Chads News - 29th April 2026

 Dear Church Family,
As we look ahead to our Vision Morning on 10th May, I’ve been reflecting on who we are as a church here in Romiley. Alongside this, our recent focus on the letters to the churches in Revelation 2–3 has been a helpful reminder. In those passages, we see both encouragement and challenge - Jesus speaks truthfully, but He also calls out what is good. It’s a pattern worth holding onto, to receive encouragement, and to be people who actively encourage one another.

During this Monday’s 9am prayer gathering, we spent time in 1 Peter 2:5, where we are described as “living stones.” It’s a powerful image. The church is not a building, but a people, each one of us, brought together and being built into something spiritual and alive. You can see this in so many areas of church life: in worship, our children’s teams, LifeCentre, Oasis, and beyond. Whether you’ve been part of St Chad’s for 80 years or this is your very first week, you have a place here. You have a purpose.

C.S. Lewis, in The Four Loves, wrote after the loss of his friend Charles Williams: “In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out… by myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.” It’s a beautiful reminder that we need one another. Each of us reflects something unique of God’s image, and together we reveal more of His fullness than we ever could alone.

As living stones, with Jesus as our cornerstone, we are being built together by God. This means our differences are not obstacles, they are gifts. Our stories, our personalities, our journeys of faith all contribute to the richness of what God is doing among us. When we take time to encourage one another, to listen, to celebrate each other, we begin to see more clearly the beauty of Jesus reflected in this community.

So, in this season as we approach the APCM and our Vision Morning, may we be both encouraged and encouragers. Let’s look expectantly for what Jesus is leading us into next, trusting that He is continuing to shape and build His church, through each and every one of us.

Blessings,
Katie

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