News from Dane and Trent Circuit: and beyond

On 16th September what is believed to have been an electrical fault caused an explosion in an oil tank belonging to a property adjacent to Lower Withington Chapel. Flames spread to adjacent buildings and destroyed a car. The roof of the chapel was set alight.

In addition, the explosion itself caused extensive damage to the chapel. The ground was littered with children’s books used by the toddlers group who meet at the chapel.

The incident was attended by fire engines from Congleton, Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Lymm and Crewe as well as an aerial ladder platform from Lymm. A photo in the Congleton Chronicle showed a massive plume of smoke spreading hundreds of feet above the chapel.

Following the explosion, services were held in the village hall until the Harvest Festival service on 9th October.

Read more: After the Fire, Hope Renewed

Brookhouse Green replacement organ We had a particulalrly interesting service when the organ started giving out smoke as well as sound. It had to be quickly taken outside and subsequently disposed of. We wondered if Doris had been playing hot jazz on the quiet!

Revd Nic stepped in and lent us a keyboard and then set to work to find us a replacement. This she managed, of course, finding us an organ which was surplus in Tarvin Methodist Church and which, although quite old is in full working order.

This is now in place thanks to Roger, Robert and Barrie who collected it on Roger's trailer. All who have heard it are agreed that it has a much nicer sound and most importantly Doris likes it. Many thanks to Revd Nic.

[From an article in Contact magazine by John Warren].

Rev. Nic leading the service for Boys Brigade volunteers We are delighted to see our very own Rev Nic Langton-Miller being part of the recognition service for Boys' Brigade adult volunteers. She was one of the Boys' Brigade chaplains who led the service at All Saints, Childwall, Liverpool.

Boys' Brigade leaders from across the Liverpool Region gathered at All Saints Church to recognise the service of the adult volunteer community.

The service was led by Boys' Brigade chaplains from across the Battalion and long service awards were presented by the Boys' Brigade Director of Operations, Natalie Whipday, and the North West District President, Alan McLoughlin.

Many thanks to all the adult volunteer leaders.

Setting off from Cloud Chapel on a commemorative walk for Hugh Bourne In celebration of the 250th birthday of Hugh Bourne at Cloud, we began with a walk via some of the farmhouses where Hugh Bourne preached before Cloud chapel was built. Along the route we visited an old Baptist burial area, predating the Primitive Methodists.

Children and adults enjoyed listening to interesting information about the farming families who opened their homes to Hugh Bourne. Those families included the Dakin/Deakin family. We heard about one occasion when a funeral was held at Woodhouse Green Farm, so many people crowded into the farmhouse parlour that the floor collapsed and they all found themselves in the cellar!

JPIT logo JPIT (The Joint Public Issues Team) has created a briefing note about the cost of living crisis. It summarises the problems and actions taken to date, and describes "Ideas for action now and in the months to come".

Changes are also being introduced by The Trussel Trust and others:

"One of the church’s partners in providing foodbanks, the Trussell Trust, has made the decision that its ultimate aim as a charity should not be to feed people, but to work with others in order to end the need for foodbanks. Mass emergency food provision should not be needed in a wealthy nation. Many other charities are reorientating in the same way, and churches have important contributions to make in this change."

See the full briefing note.