Christmas would be nothing without Santa Claus aka Father Christmas. Yet we know next to nothing about the universally popular saint, Nicholas, behind all this. His name lingers on in the 400 or more churches named after him.
In Nottingham city centre St Nicholas’s church has a congregation of 400. Led by Steve Silvester, the ministry team of five makes a strong pitch for students at the two Nottingham universities and ensures that its programme meets their needs. All the pews have been removed in a church with a history dating back to 1100. It has a pleasing weakness for alliteration in describing its Sunday services.
St Nicholas’s church, Cole Abbey in the City of London ministers to a commuting congregation with lunch-time services to the fore. ‘Our conviction is to know Jesus and to make him known,’ is the watchword. Chris Fishlock, the minister in charge, has four assistant ministers and a strong finance team. ‘We love London,’ he says and points out the opportunity in front of the post-war refurbished Wren church with City workers coming into the neighbourhood daily.
‘A church for everyone’ is how St Nicholas’s church, Durham describes itself. Once it had a former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, for its vicar. Now it has a self-styled Brummie, Arun Arora, in that post. One of the curates, Maeve Sherlock, has the distinction of being a member of the House of Lords. The church describes itself as ‘open evangelical’ and makes a point of putting faith stories in a prominent position on its website. The church has a particular welcome for students. When George Carey was vicar, he removed the church pews and bequeathed an open goal for his successors, who have made good use of a prime opportunity. Arun Arora came into the ministry after a varied career as market trader, employment lawyer and various other occupations.
Thames Ditton, Surrey has a historic parish church dating back in part to Norman times. It claims to have one of the finest fonts in the county dating from 1120. At present it is campaigning to support its second Burundi ordinand, Bosco Nkuruknziz through his training to the tune of £1,000. The church is engaged in an Alpha course.
St Nicholas’s church, Studland is another Norman gem. It serves a coastal Dorset parish near the entrance to Poole harbour. With a Romanesque Norman building and the Isle of Purbeck as its background, it says that ‘Welcome’ is its mission statement. Tony Higgins is the resident priest and the parish is part of the Swanage and Studland team ministry led by John Mann. ‘Studland Parish News’ (28 pages) is edited by Sharon Westman. In the September issue she says the magazine will continue to adapt as required by the coronavirus emergency.
Back with a 40-page issue after a five-month absence is the stylish print magazine of Wisley with St Nicholas, Pyrford, Surrey. Edited by Eldon Sandys, it is being distributed to every home in the parish. Editorial content majors on the new normal, with a variety of contributors from the three churches putting their points of view on what that means.
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