Our Story

People DO go to church in Lostock, - they still get the car out! - but 200 or more of them go to their local parish church, or to the Methodist church in Chew Moor, rather than “beyond”!

The original Lostock inhabitants had no choice in the matter - they were commuter Christians! Since Norman times spiritual needs were met by the church at Deane. Chapels were established in various localities through the intervening centuries, but it was not until the nineteenth century that Lostock was provided with their first meeting place for worship. In 1878 the increase in population resulting from the building of the railway led to a mission being established in the new school of St. Thomas’ in Junction Road West.

Three years later a mission was also established in the new school at Chew Moor, under the name of St. John.

Both are now private homes.

In 1911 the first meeting of the Lostock Conventional District is recorded, and as early as 1912 the curate-in-charge recommended the uniting of the two missions, and steps were taken for the erection of a temporary wooden church building. A suggestion to consider a brick building was discarded because of the additional cost, and 1914 saw the laying of the foundation stone in May, and the dedication of the new wooden (temporary!) building on October 6th. This is now our permanent home!

The naming of this united church caused some delicate diplomacy! - presumably each contingent wanted to retain its own patronage - and at first the powers that be considered that rather than offend one faction, they would offend both and discard both names! However, wisdom prevailed, and appeasement was reached in the retention of both names which are still in use today - St. Thomas AND St. John! The same diplomacy was exercised in the erection of the building - it still has two doors - one in the north wall (which is now never used) and one in the south (the regular entrance today). The geography of the district illustrates the reason. The people from Chew Moor would enter by the south door, and sit on the south side of the building from which they could look out through the plain glass windows in the direction of their homes: likewise, Lostock inhabitants could enter from their side on the north and sit facing Lostock! The “separated togetherness” which had characterised the district since the early days when two hamlets a mile apart struggled to maintain their separate identity, still characterised the first “united” church.

As we shall see, things have not changed much - divisions continue - “separated togetherness” is still a major feature: only the reasons are different.

And then there is the parish centre!

Putting something back into the community

Ten years ago the church’s boat came in! It was decided to sell the “brown belt” common land adjacent to the old Mission Hall and school of St. John’s, and the parish church of St. Thomas and St. John Lostock, discovered, somewhat to their surprise, that the land was actually church covenanted, and that the money from the sale would be at the disposal of the local church, and not the Diocese. In fact, when the sale was completed, along with planning permission for house-building, St. Thomas and St. John found themselves richer to the tune of something in the order of £1,050,000.

It was felt that the sudden acquisition of such a large sum called for constant, on-going stewardship, and, since it was land which had once served the whole community, the PCC’s vision was to invest that money in practical terms in the community; as a church warden put it. “We wanted to put something back into the community.” Inevitably, opinions were divided as to how the money should actually be used, but eventually the following decisions were reached:

• to build a new parish centre, costing £680,000 as a focal point in the community, activities, and to allow the uniformed organisations the use of the old church hall in the church grounds.
• because the land had been in Chew Moor:
  • to fund extensive repairs and refurbishment at Chew Moor Methodist Church.
  • to fund refurbishment in the hut used by the local football club, to transform it into a club-house.
• from the outset to use the interest from the capital with a view to helping churches, church schools, local concerns and charities with gifts and interest free loans.
• and - a source of some disagreement - NOT to rebuild the “temporary” church: it was sound, and in its own way attractive (being variously described as “Scandinavian in appearance”, and “like something out of ‘Little House on the Prairie’!”) Instead it was thoroughly refurbished, modernised, and redecorated.

The Centre was planned, discussed at length by the PCC, and eventually (after two sets of plans had been turned down!), completed, and officially opened by the Bishop of Bolton on 12th January 1992. There is no doubt that the community makes full use of this facility. The regular page from the church magazine demonstrates the almost continuous use to which the Centre is put. It has a full-time manager, a deputy manager, and a cleaner: it is efficiently run and well-maintained. There are many organisations which would be unable to function without it, and in this sense the Centre is a real asset to the community and provides one of the very few points of meeting.

In no way, however, is it a charity - or a handout to the community. It is competitively charged for, and widely advertised. The church makes some use of it, but mainly on Sundays. Twice a month there is an alternative “Family Service” held parallel to the Eucharist service, and this takes place in one of the lounges; the Sunday School also meets on those Sundays, and uses the other available downstairs rooms; and coffee is served after every morning service. Occasional week-night social events make use of the large hall, meetings etc. use the smaller rooms, and a cafe operates there three times a week, the proceeds going to local charities. But there are no regular church organisations, other than the Scout and Guide Association who now have exclusive use of the old church hall, and house groups, who by definition do not meet in church. Church activities have free use of the premises and are given priority, providing a normal booking is made.