A Christian Welcome for all

When Kirkby was expanding rapidly in the 1950s, it was felt that it needed to be served by more than one church. The first services on the new estate of Southdene were held in a barn, before the first church was built on the current site in 1955 (pictured right). After a period of expansion, it was felt that a new church building was needed, and the current church building was built in 1964. The first building was deconsecrated, its spire removed, and was turned into the church hall. St. Martin's was built as a sister church to St. Chad's, and works together with St. Mark's and St. Andrew's as a team of churches, in what became a trailblazing way in the Church of England.

As St. Chad's was built to showcase the very best of nineteenth century design, so was St. Martin's built to showcase what was good in the 1960s. The current church building inside is full of light and space, with a wonderful atmosphere of prayer and worship. It has a Willis organ from the late nineteenth century, which when it is played, is a beautiful instrument, coming from the 'Rembrandt' of organ builders!

Sadly, not all was good in the 1960s, and the permanently leaky roof was finally replaced at the end of the century, leaving work to be done in brightening the exterior and installing new heating and redecorating inside the building. The leaky roof also took its toll on the organ, which now needs restoration work to the tune of approximately £40,000 to restore it to its full glory.

St. Martin was a Roman soldier in the Imperial Guard, one of the highest positions in the Roman Army, when he saw a beggar freezing. He took off his military cloak, cut it in half with his sword and gave half to the beggar. Later he refused to take a bounty from the emperor himself, saying that as a Christian it was not lawful for him to fight. Having been thrown into prison, he was later released, and began to live very simply and prayerfully, focussing himself on God. As a bishop, his mission was in walking around sharing the good news of Jesus with the people around him, while standing up to all forms of oppression from the Roman authorities.

St Martin's, Southdene
Peatwood Avenue

Sunday Worship at 9.30am

Vicar: Revd Jeremy Fagan
St Martin's House
Peatwood Avenue
Southdene
Kirkby
L32 7PR

Tel: 0151 546 2387

The Diocese of Liverpool

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

The material on this website is copyright © The Kirkby Team Ministry 2008
The Kirkby Team Ministry is the style adopted by the Parochial Church Council of Kirkby which is an excepted charity serving the ecclesiastical parish of Kirkby in the Diocese of Liverpool as part of the Church of England.