The Story of St Oswald's mosaic
This website contains historical information about the Parish of Bollington but is INDEPENDENT of the parish itself. For more information about St Oswald's Church, visit the parish website or the entry on A Church Near You.
The painting shows what St Oswald’s looked like before work started in 2012. There had been no significant change to the appearance of the building since its consecration in 1908. The photograph of the church in 2016 shows the mosaic and new entrance.
Work begins - August 2012
After months of planning and an anxious wait for approval from the various authorities, work at last began on the new entrance block. The extension would contain new toilet facilities and additional storage space. Once the work was complete it would be possible to enter the church without the need to negotiate the steps. It was intended to present a more welcoming entrance and hopefully project the image of an active parish that was definitely “open for business”!
The existing side porch was to be carefully dismantled and the stonework reconstructed to become the part of the new block that faces the main road. The existing main entrance would be retained but would no longer be the principal way in or out of the church.
The work was financed mainly by the proceeds of the sale of Holy Trinity, Kerridge, but the parish also needed further funds (about £40,000) to assist with the cost of the building work and other improvements that were needed. These included upgrading the lighting and sound systems in the church building, improving our kitchen facilities and redecorating the vestry. A fund-raising campaign was launched.
The new entrance is almost ready – December 2012
The exciting creation of a new level access main entrance with added toilet and storage facilities at St Oswald’s was almost complete! The builders had been working hard since the end of August, despite adverse weather conditions, to enable the extension to be fully ready for use early in the New Year. The fruits of their labours were a delight to see and we looked forward to final completion in early January.
Meanwhile church services continued as normal and the new level access was now available especially for those who find difficulty climbing steps. The workmen took a brief moment away from their tasks to be photographed. Even Heloise the architect and Michael the Project Manager couldn’t escape the camera!
A Work of Art! – March 2013
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, several members of Bollington Well Dressing community came into St Oswald’s to help create an Easter Collage of natural materials for display in the old porch doorway on our new extension. The finished picture was put in place on Good Friday afternoon, where it stayed for the duration of the Easter season to inspire our worshippers, all passers-by and visitors to the church to claim for themselves once more the eternal message of God’s grace and new life and hope at Easter and always.
What should go in the blank doorway? - May 2013
The Chancellor of our Diocese and the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) had encouraged the parish to complete the new extension by thinking creatively about what would be placed in the former porch doorway, now situated on the left-hand side of St Oswald’s Church as seen from the road. It was asked to submit the chosen idea for this space to the DAC and to the Chancellor in order to obtain final approval under the agreed terms of the building works’ permission, this item being held in abeyance as a “reserved matter” under the faculty.
The Parochial Church Council had been deliberating over this important feature for several months and had succeeded in narrowing down a broad range of choices. The parish was extremely fortunate that funding for this art/craftwork had already been generously offered, so that monetary concerns were for once taken out of the equation! At the PCC meeting on Monday 13 May 2013 it was decided that, before making a final decision to select any one option, three different art/craftwork options should be submitted for consultation to the wider congregation and community, so that this larger group of parishioners might express their preference for what the Chancellor described as “the decorative treatment of the relocated porch doorway”.
Consequently, during the month of June, three different proposals for this art/craftwork were on display at the back of the church the and people were invited to write down on a response form which of the three options they would prefer to see commissioned for this space, ideally adding an explanatory comment so that the PCC could appreciate the reasons for preferring the one particular idea chosen. At the beginning of July 2013, all the submitted responses were considered by the PCC at their meeting on Monday 22 July 2013 (which was about 12 months since the granting of the original faculty).
This would be an opportunity to highlight the presence of Bollington Parish Church as a shining witness and servant of our local community, in accordance with that treasured and timeless Anglican Prayer Book tradition and duty of “proclaiming the Gospel afresh in each generation”!
The new mosaic – a work in progress! – March 2014
Work had started on the mosiac artwork that would be installed in the “blank doorway” to the left of our new church entrance. Members of our congregation, children from “Praise & Play” and our “RICH” group, and members of the general public were invited to come and “make their mark” at a workshop meeting in the church on Friday 28 March 2014. Pupils, staff and teachers from local schools were involved on other days, as are older people in local nursing homes and sheltered housing. The workshops were run by local artist Debra Tracey, who was responsible for the complete work.
The workshop in the church concentrated on creating the border of the design. This border was inspired by the existing mosaic floor around our main altar.
The Bishop of Chester dedicates the new entrance – May 2014
There was a full church on Sunday 25 May and a joyful occasion as the Bishop of Chester presided at the service of Holy Communion. After the service the congregation left the church in procession to gather outside the recently completed new entrance.
The Bishop then placed the final piece into our mosaic! Canon Veronica read some words from Psalm 90:
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations: From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Bishop Peter then prayed:
God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, Bless all who venture through this new doorway; May the hospitality we can now offer through these enhanced facilities be truly beneficial to all; May each person find a warm welcome and genuine companionship within our congregation; May each person be encouraged to seek after you in worship, and may they recognise your Spirit dwelling within the hearts and minds of each person here. Keep far from this door any who would wish us harm. Bless us with peace and harmony, and with a renewed and courageous vision for the ongoing work of your kingdom.
