Our Story - The People
A Brief History of the people that influenced our church community and how it grew:
We believe that the influence of the Christian community within a village, town or city is vital for the wellbeing of an area. This however needs to be under the guidance of the Spirit of God otherwise it is of no use to anyone and in effect can cause more harm than good! The Church of Jesus Christ should produce fruit that is loving and caring (Galatians 5:22-23) and yet also that is there to help direct people to the righteousness that God desires. All people are fallible and this includes the Christian Church, evidence of our fallibility is sadly found throughout history!
This section will seek to concentrate on the positives but not forgetting that sometimes we have failed to live up to the life Jesus would wish us to lead. We believe that all people are sinful and our natural state is to be selfish. Please read these following paragraphs in this light!
The Rector List in the porch of St. Mary's indicates that the church in this place was "FOUNDED BY ULMAN IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR 1042-1066". It has not been possible to trace who this ULMAN is; but there is a reference in the records of St. Paul's Cathedral in London that a certain 'Ulstan or Ulman' was Dean of St. Paul's between 1085 and 1107. (with a comment against it "Dean whose tenure is doubtful" - whatever that might mean!). This is probably the closest we will get to the answer of who he might be.
The first Rector is recorded as WILLIAM-de-BAYEUSE although the date is not given. The next Rector with the same surname has a commencement date given as 1323.
THIS PAGE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION:
PHOTOS TO BE ADDED WITH REFERENCE TO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THESE PEOPLE VERY BRIEFLY. A REFERENCE TO THE OLDEST GRAVE IN THE CHURCHYARD PERHAPS WITH PHOTOS OF OLDEST ONES THAT ARE STILL VISIBLE. MOVING ON TO THE PEOPLE ON THE PLAQUES IN ST. MARY's CHURCH. THEN TO MORE RECENT TIMES. MEMORIES OF CURRENT MEMBERS - BRINGING INTO THIS THE CHURCH PLANT AT EMMANUEL. THEN MOVE INTO REFERENCE TO THE MINISTRY OF THE REV. TONY HIGTON AND THE SHIFT TO 'EVERY MEMBER MINISTRY' TALK ABOUT A FURTHER CHURCH PLANT - GOLDEN CROSS CHURCH WITHIN THE HOLT FARM SCHOOL. - CULMINATING WITH THE CURRENT DAY VISION AND PLANS.
