Welcome
A genuine welcome for all, wherever you are on your journey.
Romans 15:7 “Welcome one another… just as Christ has welcomed you.”
Welcome to St James’
About Us
Worship at the Heart of our Community
This page helps you get to know St James’ Church a little better - who we are, what we believe, and how we serve our community today. Alongside our worship and welcome, it offers a fuller picture of the people, values and life of the church.
Vision
At St James’ Church, our vision is to be a welcoming and prayerful community at the heart of Haslingden, where people of all ages can encounter God, grow in faith, and find a place to belong. We seek to share the love of Christ through worship, hospitality, and service, and to be a church that is both rooted in tradition and open to the needs of the world today.
A glimpse into what shapes our life together at St James’ Church.
Values
Worship
Reverent, joyful worship centred on the Eucharist and prayer.
Psalm 95:6 “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
Community
Building caring relationships that sustain and support us.
Colossians 3:14 “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Service
Following Christ by serving others with compassion.
Mark 10:45 “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”
Faith & Growth
Encouraging lifelong learning and spiritual development.
2 Peter 3:18 “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Inclusivity
A fully welcoming church where all are valued and included.
Galatians 3:28 “There is no longer Jew or Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
We are a traditional Anglican church rooted in Scripture, prayer, and the sacramental life. We believe in the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and we affirm the historic creeds of the Church. The Eucharist is at the heart of our worship, where we meet Christ in bread and wine and are strengthened to live out our faith in daily life. We seek to follow Jesus through welcome, community, service, and lifelong spiritual growth, trusting in the dignity of every person and the hope of the resurrection.
- We believe in a God who welcomes. Every person is created in God’s image and is received with dignity, kindness, and open-hearted hospitality. No one stands outside the reach of God’s grace.
- We believe in worship that transforms. Through Scripture, prayer, and the Eucharist, we encounter the living Christ. Our worship is reverent, joyful, and centred on thanksgiving for God’s presence among us.
- We believe in community shaped by love. The Church is a family where relationships matter. We support one another, share one another’s burdens, and celebrate one another’s joys, seeking to reflect Christ’s compassion in all we do.
- We believe in serving others as Christ served. Faith leads us outward. We are called to notice need, respond with mercy, and work for justice. Service is not an optional extra but an expression of discipleship.
- We believe in growing in faith throughout life. Christian faith is a journey. We encourage learning, reflection, and spiritual exploration, trusting that God continues to shape us as we follow Christ.
- We believe in the radical inclusivity of the Gospel. In Christ, all are valued, all are invited, and all belong. We commit ourselves to being a church where every person can participate fully, without exception.
HistoryClick to see more
Over 700 years of worship, community and resilience
A brief history of St James'
St James’ is rich in history, and we welcome those researching family history or exploring the heritage of the area.
The First Recorded Church
The earliest recorded mention of Haslingden Church appears in 1284, when it was listed as one of the seven chapels within the Parish of Whalley.
Church Income Recorded
The tithes, alterage and glebe were valued at £6 per year, giving us one of the earliest financial records of the church.
The King's Book
The value of the living was recorded in the King's Book as £17, 8 shillings and 3 pence.
Tudor Rebuilding
The church was rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style during the Tudor period, creating a larger and more impressive place of worship.
The Church Collapses
After centuries of burials within the building, the structure became unstable and eventually fell. A burial register entry famously records:
“Mary, daughter of Robert Ashworth of Sabden, who had her grave made near the pillar which occasioned the church to fall before she was buried.”
Rebuilding Begins
Funds were raised and rebuilding commenced. While construction continued, baptisms, weddings and funerals took place within the surviving tower.
The Third Church
The rebuilt church was completed at a cost of £1,450, restoring St James' as the spiritual centre of the community.
A New Tower
The old Tudor tower was demolished and replaced with the present tower, costing £900.
Bells and Clock
The current bells were cast in 1830 and a public subscription funded the church clock in 1831.
The Gallery Added
A gallery was constructed, expanding the church's capacity and functionality.
The Willis Organ
A magnificent four-manual organ built by Henry Willis was installed, becoming one of the church's most treasured features.
Renewal After Adversity
Following an arson attack, the church underwent a major reordering. New community spaces, a catering kitchen, exhibition area, modern worship space, heating and lighting systems were introduced.
On 27 February 2000, the church was re-hallowed and dedicated by Bishop Alan Chesters, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
The amazing people that make the church work.
Our team
In addition to the Leadership Team below there are many individuals who are part of Team St James’ and who have a significant part to play in the diverse ministry and maintenance of our Church.
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27
Fr Simon Lloyd
Vicar
Kaye Ridings
Warden
Brynley Dixon
Warden
Miriam Taylor,
Warden
Gary Taylor
Warden
Linden Charnley
PCC Member (Treasurer)
Suzanne Dixon
Safeguarding Officer and PCC Member
Adrian Van der Schans
Organist
Eileen Read
PCC Member
Michael Hiluta
PCC Member
Julie Goodwin
PCC Member
Julie Davis
PCC Member
Jak Metcalfe
PCC Member
Terri Wadden
PCC Secretary
Jill Haworth
PCC Member
Marjorie Charnley
Deanery Synod representative
Parish Governance
The Churchwardens and Parochial Church Council (PCC) work with the Vicar to further the mission of the church in the parish. They have overall governance and oversight responsibility for St James’.
The PCC meets regularly and has a full and varied agenda. Scrutiny of safeguarding issues and financial performance are prioritised. The PCC works hard to ensure good governance and compliance with church rules and national legislation. There are a number of sub-committees to whom it delegates work.
Once each year, the church holds an Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), at which members of the church on the electoral roll are entitled to vote.
View our most recent Annual Report
Electoral Roll
If you know you want to join our electoral roll, please ask a Churchwarden or member of the PCC.
The electoral roll is the church’s register of electors and means that members can vote on church matters. It does not entail signing up to any additional commitments, but is required if someone wishes to stand for election to a leadership role or attend the annual APCM.
To apply to join the electoral roll, the following conditions apply:
- You must be aged 16 or over (though you can apply in the year you become 16 and your name will be entered once your birth date has passed).
- You must be baptised.
- You must be a member of the Church of England and either live in the parish or have attended a church in the parish regularly for at least six months.
You can be on the Electoral Roll of more than one church, but you can only serve on the PCC of one church at a time.
Joining the electoral roll is an important statement of witness and a step along the path of discipleship. With your name on the electoral roll, the strength of the Church can be seen in our local area and across the Diocese.
The electoral roll is revised every six years (last revision 2025). This means that everyone must submit a new application to be included in a brand-new roll.
You don’t need to wait until six years have passed to join the electoral roll; you can do this at any time.
General Privacy Notice
Please click here to view our General Privacy Notice, which explains how we handle your personal data and your rights under UK GDPR.
Our Partners
We are proud to work alongside and support a number of teams and organisations, near and far, who do amazing work sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Some also care for and help feed their communities in challenging situations.
We seek to be generous with our time and money, supporting charities locally, nationally and overseas, including Christian Aid, WaterAid, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Children’s Society.
Details about our foodbank can be found under the Community section of the website.
Graveyard
The graveyard surrounding St James’ is a closed graveyard. This means that there is no more ground available for new burial plots, although there is a section of land available for the interment of ashes.
Local historian Michael Hiluta has mapped St James’ graveyard to help people find ancestors who are buried here.
Please contact the church for further information.
Venue Hire
Over the years, our beautiful building has served as a stunning backdrop for musical events, meetings and community get-togethers of all sizes. A number of community groups already hire the church facilities on a weekly basis.
Towards the back of the church is a hall, served by a large, well-equipped kitchen with an up-to-date 5-star food hygiene rating.
Our church is here for our community, so please get in touch if you’d like to use it.
