An open table
Anyone at the coffee table, at the lunchtime sandwiches or the harvest lunch is at home. No questions asked.
About
A parish that prays, reads and shares bread.
Kestby was built from Tarrow stone in 1868 and the hall followed in 1961. The building has changed less than the people in it, and that is how most of us like it.
Our story
Three hundred years of windows, one hundred and fifty of them ours.
The rose window was glazed in 1904, after a storm took the old tracery. In the 1970s the congregation voted to open the hall to the youth club, and it has never closed since.
We are a parish of the Church of England. Most of our members have been here for less than ten years, and most of them found us on a Friday night or through a funeral.
What we care about
Three things we keep returning to
Quiet and noise
Both have a place. We keep a silent service and a loud one, and we try to make sure each has its people.
Young people at the front
Children and teenagers read, serve and sing. They are asked for ideas and they get to say no.
Who runs it
The people to ask
Rev. Tomas Elcock
Priest-in-charge
Leads worship, preaches on most Sundays and visits anyone who asks. Found in the vestry before the 8:30.
Ilse Parr
Churchwarden
Looks after the building, the roof fund and the volunteers who open the hall. Keeps the keys and the list.
Dev Mistry
Director of music
Runs the choir on Thursdays and the Sunday band. Happy to talk to anyone who has never sung in public.
Noor Saleem
Families and youth
Leads Little Lanterns, Children’s church and Kestby Youth. Her door is open after the Friday session.
Volunteer admins
Who keeps this website up to date
Four volunteers from the vestry edit this site together. Times and dates change; the office checks every change before it goes live.
Found a mistake? Tell the office on 01632 960 810 and it will be fixed the same week.
Come and meet us