Vision for 'landmark' St Helens Minster making progress

The Star reported in 2022 when it was announced that a five-year plan was in place to redesignate the town centre church as St Helens Minster.

The ambitious project will see the Church Square place of worship be able to offer a resource centre for the community.

The aim is for the church to be redesignated by 2026 which marks the centenary of the St Helens Parish Church building.
 

A Minster is a church seen with an important role in the community and is often described as acting as a 'mother church' or a 'mini cathedral'.

Redesignating St Helens Parish Church as a Minster will allow the church to become a meeting point to discuss the community’s plans, as well as offering its premises as a resource centre.

2026 will mark the church building's centenary (Image: Jen Hill)

“The idea is it’s a bigger church in an area of a diocese where there isn’t a cathedral,” said Reverend Rachel Shuttleworth, vicar at St Helens Parish Church.

“There is St Helens, Widnes, Warrington, all of those big towns, they’re part of the (Liverpool) diocese but don’t have a cathedral.

“This is the biggest Anglican church in St Helens. People from St Helens talk about Parish Church as if it is theirs, there is a sense of ownership, even from people who have never been in.”

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Renovation works at the church have been ongoing as part of the project, and despite the challenges of flooding at the church in late 2022, and the current economic climate, progress on the project remains ongoing.

Rev Shuttleworth says works include four key areas with the roof replacement; a new bathroom; a reimaging of the foyer and entrance to make it more accessible and welcoming, and the removal of the pews from inside the church to enable it to become an improved resource space for the town.

Reverend Shuttleworth hopes that the St Helens Minster will become a “landmark” for the people of St Helens to be proud of.

“Things are happening, we are moving forward with the Minster vision,” she said.

“We are really conscious that the town around us will change with the regeneration project and we don’t want to let the town down.

“We have a strong worship community and that will carry on but the building can be used during the week as well.”

“The hope is it being called St Helens Minster gives us a new focus and helps people to remember that we are here for the whole of St Helens.

“This is St Helens’ church and my hope is the people of St Helens recognise that we are here for them.”