Friends of Berwick Parish Church

What is a church?  The simple answer is it many things, some of us are interested in all aspects of what a church might be and others of us might be interested in specific areas.  Perhaps a better question is ‘What is Berwick Parish Church?’

A place for encountering God

Primarily Berwick Parish Church is home to those who consider themselves part of the congregation of Holy Trinity and St Mary, the most northerly church in the Church of England and part of the Diocese of Newcastle.  It is the building in which we gather to pray and worship, to sing and hear the Bible read, to study and think about what it means to be a follower of Jesus today, to be inspired and challenged to flourish as human beings created in the image of God.

A place of history and heritage

Berwick Parish Church has been here for almost 375 years, and there was a church here before that.  The stones were brought down from the ruins of the castle by the first regiment of the Coldstream Guards.  It has a unique identity as a Cromwellian church, which means its architecture is particularly special and interesting. It has been the place of marriage, baptism, funerals and all of life for Berwick inhabitants through the centuries and has a fascinating story to tell.

A place of music and art

Faith doesn’t stand alone, it interacts with all that stimulates us, all that opens our imagination and our senses.  So, music and art are part of the fabric of Berwick Parish Church, from our own choir that sings ancient and modern music to visiting choirs, organ and piano recitals from established and new artists to local choirs and singing groups.  The stained-glass windows tell a story of the local area and the intertwining of local history with the history of Christianity.

A place of biodiversity and creation care

Berwick Parish Church not only has a place in a locality, but it has a place in the great circle of life. We take seriously our vocation to care for creation, to live alongside the natural world.  From our solar panels on the roof to the way the churchyard is managed, from bee hives to bird feeders, from thinking about how we can have less of an impact on our environment to living it out we are active in caring for creation.

A place for all the community

The church is open every day, anyone can come in, and we mean anyone.  From civic events to school services, from baptisms to funerals, from weddings to blessings everyone is welcome to come in and explore what is on offer.  Whoever you are, wherever you’ve come from, whatever you’ve done you are welcome at Berwick Parish Church.

So, if any or all of that interests you become a Friend of Berwick Parish Church and be kept in touch with all that’s on offer throughout the year.