www.wansteadparish.org https://www.wansteadparish.org:443 News for www.wansteadparish.org en-gb Tue, 23 May 2023 15:28:50 +0100 Copyright: (C) Christ Church 15 Policies parishofwanstead_35801 Tue, 23 May 2023 15:28:50 +0100 https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/711/Policies Wanstead Church School parishofwanstead_30708 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:48:42 +0100 Graded “Outstanding” by Ofsted in 2017, Wanstead Church School is a small and friendly school that offers outstanding teaching and a strong and positive community that extends well beyond the school gates.

Amazing, dedicated and talented

Amazing children and dedicated, talented staff keep things as vibrant and happy as they have always been. The Christian faith remains at the very heart of the school's approach: learning about who we are is just as important as learning new skills and knowledge.

To learn more about Wanstead Church School please click here

Thinking about applying to a faith based Primary or Secondary school?

Every year, we sign lots of church attendance references for faith based primary and secondary schools both nationally and locally. Here are some top tips for you to consider. Please note: These are suggestions only and are, by no means, exhaustive. Please do get in touch with the Rector if you have any questions. He is always very happy to help wherever he can.

If you are considering sending your children to a faith based primary or secondary school, may we remind you of your responsibility to:

  • contact the school(s) directly to clarify what their admissions criteria are;
  • clarify what they require from the minister of religion who is required to give a church reference so that you understand fully what you may need from us to assist with your application as soon as possible; and also to
  • clarify whether the school is likely to amend their admissions criteria anytime soon so that you remain fully up to date with any potential changes to the admissions policies.

If St. Mary’s or Christ Church, Wanstead is your worshipping church, may we also ask you to contact the parish office as soon as possible to let us know of your admissions intentions and requirements so that we can help you to understand our internal procedures and so that, with your permission, we may open up a confidential file for your family?

We can also assist by issuing the yellow cards designed to help you to evidence church attendance for primary school applications, and blue cards to help you to evidence church attendance for secondary schools.

As these cards become full, please remember to take them to the parish office to be photocopied and kept on your file. Sadly, we cannot help if they get lost or get rinsed in the washing machine!

Once again, if you have any questions about this, please contact the Rector. He will be very happy to discuss this with you and your family.

]]> https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/17/Wanstead-Church-School Partner Churches parishofwanstead_30707 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:48:33 +0100 We regularly join together with other churches in Wanstead for prayer and fellowship, and for our Good Friday walk of witness. You can find links to their websites here:
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church
  • Wanstead United Reformed Church

We are part of a wider group of Anglican churches who serve the local area. Together we run pilgrimages, children’s work and events. You can find links to them here:

If you prefer a more evangelical Anglican church, why not try our friends in Holy Trinity, Hermon Hill?

Along with Wanstead U.R.C., we share a long-standing link with Christus Kirche, a church in the small town of Engelskirchen, which is part of the largest protestant church in Germany.

The highlight of this link is an annual exchange visit between a group of parishioners coming from Engelskirchen to Wanstead and a return visit in the following year. Visitors enjoy the hospitality of local families, and a dynamic programme of visits and shared worship.

]]> https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/16/Partner-Churches Giving parishofwanstead_30702 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:46:44 +0100 Christ Church and St Mary’s in Wanstead Parish have been loved and supported by congregation members, local people and visitors for generations.

Today the parish is built on the foundations of those who have gone before us, and on the generosity of those who support our churches in the here and now.

We are very grateful to all who support Wanstead Parish through financial gifts, and also to those who support the church with their time and talents. If you’d like to support our work in the parish or wider community, read on.

Making a donation

It costs the parish over £4,000 a week in order to maintain our presence in Wanstead. We receive no government support and are entirely reliant on your goodwill.

One-off donations can be made to the Parish by:

Bank transfer:

A/C Name: Parish of Wanstead PCC
A/C Number: 91115316 (HSBC)
Sort Code: 40-07-18

Please complete the attached Gift Aid form if eligible and send to the PCC Treasurers.

Online Giving

You can also donate online:

Donate Now

Planned Giving

Regular giving to support the ministry and mission of the Church is an important part of the spiritual life and of Christian discipleship. Our church is growing, relevant and outward looking. We already do a lot, but there’s so much more we could be doing, if we had the resources.

If you’re still using the yellow or white envelopes, or donating by standing order, we’d love you to switch to the new Parish Giving Scheme. Just switching over automatically saves us money, but also helps us budget for and plan our activities. To sign up, you can call 0333 002 1260 or {email_encode:info@parishgiving.org.uk,link=email us}. You will need the parish number when you phone up to join, which is 080608162.

If you have any questions about making a donation or planned giving, the PCC Treasurers will be very happy to help. Details of all giving are kept strictly confidential by the Treasurers and Planned Giving coordinator.

]]> https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/11/Giving Our History parishofwanstead_30698 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:45:47 +0100

Early days

Although it is not known when the parish of Wanstead came into existence, the first mention of the parish was in 1208. An account tells of a dispute between the Rector, John of St. Laurence and the Priory of Holy Trinity, Aldgate about tithes. The rector was also a canon at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Tudor Wanstead

The manor of Wanstead and the right to appoint the rector passed into Royal hands when it was sold to Henry VII in 1499 for £360. Sir Richard Rich, one of the chief accusers of Sir Thomas More and a Lord Chancellor, made Wanstead his country residence and rebuilt the house. When Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen in Norwich and returned to London to oust Lady Jane Grey, her sister Elizabeth rode out to meet her at Wanstead. The Welbeck or Wanstead Portrait of Elizabeth I by Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder c1585 is well known.

Earl of Leicester

Wanstead was soon bought by Queen Elizabeth’s favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester who entertained the Queen there from time to time. After Leicester’s death, it passed to his step-son, another favourite of Queen Elizabeth, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.

Stuart Wanstead

James I visited Wanstead many times and was regularly in residence at the house. Texts survive of a number of significant sermons preached at Wanstead Church in the presence of the king. During the Civil War and Commonwealth, Wanstead church was closely involved in the Presbyterian organisation of Essex parishes. Perhaps because of its anti-Royalist associations and various changes of ownership, Wanstead was no longer a fashionable place after the Restoration.

The East India Company

Josiah Child, governor of the East India Company, used his wealth to buy the estate of Wanstead. He was commemorated in 1699 by the magnificent memorial which now dominates the south side of the chancel in the current church of St Mary’s. His son’s half-brother Richard completely re-built the house, and it was considered one of the major country seats rivalling the likes of Blenheim.
The two original gateposts can now be seen at the junction of Overton Drive and Blake Hall Road. They bear the monogram of Sir Richard Child.

Rebuilding

In March 1787 a motion was passed that re-building the church was essential and a petition was laid before Parliament explaining that the church had become “much decayed, and is not sufficient large.” The new building was to be capable of holding 500 people and was to cost £3,100, although, perhaps inevitably, the final costs amounted to £9,150.

The Temple

The fate of “Wanstead House, the magnificent seat of Earl Tylney” was a sad one. William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, the nephew of the Duke of Wellington married the heiress to the estate, Catherine. Yet by 1822 the contents were being auctioned off to pay for his extravagances and settle his gambling debts. The following year, the house itself was demolished. All that now remains are the stables and the the Temple (a place for banqueting and entertainment) and the formal layout of the gardens which can be seen in some places in Wanstead Park and the Grotto

The Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Mary’s is one of the finest examples of a late 18th century church building to be found in Greater London. It is particularly rare because of its virtually unaltered state. The pews used today are the original pews of 1790. It is the only Grade One listed building in Redbridge. The architect Thomas Hardwick also designed St Mary’s, Marylebone Road and was responsible for the renovation of Inigo Jones’ St Paul’s, Covent Garden and Wren’s St. James’, Piccadilly. St Mary’s underwent major repairs in 2018-19 thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.  Watch this film here to learn more.

The Graveyard

There are a number of items of interest in the three-acre churchyard: 50 of the tombstones date from the 18th century or earlier. The earliest being that of James Waly who died in 1685. There is the gravestone of Thomas Turpin of Whitechapel, supposedly the uncle of Dick Turpin. The stone sentry box, a memorial to the Wilton family, provided shelter for the guards employed to keep watch for body-snatchers.

The Railways Arrive

By 1835 the Snaresbrook end of the parish was becoming fashionable after the demolition of the house: “Snaresbrook..is a delightful village on the confines of the Forest, not far distant from the river Roden… it contains some capital houses, the residences of gentlemen’s families…and selected as a suitable situation for numerous elegant seats and country villas.” There had been 1354 residents in 1821 but by 1856 when the railway arrived at Snaresbrook there were 2207.

A New Church: Christ Church

The problems of insufficient church accommodation arose again, so a petition was laid for a chapel of ease – the personal project of the Rector, the Revd William Pitt Wigram. The architect was George Gilbert Scott who also designed the nearby Infant Orphan Asylum, now Snaresbrook Crown Court. Christ Church was built at the height of the Gothic revival in the geometric style of the late 13th century.

Today

Today the parish boasts two highly attractive vibrant churches at the very heart of the community of Wanstead. We are a family friendly parish that works very closely in partnership with Wanstead Church School. Our churches attract people of all ages and of all life stages to worship with us throughout the week. We seek to offer something in our divine worship for everyone and there is always room for one more at our Lord’s table

]]> https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/7/Our-History Christ Church, Wanstead parishofwanstead_30697 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:45:36 +0100 https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/6/Christ-Church-Wanstead St Mary's Church parishofwanstead_30696 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:44:45 +0100 https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/5/St-Marys-Church Who's Who parishofwanstead_30695 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:44:19 +0100 https://www.wansteadparish.org:443/4/Whos-Who About Us parishofwanstead_30694 Wed, 17 May 2023 16:44:04 +0100 Welcome to our parish’s website. The Parish of St Mary’s with Christ Church is the Anglican Parish that serves Wanstead.

Our two churches have been welcoming Wanstead people home for generations, and that welcome extends as much to you as to all people who would like to enter our doors.

We’re a fairly large and diverse bunch of people who come to church at a variety of times and for a variety of reasons. Some people prefer the dignity and beauty of the Sung Eucharist, with all its wonderful music, liturgy and incense. Other people prefer the simplicity of a service of Morning Prayer.

Many families and children join us for our joyful, fun and informal services, for our youth groups and for junior church. Some people come on a Sunday, others midweek. People who work long hours enjoy the peacefulness of compline on a Wednesday evening. Others join us as part of the many groups that our parish co-ordinates or assists with, such as the homelessness project, Tin in a Bin, the bereavement group, our choirs and much more besides.

You can find more information about our two churches, including services and events, on the St Mary's page and the Christ Church page. Meanwhile, if you have come seeking to be married or for your child (or you) to be baptised, please click here.

Our role in the community

One way in which we are in the centre of the community is through our very popular Church School. Wanstead Church School is a Church of England Primary School which provides an excellent quality of education in a beautiful setting. It feels like a country primary school in the heart of Redbridge! You can find out more about it by clicking here.

Many people move to Wanstead to find their forever home. But we all know that home isn’t just about the house you live in – it’s about that special feeling when you have found the place where you can be yourself; where you can be loved for who you are; where you can be part of something bigger and where you can reach out to others to help them too. For us, that is what being part of the church community can be about. The Christian faith is about the God who meets us where we are in life and who leads us home. So, whoever you are, I hope you find your spiritual home with us – a home that I pray will offer opportunities for nourishment, friendship, laughter, challenge, and even the occasional shoulder to cry on, for you and for your family.

We are an inclusive church. This means that we are fully affirming of the ministry of both women and men (in fact, we can’t quite believe that this still needs stating!) and we welcome people of all sexualities and genders. The theology of the Church of England is founded on three things: scripture, tradition and reason. We believe God has given us minds in order to interpret what others have thought and said about Him. Therefore, we are open-minded and prepared to question.

It is the privilege of my life to be Rector of this Parish. I and my team here love welcoming new people into our churches and it would be great to get to know you. If you would ever like to chat over a cup of tea, please do be in contact with me, or with the Parish Office.

 

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