Welcome
to the website ofSAINT PAUL'S CHURCH, BURTON UPON TRENT
in the Parish of Saint Aidan and Saint Paul, Burton
Church of England – Diocese of Lichfield
Welcome
to the website of
SAINT PAUL'S CHURCH, BURTON UPON
TRENT
in the Parish of Saint Aidan and Saint Paul,
Burton
Church
of England – Diocese
of Lichfield
The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
You can find us in Saint Paul's Square, adjacent to the Town Hall, and a short walk from Burton-on-Trent railway station. Our 123' tower is one of the tallest buildings in Burton, and clearly visible from the passing A38 trunk road. Burton, in the English County of Staffordshire, is historically Britain's brewing capital, and legend has it that the first Lord Burton (of the Bass brewing family), who built Saint Paul's, secretly hoped it would become a cathedral when Burton was made a city – alas, neither event happened!
Today we are a small, family-oriented cngregation, in the Catholic tradition of the Church of England, part of the world-wide Anglican Communion. That means our principal form of worship is the Eucharist (also called the Mass or Holy Communion), and is celebrated with traditional ceremonial and music. This is because we believe that when we read the scriptures and share the consecrated bread and wine as Jesus commanded his followers to do, he is still with us in a special way.
Our main Sunday service is at 9.30 a.m., and is about an hour long and typically attracts between 30 and 40 people of all ages; there is usually also a Eucharist at 8.00 a.m., and an evening service on the first Sunday of each month at 6.00 p.m. – these are shorter, quieter services with an attendance of half-a-dozen or so. The Eucharist is also celebrated on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 9.30 a.m., on Thursdays at 9.00 a.m. (the first Thursday of the month at the Saint Paul's Court residence opposite the church) and on Fridays at 12.30 p.m. On special days in the Church's year there may well be additional evening services, and we have periodic social events and special courses. In addition to church events, our hall provides a home for a variety of community programmes, including Brownies, a mothers & toddlers group, an exercise group, and a popular fortnightly bingo. You can find details of many of these events on our weekly noticesheet, here (.pdf). And here are a few pictures of the church building and parish life, along with some recent sermons.
Since 1 November 2005, Saint Paul’s has been part of the newly-created Parish of Saint Aidan and Saint Paul, formed by the merger of Saint Paul’s Parish with the former parish of Saint Aidan, Shobnall. A parish is a geographical district served by one or more churches; you will normally need to live in the parish, or have a demonstrable connection with one of the churches, if you wish to arrange a baptism (christening) or wedding in a particular church. If that is why you are visiting this site, or for any other information, you can contact the Vicar, Father Paul Farthing, on mail@burtonsaintpaul.org.uk. You can learn more about Saint Aidan’s here.
In
addition, Father Paul is Priest-in-Charge of Burton's other town
centre Church, Saint Modwen's in Burton Market Place. Saint Modwen
was an Irish noblewoman of the Seventh Century who founded a
religious house on a small island in the River Trent; and there has
been a place of worship on or near the site of Saint Modwen's since
that time. The present Grade I listed building dates from 1726, when
it replaced the derelict former Abbey, founded in 1002 but supressed
by Henry VIII. The small congregation consider it an important part
of their mission to maintain this historic building as a witness to
Christian faith in the town centre. Sunday services are at 11.00 a.m.
and 6.00 p.m. (4.00 p.m. December to February), and there
is an additional Eucharist on Wednesdays at 10.45 a.m. Saint
Modwen's is usually open for visitors on Saturday mornings, when tea
and coffee are served.
We do all this (at both churches) because as Christians we are convinced that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus reveal God's purpose for the life he gives us, and open the way to eternal life in his presence. This gives meaning to our lives – a meaning we are anxious to share with others. If what you have read here appeals to you, please join us.
Historic records for Saint Paul's have been deposited at Staffordshire Record Office, where they are available for consultation by the public. These consist of the parish registers of baptisms 1874-1967, marriages 1874-1977 and banns of marriage 1892-1946 and 1973-1983. Historic records for Saint Modwen's are also available for consultation. These include the parish registers of baptisms 1538-2001, marriages 1538-1980 and burials 1538-1914; churchwardens' accounts 1829-1954; vestry minutes 1845-1968; vestry order books 1699-1781, 1829-1903; apprenticeship indentures 1618-1795; and much more. A catalogue of these records is available in "Gateway to the Past" (http://www.archives.staffordshire.gov.uk) - the online catalogue of the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service. The Archive Service's website (http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/archives) provides further information on planning a visit to the office to consult records, should you wish to do so.