Events happening atSt. James...

ColdenCulture@St James

presents the second event of seven thanks to a grant from Calderdale CultureDale and a grant from Calder Ward Forum.

www.culturedale.co.uk

A celebration day about stained-glass 

"And Miss Mary Smith gave 3d."

Saturday 27th July 2024

at St James Church, Church Lane, Hebden Bridge, HX7 6DS(wheelchair accessible)
Below are details about the day which is also available on this link  https://stjamesandstthomas.churchsuite.com/events/iushzt3u Expressions of interest in attending can be registered on the link and people doing so will be given priority as only so many can be accommodated for some of the activities or you can just drop in any time during the day between 10am and about 3pm. Free light refreshments are available. Also there will be a display including information about local artists who work with glass and excerpts from an American film about our glass maker which involves Rochdale Town Hall.


14th September 2024 Keys of All Colours 7 pm – Piano Recital by Simon Watkins to raise funds for the refurbishment of the church’s community kitchen.


As part of CultureDale, we obtained a small grant to put on some free events though donations welcome to the various causes. 

29th September 2024 in the afternoon - time to be confirmed probably 3 pm - Laiton Trumpet Quartet with Hebden Bridge Junior Brass Band – a family-friendly concert – collection in aid of the Junior Brass Band and church’s community kitchen.

13th October “Pull out all the stops”  - a day to promote our fine organ including free workshops in the afternoon, one for children and another for adults to encourage pianists and keyboard players to consider learning the organ. Programme and timings to be confirmed.

Dates to be confirmed but they have take to place before 5th April as this is a requirement of aCultureDale Grant.

Bassoonery - A Family-friendly concert – free with a collection in aid of the church’s community kitchen.

Cantorelli Concert for Christmas - Fundraiser for the Community Kitchen. Entry by donation.

Soma Music - A family-friendly afternoon concert – free with a collection in aid of church’s community kitchen.

Coffee Morning - next one is 14th September 2024

Please note that the August coffee morning has been cancelled due to volunteers being on holiday.

There is normally a coffee morning the second Saturday of every month at St James starting at 11:00 and finishing about 1pm. See diary page.

Knit and Natter

Most Thursday afternoons 2-4pm - doesn't have to be knitting.

Sacred Singing

We also host a Sacred Singing group on Thursday afternoons in the church.

11 am until about 12 noon Craft activities exploring “stained glass” art suitable for families and children led by Rev Ruthi Gibbons.

11.15 am to 12 noon an illustrated talk on the background to the stained-glass windows in St James Church given by Dave Smalley, a local historian who also has an interest in the history of Victorian stained-glass.

If this sparks your interest, look out for David’s in-depth talk for the Hebden Bridge Local History Society, which visitors can attend – 8th Jan 2025 at the Methodist Church.

12:15 pm to 12:45 pm - Dave Smalley will take a group on a tour of the windows.

12:15 pm to 12:45 pm - a demonstration and talk by Karl Theobald, a local stained-glass master craftsman who restores, conserves and creates stained-glass. Karl will show how the windows were created by actually cutting and leading some glass whilst using the very handy “Sowden Chapel“ windows as demonstration pieces  for the actual painting that took place.

2 pm to 2:30 pm These two parallel activities above will be repeated.

1:30 pm until about 2:30 pm Craft activities for families and children led by Rev Ruthi Gibbons.

Past events

ChoirFest 

On 11th May 2024, seven valley choirs came together to raise money for the local charity Music4Many. See the photo gallery page.

Return of Cantorelli

Cantorelli presented 500 years of English songs, madrigals and motets on Friday 5th April 
Donations were in aid of Never Hungry Again pledging to end child poverty in Calderdale and raised £438.

www.cantorelli.co.uk

Cantorelli

Friday 3rd November 7.30pm

St James the Great, Parish Church, Hebden Bridge

Cantorelli performed

Masses and Madrigals from the Renaissance

to raise funds for Calder Community Kindness

Details: www.cantorelli.co.uk

26th November 2023 at St Thomas, Heptonstalll, Licensing and Installation Service for Rev Ruthi Gibbons

From left to right:

Canon of Halifax Minster, Rev Hilary Barber
Archdeacon of Halifax, The Venerable Bill Braviner
Bishop of Huddersfield Revd Canon Smitha Prasadam
Rev. Ruthi Gibbons
Area Dean, Robb Sutherland
Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Tim Cole


2023 #StainedGlassSummer at St James the Great

If you are a Victorian Stained Glass groupie, then our church is a must to visit. See the history page for details about the windows.

This was the programme.

26th May 3 pm to 5 pm at St James’ Church – Platinum Jubilee Craft Workshop

Although there will be a few simple activities available on the 5th June, accompanied children are invited to drop-in to this workshop and make their own memorial book to complete during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend. If participants wish, the completed booklets may be displayed in the exhibition 5th-12th June. 
As well as 70 years being our head of state, the Queen also has the role of head of the Church of England. 

With thanks to Hebden Royd Town Council for providing a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee grant, St James invites the local community of Mytholm to a free celebration over the four-day extended Bank Holiday weekend to be held at St. James Church, Church Lane, Hebden Bridge HX7 6DS 

2nd to 5th June, anytime between 11 am and 3 pm - Exhibition about Mytholm during the last 70 years, charting the changes in the life of the local community since 1952 and changes during that time in areas such as fashions, toys, games, food, drinks, sweets, weddings, memories. Hebden Royd School will also be marking their postponed 150th anniversary with an exhibition of the history of the school.

5th June between 12 pm and 2 pm - A pot-luck picnic where local people bring their own picnic to eat on their own blanket or chairs either at the church or on the nearby field. For those who may not be able to provide their own picnic, there will be some “Food Share” items available. In the event of wet weather, St John’s room at the church will be used.

There will be a professionally-made cake in the shape of a 2D Coronation Crown on display until about 1 pm. On arrival at the church, people will be asked to collect a ticket for a free slice of either sponge cake, fruit cake or vegan cake in exchange for their ticket after 1 pm. The colour theme for the Platinum Jubilee is purple, which the church will be using for decorations and flowers, together with the union flag. We encourage you to wear something purple or dress in 1952 fashions.

Visitors from Rochdale Town Hall

On 12th June we welcomed volunteers from Rochdale Town Hall and showed them around the church and in particular telling them about our set of stained glass windows made by Heaton Butler and Bayne, the same company who was also making the Rochdale Town Hall glass around the same period.

Coronation Weekend 6th-8th May

6th-8th May St James’ celebrated the Coronation of King Charles III. The church was decorated, including Harvey's Coronation-themed flower arrangements and plenty of bunting put up by the Community Payback Team. There was an exhibition about Prince Charles’ visits to Hebden Bridge and how Hebden Bridge celebrated past Coronations. The church was open every day for people to call in. On the Coronation Day, several people rang St James’ one bell just before the Coronation began and when the Westminster Abbey bells rang at the end. More came to see the exhibition including one couple who were married in St James' 34 years ago. About 40 people dropped in for The Big Lunch on Sunday. Vicky's cake soon vanished.