St Thomas' Church, Crookes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas' Church, Crookes |
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| 53°22′57″N 1°30′27″W / 53.38243°N 1.50743°W | |
| OS grid reference | SK328873 |
| Location | Nairn Street, Crookes, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 1UL |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England and Baptist |
| Churchmanship | Charismatic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Thomas |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Hallam |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Sheffield and Rotherham |
| Diocese | Diocese of Sheffield |
| Province | Province of York |
St Thomas Church, Crookes, also known as 'STC Sheffield', is a special kind of church in Crookes, Sheffield, England. It brings together two Christian traditions: Anglican and Baptist. This is called an ecumenical church, meaning different Christian groups work together. STC Sheffield is a large church located in the west of Sheffield.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
The church building has changed quite a bit over the last 40 years. It still has many of its original features, which are from the Victorian era. Imagine a classic old church with a tall, square tower and beautiful stained-glass windows.
How the Church Building Grew
In the 1980s, a big expansion was added to the church. Later, in 2011, another part was built to connect the church to an old school building. This school, called Crookes Endowed School, is now part of the church's space.
A Look at the Church's History
St Thomas Crookes was started in 1840. People wanted a church for the growing number of families living in the countryside nearby. The church and its burial ground were officially opened on October 1, 1840.
Joining Forces: Anglican and Baptist
In 1982, something unique happened. St Thomas Crookes, which is an Anglican church, joined with Crookes Baptist Church. They formed a "Local Ecumenical Partnership" (LEP). This means they decided to worship and work together as one church. The old Baptist church building was taken down, and now there are apartments for older people on that spot.
The Old School Building
The Crookes Endowed School was built a long time ago, in 1790. It taught local children for many years. The school closed in 1981 because fewer students were attending. The church bought the building in 1981 and opened it again in 1982 after fixing it up.
People Connected to the Church
Some notable people have been involved with St Thomas' Church.
- Mike Breen was a vicar here from 1992 to 2003.
- Mick Woodhead was the vicar from 2003 to 2021.
- The current rector, Tom Finnemore, started in 2022.
Helping the Community: Food Banks
Miriam Cates, who is a Member of Parliament (an MP helps make laws for the country), and her family were members of St Thomas' Church. She also worked for Network Church Sheffield, which is connected to the church. Her husband created a mobile app to help food banks. The very first food bank to use this app was the S6 Foodbank, which is based at St. Thomas' Church.
