Slitting Mill Village, Staffordshire
St. John the Baptist Church (CofE)
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As always, all are welcome to any of our events and services.
Our regular coffee morning continues on the first Wednesday of the month at 10.30am. All the usual delicious home-made cakes will be on offer, with tea/coffee all for just £3. There is also our famous raffle. We looking forward to seeing you at our next Coffee Morning, but please check this site for any updates.
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ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, SLITTING MILL A village treasure? St John the Baptist’s Church in Slitting Mill is unique in many ways with the building being located as part of a semi-detached house. No wonder visitors have reported it being hard to find! Originally built as a place for children to worship, the church building has existed for around two centuries. Today with a regular congregation of up to four very dedicated members of the church, the church family has reached a crossroads due to the pressures of the modern day and the needs of the future. If you live in Slitting Mill and have never heard of, or seen this church, why not take a look down the end of Church Lane, Slitting Mill. This is your village church with a history going back 200 years. The remaining members of the congregation want to try and keep going as long as they can, but are very aware there are no church members to take over from them in the near future, to keep the building running and maintained. With services twice a month @ 9am on a Sunday morning (usually weeks 2 & 4), a well-attended coffee morning on the first Wednesday of every month @ 10.30am and an annual Carol service in December, there is still worship, fellowship and community still happening here. But for how long? Please spread the word! |
The church, which has existed for over 200 years, is thought to be the only semi-detached church in England with a private house next door, and is also one of the smallest.
In its early years, the church was served by laymen, with only one Sunday service in the summer months. These days there are services every Sunday (see below), served by the Brereton, Rugeley and Armitage Team Ministry and well attended by village residents.
At one time the church was under the care of James Stretton, who also kept the Slitting Mill Post Office.
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At the end of 2008 the church of St. John had a very appropriate addition to the church furniture. At the Christmas Carol Service the wooden figure of St. John the Baptist carved by the late Joe Wootton, who was a resident of the village, was dedicated. Any work of art takes time to produce. The first decision was the form the figure should take; Joe took his inspiration from the stained glass windows of Pre-Raphaelite figures he had seen in a village church near Kidderminster in Worcestershire, perhaps some of you may recognise the likeness. Then he had to find a suitable piece of wood. He chose a piece of spalted beech, which gives a colour to the wood caused by fungus in the wood. It has to be caught just at the right age when the wood is still solid. |
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A booklet is for sale on the history of St. John's Church, priced at only £1.50. If you would like a copy please contact us for details on how to obtain one, or come along to our Coffee Morning in church where they are available. Proceeds in aid of our church. Thank you.
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Our church is part of the Brereton, Rugeley & Armitage Team
Ministry. Have a look at the Parish's website for details of the other churches and their events. |
St. John’s Church Bell Turret
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The Church Bell Turret has at last been stabilised and repaired. Also, water repellent has been applied to all the porous brickwork and the guttering and downpipe has been replaced and adjusted.
The work was completed free of charge by Stuart Bevan’s company
– Lichfield Design and Construction. We are extremely grateful and very relieved that this work has been done and a letter of thanks has been sent to Stuart for organising the job so quickly and efficiently and for his generosity.’ The bell was originally attached to the cottage chimney but in 1972 the area was redeveloped and a bell tower was built as well as a new porch and the bell rehung. "The bell had been given to the church by Mr C S Whieldon of Hagley Hall, now demolished, and had hung in the stables at the hall. |
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