continue to be a place of instruction for our Christian life,
A place of service to God and service to our parish, 
A place of witness to your redeeming love,
And direct its servants to sustain the people of Newhey by their deeds, prayers and example.

Parish Concerns
All who have kept the church building clean during the work,
The perseverance of our congregation and Sunday School during the disruptions.

Wider Concerns
The future of all church buildings in our Diocese,
All who care for them and worship in them,
 Ogden Baptist Church.