Our church is one of the eight
covenanted churches (including two chapels) of Fulwood and Broughton listed
below.
Click on the thumbnails for larger photos and more details.
See also photo albums of joint outings and more activities 2000-2007
Since the Covenant was signed we have worked hard to form friendships between members of the various churches. We hold regular joint services which vary from quiet meditation to an experience of the various worship traditions of each church. Young people as well as old have always been encouraged to participate. One such gathering was at Corpus Christi High School on January 2nd 2000 for a celebration of the Millenium and recently we have met in each other's churches for Church Unity Week.
In recent years a day out has become a new and enjoyable feature. In 1998 representatives of all the churches of the covenant filled a coach for a visit to Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. We were given permission to hold a service in the ruins of the Abbey. On the return journey we visited Ampleforth and were given a guided tour. On September 4th 1999 a similar coach party visited Durham, a first for many of those taking part. The weather was perfect which made the coach journey through Yorkshire and Northumberland an added bonus. A tour of the Cathedral was followed by a shared Evensong for which we joined the choir in their stalls. It was marvellous to stand in the sunshine by the tomb of Bede in the Galilee Chapel and to visit the tomb of St Cuthbert. There was still time enough to pause during the day and time to see some of the city and to spend a quiet hour down by the river Wear.
History of the Covenant
Much of the impetus for the forming of the Covenant came from the personal friendship of Fr. Francis Worden, the former parish priest of Our Lady and St Edward's and Canon Adams, the former Vicar of St John's, Broughton.
Church Unity Week in 1970 began with a series of annual sermons in one another's pulpits and the Call to the North two years later brought further steps towards ecumenism. The church leaders in the north of England called for combined efforts to evangelise those in ignorance of the Christian message. Crosses were carried through different parts of the northern counties and invitations were made to attend a service in Preston Parish Church where a cross was briefly erected before being taken on its way. from "A Story of the Parish" by T.A.Smith |
In Fulwood members of the Anglican, Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches joined together in a short service on the playing fields, now known as St George's, on Good Friday. This became an annual event for a few years but was eventually discontinued because of the uncertainty of the weather.
However moves were being made by the Preston Council of Churches to promote inter-denominational co-operation and areas were divided into smaller groupings for this purpose. The local parishes took the title of Fulwood and Broughton Council of Churches, each providing a clerical and a lay representative. They were involved for several years in organising the joint services of Unity Week in January and also in a highly successful project of arranging holidays for 30 Belfast Catholic and Protestant children. Enthusiasm for the work of this Council led to the signing of a Covenant, the first in the Lancaster Diocese. All the religious leaders of the parishes were involved at a special service in January 1988
For the 1992 Preston Guild the churches co-operated for the first time in a joint procession. So many wished to take part that it had to take place over two days, the west of the town on the Monday and the east on the Tuesday. This was so successful that it was felt in the Fulwood and Broughton churches that there should be an annual event of a similar kind. For a couple of years the procession was organised with two floats, one for the band and the other for the music group. It took place in July. The Walk of Witness, as it came to be known, continued to be popular and well-attended for a number of years at one or other of the churches or chapels of the covenant until July 1999 when it had to be called off because of torrential rain after people had assembled at St Peter's to walk to St Clare's.
How you can help:
- HOSPITAL INFORMATION DESK
A few more volunteers are needed for the rota operated through "Churches Together". Contact Alan Clarke, Fulwood Methodist ChurchChurches Together in Britain and Ireland
The official website (which includes 'Racial Justice' )
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Churches
Together in Unity Week The theme for Unity Week this year was fountains and the role of water used for baptism, for cleansing and for life. For the service in Our Lady & St Edward's we were joined by members of the other Fulwood & Broughton churches and our Bishop Patrick (O'Donoghue) who had come as part of a Deanery visit and attended as a member of the congregation. He is seen here talking to Fred. |
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| December 2001 Churches Together at Christmas Carols at Booths on a Saturday morning near Christmas now becoming a regular and popular event. |
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