St Elisabeth Reddish

When the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd. Nigel McCulloch, visited St Elisabeth's Reddish on Tuesday 10 March 2009 he was given the opportunity to play the historic Hill organ, he was delighted to accept. The story made it into the local press, raising the profile of the recently-launched £100,000 restoration project to secure the instrument for future generations.

Before touring the organ loft, the bishop prayed with a small group in church. Bishop Nigel also visited the ringing chamber in the tower and met four of the ecumenical team of ringers who ring in several towers.

St Elisabeth's also worships in the nearby Community Centre and follows the regular Wednesday morning communions service with a an open house with tea, toast and chat. The bishop visited the centre where the Women`s Guild were hosting a children`s party for Sunday school children and their parents.

The bishop also met children from the school council at St Elisabeth`s CE School who showed him round an exhibition of school archives and gave him a souvenir mug and history of the school.

The community reception for over a hundred was next door in the school hall. Deputy Mayor of Stockport Mike Wilson attended. Accompanied by some (though not all) local councillors,  chief-superintendent Neil Wain, school staff from Reddish Vale HS and St Elisabeth's local business people and clergy and laity from Churches Together in Reddish.

Many of those attending the reception joined church members for the pilgrimage service which was a Eucharist presided over by the bishop.  The Run the Race baton was received by the Revd. Angie Stanton, priest-in-charge since 2008, and the bishop preached on Jesus'

Photos from this Run the race Bishop's pilgrimage

words 'I am the Vine and you are the branches'

"The service gave people an opportunity to celebrate being St Elisabeth's. For me, having been in the parish a year, Run the Race was a very positive expression of all that St Elisabeth's has been and is." said the Revd. Angie Stanton.


"We're very proud of our past and the bishop's visit gave us an opportunity to dream about the future and what we shall be: to think about how to make connections and engage with the next generation. It was a chance to celebrate  and to appreciate all that is good.

"The anointing with oil after communion was a very healing experience - so we are able to say: "We're in a good place".

At the end of the service the oldest member of the church community, Tom (88) passed the baton to the youngest Evie (1) who then returned it to the bishop.