St Mary's has a weekly house group which meets to pray and to study and discuss the Bible together on Wednesday afternoon. This group is part of the CBSI (Community Bible Study International) group. Quite apart from the prayer and study, it is a great way of getting to know a number of people.           

              Prayer is of course tremendously important, not only for church members when they meet but also when they are on their own. St Mary's encourages prayer in a number of ways. Sermons often remind people how they should pray and what they should pray for. House group meetings always include a time of prayer - in fact no church meeting passes without prayer of some sort.

We have a craft group which meets every Tuesday evening in church where members get together to knit, paint or do some tapestry, patchwork and sewing. Why not come along and show us what you’ve been up to? Coffee and biscuits will be provided and everyone is very friendly and eager to help you learn new skills and develop your talents.

Mothers’ Union meets every third Thursday of the month from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in the “snug” of the Miners Welfare (Dale Club). They have a variety of speakers with interesting topics. The MU Branch Leader is Janet Horsley (01773 810105) and the Branch Secretary is Eileen Parkin (01773 775844).

Our worship group leads worship during the morning service, supported by electronic keyboard, guitar and percussion.

We also have a guitar club which meets on Monday evenings, 6.30pm for electric and 7.30pm for acoustic guitar.

SMASH (St. Mary's and St. Helen's!) is our men's group. They meet once a month and every month is different. This years activities range from Go-Karting to an exotic food night, Dog Racing to a Barn Dance. Why not contact Peter our SMASH rep. for further details

The Solos group is very popular and meets once a month during the day. Meetings are well attended and members are very keen. There is usually a speaker of some sort, a chance for a chat and, of course, a cup of tea. Speakers have talked about wine tasting, the internet and local history.
It's a marvellous group where friendships can start and grow, and people can find ways to care for one another. Because it takes place during the afternoon it's also ideal for people who prefer not to go out in the evening. Members with cars arrange lifts for people who need them, so nobody need miss a meeting!

Oh, and it's called Solos because it's for single people!