St. Aidan's Church of England, Speke, Liverpool, U.K.
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Saint Aidan
Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne - (Feast Day August 32) Born in Ireland. He may have studied under Saint Senan before becoming a monk at Iona. At the request of King Oswald of Northumbria, Aidan went to Lindisfarne as bishop and was known throughout the kingdom for his knowledge of the Bible, his learning, his eloquent preaching, his holiness, his distaste for pomp, his kindness to the poor, and the miracles attributed to him. He founded a monastery at Lindisfarne that became known as the English Iona and was a centre of learning and missionary activity for all of northern England. He died in 651 at the royal castle of Bamburgh.
Saint Aidan's Church of England, Speke, Liverpool
Saint Aidan's Church was built as a gift by Charles Albert Gladstone who intended it to be a permanent monument to his great grandfather, who had built and endowed three churches in the Liverpool Diocese.
Planning for the building of a new church in Speke, Liverpool started as early as 1933, but with the outbreak of World War II it was almost two decades later before any real action was taken. During the period 1953 to 1957, church services were held in the church hall, which had been part of the first phase of construction.
The hierarchy of the parish had taken note of a distinguished architect who had designed several buildings across the country, and commissioned Bernard Miller who was based at Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool to carry out the task of designing a new church. He had, earlier designed St. Matthew's Church, Anfield.
In designing the church Miller included some very interesting ideas. He designed it in such a way that everyone in the church would be able to see what was going on, uninterrupted by any objects or features. This idea, a theological concept, suggests that everyone has access to God and that there are no barriers between Him and the congregation.
As soon as the £40 000 was raised, the building committee authorised the building work. A foundation stone was laid by Charles Albert Gladstone of Hawarden Castle on 5 September 1956, and the church was completed and dedicated on 21 December (St. Thomas Day) 1957. The foundation stone can be seen behind the eastern chapel wall and the opening plaque can be seen at the east end of the south aisle.
At the time of construction there was much debating as to which saint the church should be dedicated. The task of naming the church fell to the Gladstone family. They decided that St. Aidan was the best choice, as he was a northern saint and the name was comparatively uncommon to other churches in the diocese.
Originally, the church had seating for 580 people, excluding the St. Thomas Chapel and the west end choir. The new vicar, in fact, the very first vicar, Revd. J. Graham, chaired the building committee throughout the early years of the building programme. His successor, Revd. Graham Spiers, was probably the most notable clergyman to leave his mark on the establishment of St. Aidan's. A part of his active involvement was a "Mission" held in 1962 which included All Saints Church, at the western end of the parish.
The font
The first most noticeable and symbolic object on entering the church from the west door is the font. This is where Infant Baptism is practised. Infant Baptism is the act of initiation of a child into the Christian church. The font is traditionally found at the back of a church because the infant is about to start on the journey of life which involves turning your back against darkness (facing eastwards, representing light) and that as life goes on it is hoped that the newly baptised christian will become closer to God. Psychologically, the church building can be seen as a life span, when young we are baptised, with the font at the back of the church, to represent the beginning of life and as we become older our relationship with God develops we come nearer to the east, which represents the Sun of Righteousness. The font is covered in blue and gold mosaic tiles.
Centre aisle
Moving up the centre aisle we see the first stained glass window. The windows are based on those at Chartres Cathedral in France, and are the centre pieces for the main glass panels. They are modern stained glass designs and each one offers a symbol rather than tells a story. The windows are unique in that you need to study them closely to see the objects that are being depicted. The colours used on the north side are cold, whilst those on the south side are distinctly warmer.
1. The Star of Bethlehem The Star of Bethlehem in the first Christmas story represented the great hand of God and His guidance as it led the wise men to the stable where Jesus was born. Scholars have suggested that the star was a great comet of light that appeared at the birth. As we don't really know the exact date of Jesus birth, 25 December is used because around that time pagan festivals were held, including Saturnalia, Mithras the Sun God and the Winter Solstice, which celebrated the gift of light. Ideas used in pagan festivals were turned into Christian customs. The festival that honoured the Sun God, Mithras, descended to the festival of the birth of The Unconquered Sun, which we have come to know as Christmas, the birth of Jesus meant that He had become the light of the world.
2. The Anchor of Hope The anchor was a Greek symbol used by early Christians when they were being persecuted . During the early times of Christianity, Christians were ruthlessly persecuted. Very often they were imprisoned in the catacombs by the Romans. They passed the time by drawing on the walls. One of the most common of drawings was that of an anchor. Soon an anchor became a secret sign of hope to prospective prisoners, to inform them that they were not alone in their ordeal.
3. The Palm Leaf of Victory The Palm Leaf of Victory represents the time at the end of the life of Jesus on earth, when he rode into Jerusalem triumphantly on a donkey. At the beginning of Holy Week on Palm Sunday, people lined the streets and waved palm leaves to rejoice the arrival of Jesus. On Palm Sunday processions are used and on that first Palm Sunday, Jesus came humbly on a donkey. In ancient times a king on horseback meant that he was engaged in war.
4. The Dove of Pentecost During Pentecost or Whitsun, the gift of the Holy Spirit is remembered descending on the disciples, fifty days after Easter. The Dove therefore, became a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is a symbol of purity and freedom. It is a sign of freedom because the Holy Spirit has the freedom to enter anyone's heart that is open.
The vaulted ceiling
The picture shows a small portion of the ceiling, above the organ pipes. The vaulted ceiling at St. Aidan's is unique, not only architecturally but also in engineering terms. The grey lamella pattern of the vault, actually takes two thirds of the weight and is covered with 24 guage copper on the exterior. Only about one third of the weight is taken by the pillars that line the nave. The red colour used in the decoration not only represents the blood of Christ, but may also be seen as representing the tongue of fire of the Holy Spirit.
The high altar
The focal point of the east end is the altar which reminds us of a memorial meal in the Eucharist. The altar frontals reflect the colour of the season: green for growth and life; violet for sorrow and mourning; white for celebration and rejoicing; and red for blood and fire.
The altar book was given in memory of Arthur Evans, former church warden. The candle sticks, cross and silver used in the Eucharist pre-date the building and were donated by St. Saviours Church when this church was first built. Above the rector's stall on the right is the Consecration Cross. During the Consecration Service in 1957, this was when the then Bishop of Liverpool, Clifford Arthur, put his hands and officially hallowed the church.
The lectern
This was added during a refurbishment and replaced two original pulpits that used to be in the central space. The readings and gospels are told from here each Sunday.
The grill on the right-hand-side is the main central heating system for the church. During refurbishment this new heating system replaced a more dated version.
Saint Thomas Chapel
At the eastern end of the church is the chapel dedicated to St. Thomas. This is perhaps, the most peaceful and serene part of the building, and is used for private prayer. Unlike most traditional churches, this church does not have a Te Deum window or an eastern window, as it is sometimes called. There is a large window at the east end, but it is made of plain glass, rather than stained glass. This is now covered with a large sage green curtain, which provides an excellent backdrop against the cross which hangs above the ambulatory and the sanctuary.
The aumbry
On the left-hand-side of the chapel wall is a small safe recessed in the wall. This where the Blessed Sacrament is kept when not used in the Eucharist.
The two doors on either side of the chapel lead into two adjoining vestrys.
The grand organ
Looking westwards we can now see the pipes of the great organ rising majestically out of the west end choir and organ loft. After the consecreation service in 1957 this was the last addition to the church; which was installed in 1958. The organ was a gift of the Norris family of Speke Hall who donated the money for it to be bought. The responsibility of choosing an organ for the church was given to Revd. Spiers and the organist at that time, A. W. Reynolds. The console is on the left as you enter the church, and the pipes are positioned centrally in the case. Its two manuals, pedals and 808 speaking pipes make it a versatile instrument for congregational accompaniments and playing the majority of the standard organ works. The mouths of the pipes on the frontal are covered in 24 carat gold leaf, and most of the pipes themselves are hidden from the vision of the visior.
The organ was built by Rushworth and Dreaper, Liverpool. Because of the accoustics of the building the organ has a reverberation time of almost five seconds. The organ was the largest in the parish until a new one was installed in St. Christopher's Church, Speke.
The choir stalls
The choir stalls are in the loft. They are made of oak and can accommodate up to 35 members. The design on the front of the organ loft shows a cross encircled by a crown of thorns.
The stations of the cross
On the pillars bordering the church are fourteen paintings, modern designs depicting the stations of the cross. These re-enact the last moments of the life of Jesus on the first Good Friday. They too were added to the building during the refurbishment and were commissioned by a local artist.
The stained glass windows on the south side
1. The crown of Christ the King A crown is a symbol of authority and special recognition. This window therefore, reminds us that not only did Jesus come to redeem the world, he was someone very powerful and infinitely mysterious. Christianity recognises that as Christ the King and God the Father, rules the universe.
2. The crown of thorns The crown of thorns was a mock crown that was placed on the head of Christ during the crucifixion. It was a symbol of derision - that the Son of God had to die to redeem mankind - it was all part of God's plan to save the world from sin.
3. The corn The next two windows depict the corn and the grapes. The corn represents the bread broken in the Last Supper to symbolize Christ's body which was given for all.
4. The grapes Again, the grapes represent the wine that is used during the eucharist to symbolize the blood of Christ.
5. The chalice The last window that we see in the nave of the church is the chalice which contained the blood of Christ when it was given up in the Last Supper.
Outside features
On the approach from Central Way, perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the tower and copper-plated spire. The spire is the first symbollic feature of a church that advertises its existence. The spire of St. Aidans was erected by helicopter, and it is a clear landmark on the skyline of Speke, being visible from the Oglet foreshore. Below the spire is the bellfry, where the church bell is housed. It is a tenor bell, pitched to the note of "G" flat. It was cast by John Taylor and Son in 1957. After a silence of almost 20 years, it was rung in August 1990 to celebrate the release of former Beirut captive, John McCarthy. Ever since, it is regularly heard across the parish summoning people to prayer.
On the St. Thomas Chapel exterior wall above the east window are the Greek symbols alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. This ancient christian idea symbolises that God is the beginning and the end.
On the northern side of the building is a former raised piazza, which was originally crowned by a thirty foot cross. Unfortunately, the cross became a victim of vandalism in the 1970s and now only the piazza remains. The trees that surround the buildings were planted in 1973.
The church hall
Adjacent to the church is the hall. This was where St. Aidan's Church began in 1953; when the first services were held before the church was built. Over the years it has hosted social functions and in the 1970s and early 1980s had its own parish club.
The restoration of Saint Aidan's church
Between 1983 and 1990 the church was restored to its former glory and this was owed largely, to the competence and abilities of the former rector, Rev. A. V. Douglas. In 1983 it was found that the structure of the church had severe problems. The spire had to be reinforced for safety reasons and between 1984 and 1988 the long and enduring task of replacing the plaster took place. The brick work on the exterior needed to be re-pointed and made more water-proof. New lighting was added in 1989. The floor was extensively polished in 1990 and the present carpets were added to the sanctuary and chapel. Services that took place with the interference of scaffolding remain very vivid to members of the congregation!
The hard work and dedication of the congregation and people who endeavoured to restore this magnificent building was recognized in 1991 when the church won the English Heritage Civic Award for Architecture. A judge said, "the restoration of St. Aidan's church, Speke, Liverpool, breathed fresh life and hope into an area suffering from many serious problems".
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