Harpole Worshipping Community
church-8
School Lane
Harpole
Northampton
NN7 4DR

Pastoral Responsibility

Revd Dr Samantha Gillard - Web
Revd Dr Samantha Gillard

YESTERDAY....TODAY....TOMORROW....OR FIVE YEARS?

One needs to look at yesterday to see how unpredictable today, tomorrow the future can be.

In 1796 John Wesley preached to a ‘thirsty multitude’ in Harpole and by 1836 there was a flourishing congregation in the tiny chapel built on gifted land — it was extended in 1896. A full house three times on a Sunday with a choir producing monumental works by composers such as Handel. Who could have foreseen the coming of World War 1 and its devastating effects? 47 men from this village, about 10% of the male population and 11 from the Wesleyan Chapel were killed.

There was much disillusionment in those returning with their country, living standards and with God. We can only empathise considering how we live now and how conditions have surpassed the imagination of that generation.

In the following years the faithful few continued to keep the Chapel going but life was changing, education, technology, our way of life, our expectations and hopes and dreams for the future, and in most cases it did not include attending 100 year old churches / chapels that were uncomfortable, cold, damp — smelling of old age and costly to run for a few people striving to maintain a nostalgic memory!

In 1979 we, at Harpole, were told in no uncertain terms that due to the state of the old original buildings and the small elderly congregation that we would not be here in 10 years let alone 5 years. Within those 10 years though the old place had gone and the new one built and paid for.

Harpole Parish is currently undergoing a huge building project, hundreds of houses, schools, sports facilities, shops etc but no church plant. To do nothing will waste the next five years and those years are essential to the ‘way forward’.

We are working closely with the Church of England and, hopefully, the Parish Council. We are anticipating the arrival of a probationer minister in September and the Church of England, a new Rector, soon after Easter.

We are being included in a ‘welcome pack’ in various sales offices and websites of the new development.

Visions and dreams are great but so are faith, hope, Prayer, enthusiasm and hard work!

Our next church services

DateTimeLocationPreacherType of Worship
15th Dec15:00HarpoleLocally Resourced WorshipTea and Carols
22nd Dec10:00HarpoleLocally Resourced WorshipCarol Service
25th Dec10:00HarpoleRevd Dr Samantha GillardChristmas Day
29th Dec10:00HarpoleLocally Resourced Worship / Prayer Breakfast"Leftovers"
5th Jan10:00HarpoleRevd Alan SharpHoly Communion Covenant
19th Jan10:00HarpoleGrace and Revd Daniel Pratt Morris-Chapman
26th Jan10:00Harpole-Joint Service at Park Grove 10:30
28th Jan14:00HarpoleRevd Dr Samantha Gillard
2nd Feb10:00HarpoleRevd Dr Samantha GillardHoly Communion
11th Feb14:00HarpoleRevd Ian SuttieMid-Week Service
16th Feb10:00HarpoleRevd David Speirs

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