Jesmond Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clayton Memorial Church, Jesmond |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| Website | https://www.jpc.org.uk/ |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Jesmond, Clayton Memorial |
| Deanery | Newcastle Central |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Northumberland |
| Diocese | Diocese of Newcastle |
| Province | Province of York |
Jesmond Parish Church is a special church in the Church of England. It is located in Brandling Village, which is part of the Jesmond area in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The church's official name is the Clayton Memorial Church. It's a bit unusual because it's not named after a saint or a part of the Holy Trinity, like most Anglican churches. This shows its strong Evangelical Christian beliefs. The building itself is very old and important, listed as a Grade II historic building.
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How the Church Started
The church has an interesting story about how it began. In 1856, a well-known local church leader named Reverend Richard Clayton passed away. He was the Master of St Thomas' Church.
After his death, the church leaders wanted to appoint a new person named Clement Moody. Many people from St Thomas's Church were not happy with this choice. They felt he did not share Reverend Clayton's strong Christian beliefs.
So, a group of people decided to start a new church nearby. They wanted this new church to be a place where "sound scriptural and evangelical truth" would be taught. At that time, the area around the church was mostly open fields.
The famous architect John Dobson designed the building. The church was officially opened in 1861. A small room called a vestry was added in 1874.
The church was first called "The Clayton Memorial." Above the vestry door, there is a special message. It says the church was built to remember Reverend Richard Clayton. He was a faithful minister for 30 years and died in 1856.
Jesmond Parish Church Today
Today, Jesmond Parish Church is a large Anglican church with about 1,100 people attending. It is known for its strong evangelical beliefs. The church's leaders include David Holloway, who has been the vicar since 1973, and Jonathan Pryke.
The church is well-known for its sermons, which aim to explain the Bible clearly. The services follow traditional Anglican ways. They use hymns from a book called Hymns for Today's Church.
The church works closely with the Christian Institute, which also has its main office in Newcastle. David Holloway is an important member of this group. The church has sometimes faced protests because of its beliefs. For example, in 1999, the church building was spray-painted with messages opposing its views.
Jesmond Parish Church is part of a group called Reform. This group connects many evangelical churches within the Church of England. Some other churches with similar beliefs include:
- St Andrew The Great, Cambridge
- St Ebbe's, Oxford
- St Helen's Bishopsgate
- Christ Church, Fulwood, Sheffield
In 2017, Jonathan Pryke, a minister at the church, became a bishop. This happened through a church group in South Africa. This event caused some discussion because it happened without the local Bishop of Newcastle knowing about it.
Church Leaders Over Time
Here is a list of the main leaders, called vicars, of Jesmond Parish Church:
- 1861-1882 Canon Berkeley Addison
- 1882-1888 Canon Somerset Pennefather
- 1889-1894 Theodore Charles Chapman
- 1894-1897 Edwin Savage
- 1898-1907 Canon Thomas Brocas Waters
- 1907-1916 Canon James Inskip
- 1916-1927 Canon George Oakley
- 1927-1947 Canon George Goddard
- 1947-1959 Harry Bates
- 1960-1972 Roger Frith
- 1973–present David Holloway
The Church Organ
The church has a large pipe organ built in 1913 by James Jepson Binns. This organ is very old and needs a lot of repair. It is not played anymore. You can find more details about this organ in the National Pipe Organ Register.
