The Heritage of St John the Baptist Church, Rochdale, is our inheritance – what the past has conceded to us, what we value in the present and what we choose to preserve for future generations.

Our heritage comprises:
the tangible – the church building, monuments, artefacts and archives;
the natural – woodland of trees, flowers, native wildlife, insects, plants, trees, birds and animals;
the human – the clergy and religious, the parishioners, including immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers; and
the intangible – languages, customs and traditions that people have brought to St John’s.

Parish Masses will be at the following times:

• • Sunday – 9.15 – St John’s
  • Sunday – 11.00 – St Gabriel’s
  • Monday – 10.00 – St John’s
  • Tuesday – 9.15 – St Gabriel’s
  • Thursday – 10.00 – St John’s
  • Friday – 9.15 – St Gabriel’s
  • Saturday – 12.00 – St John’s

There will be a formal, well-publicised opening of St John’s in 2023 once we have everything in place to welcome our visitors.

As part of the opening-up offering, there will be a variety of activities on offer at different points during the year, including family arts and crafts sessions. You will have the opportunity to listen and read about the lives and stories of the people who have worshipped and lived in and around St John’s.

We will explore how migration has shaped and changed the area over the life of the church. You will be able to tour the church with knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides and view regular temporary exhibitions featuring the outcomes of our activity themes, such as heritage photography.

We will continue to hold heritage tours and open days to welcome into the church friends old and new. We will continue to work with our partners in the community to produce podcasts to reflect on buildings in the area. St John’s will be used as inspiration for personal reflections on the historic built environment of Rochdale as well as themes such as migration and faith, and to investigate the historical similarities and connections between St John’s and Islamic architecture (e.g. Byzantine mosaic and domes). Participants will explore the regeneration of Rochdale through heritage and what this means to them and their own personal stories.

We will also continue to improve the gardens around the church for the benefit of all. People will be welcome to visit the gardens during our opening times to view the planting or just to sit and relax and enjoy a cup of tea and a chat.

At its heart, St John’s has always been a place of congregation and worship, somewhere for the community to come together, gather and meet. The parish has worked hard to engage with local community leaders to develop ideas about how we can work together. We believe that the church and its surroundings support many people who not only have a wealth of similar experiences but also a strong sense of public pride and through our activity programmes, we want to open the building up to our diverse Rochdalian communities and visitors to the town.

Our activities will be open to people of all faiths or no faith, families, individuals, groups of friends, and parishioners old and new.  You will not be disappointed if you visit this hidden gem – everyone is welcome.