Keep Keeping the Faith

Colne Life chats to the Rev. Alex Oehring about the plans for celebrating St Bartholomew’s upcoming 900th anniversary, his hopes for the future of the Church and why it’s so important to keep the faith.

For every Colner, there’s one constant on our town’s streets. As shops come and go and old faces disappear, there’s one thing that never changes. For 900 years, St Bartholomew’s Church has stood overlooking the town, giving its name to Church Street on which it stands. The lifeblood of the community, for hundreds of years the church has witnessed celebrations and sadness from the welcoming of new little Colners, to the celebrations of locals’ lives. It has survived wars, plagues and disasters and allowed Christians of Colne to come together in their faith. On Friday 23rd September St Bartholomew’s Church will begin its celebration of 900 years with a Songs of Praise service.

“This starts at 7.30pm and the service will be giving thanks for 900 years of God’s faithfulness in Colne,” Rev. Alex explains. “Then we have a cheese and wine supper afterward.”

They’re certainly going to be busy at Barts with celebrations commencing on Saturday 24th, with a performance from the Pendle Youth Choir, along with daffodil planting in the churchyard all day. At 2.30pm, the congregation will circle the church in a Wave of Praise and there will also be a Christian illusionist at 3pm which is free for all children. The weekend celebrations will be rounded off on Sunday 25th with a service at 11am where they will be looking forward and launching a new vision for the church.

Rev. Alex Oehring joined the church just over a year ago following a career as an Army Officer in the Royal Engineers. “My dad was a vicar in Gillingham in Kent but I went to university to study Geography! Then I went to Sandhurst after university and trained to be an army officer and I did that for over 11 years with the Royal Engineers. After the army I decided to study to be a vicar, then I did three years as a curate in a trainee post in Surrey then came up to Colne around 14 months ago.”

“I BELIEVE THAT THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE HAS GOT POWER TO COMPLETELY TRANSFORM PEOPLE’S LIVES”

Rev. Alex is keen to introduce more Colners to St Bartholomew’s. “The main barrier to church is often that it is boring and we don’t want that anymore,” Alex smiles. It certainly isn’t boring at St Bartholomew’s, with craft groups, auctions, community grocery and church services for all ages.

“My hope for the church is that it will grow in numbers and grow in faith. last year we did an all-age service and we had about 60 at St Bartholomew’s, last Sunday we had about 130 people. So, we have seen more people coming in. “I think that sometimes the idea of how you are meant to behave in church and the standard you are meant to meet has stopped people from coming in, I want people to hear the message of Jesus Christ which means you can come as you are, whoever you are and he gives us hope, a purpose and friendship within that family. I do believe there is a way to live as a Christian that you don’t come in having to tick those boxes, you can come as you are and find out who you are and what it is.

“I want men, women, children, old people to come and realise that faith is for them. I believe that the Christian message has got power to completely transform people’s lives, we’ve seen people come out of poverty and addiction and find hope and purpose. As an ex-soldier, my Christian faith brought me hope because I’ve seen people die too young and I know the Christian message spoke to me in that way and I believe that the Christian message can speak to every need and I want people to encounter that life changing message in a modern, compelling and fun way.

In 10 years’, I want to see our churches full with all kinds of people, rich, poor, all praising God because they’ve been liberated by the message of his love.”

If you want to find out more, go along on Wednesday evenings at St Bartholomew’s for an introduction to the Christian faith as well as a chance to ask questions. You can also contact Rev. Alex by email at revalex.colne@gmail.com.

Regardless of your faith, be sure to drop in to St Bartholomew’s 900-year celebrations and discover more about this ancient church that has been an essential part of so many Colners’ lives.

ColneLife Autumn 2022