D
L
E
R
O
C
H
A
L
I
A
ide
u
g
l
a
R
extu ship in
t
d
T ctorial an s of wor
A pi or place centre
aj
n
to m ale tow
d
Roch
C H
R O
D
A L E
L
I
A
T R
: a
Trail
h
t
Fai
CR E
dale
s SA
’
h
c
e
l
o
a
ous
he R
ochd
elig i
to t
by R
R
r
e
e
r
om
g et h
il fo
hers
Welc
teac
ut to
ounc
p
n
C
o
e
i
y
c
t
ur
sor
ith a
duca
r es o
Advi
us E
ou w
y
o
g
i
n
e
g
i
i
d
id
of
el
prov
nd R
(Stan
aces
l
a
o
p
t
)
r
n
s
i
atio
ou
majo
aim
Educ
e to
elp y
. Its
d
h
e
i
l
u
o
a
t
g
chd
tre,
tual
reat
in Ro
n cen
he g
d tex
t
w
n
o
e
a
t
t
l
h
ria
ecia
dale
whic
picto
appr
Roch
p
i
o
t
n
h
i
s
d
an
hip
wor
wors
more
and
m
y
t
e
i
l
h
yt
tua
enjo
spiri
f
o
ry
ts.
histo
boas
e
l
a
d
Roch
1
We hope that the Faith Trail will enable you to:
•
Learn more about the spiritual history and
traditions of our town: how and when
Muslims, Christians and other faithcommunities arrived here, and how they
have developed their worship over the
centuries.
•
Appreciate the beautiful and awe-inspiring
buildings which form the centres for
worship in Rochdale: the architecture, the
history and the inspiration which have
gone into our spiritual centres.
•
Understand more about each other’s
faiths and beliefs, what it means to
worship in Rochdale and how different
people’s faiths differ from, and are similar
to, each other.
You can use the map to conduct your own
walking tour of Rochdale’s places of
worship, or of course you can choose to
visit one particular centre and spend more
time there. Contact details have been
provided wherever possible, and for many
of the places of worship contained in the
booklet, a telephone call (or email) prior to
your visit will ensure that you are able to
tour the inside of the building.
The Faith Trail takes the form of
photographs and information about
Rochdale’s centres of worship, but there is
also background information on faith and
beliefs, and a map to help you locate each
centre of worship.
2
Muslims in Rochdale
The Muslim community in Rochdale is
predominately an economic migrant
community that came to serve the cotton
industry in the early 1960s. Many came
from Sahiwal in Pakistan, which is now
twinned with Rochdale. Others came from
Kenya in East Africa as well as different
parts of Bangladesh and Kashmir.
Initially most of the Muslim communities
lived around the Spotland, Wardleworth
and Deeplish areas, close to the factories
and mills, but from these humble
beginnings the community has grown in
size as well as in wealth. The town has
produced businesses and entrepreneurs
that now own multi-million pound
corporations.
3
The diverse Muslim background is reflected
in the many different styles and
denominations of the fourteen mosques
that the town boasts. There are mosque
communities of many different groups
here in Rochdale. Deobandi, Tableeghi,
Barelvi, Salafi, Sufi, Jamat Islami and UK
Islamic Mission all have active centres that
serve their respective communities.
In 2003, Rochdale’s first Muslim Mayor,
Councillor Sultan Ali, convened the
Rochdale Moon Sighting Committee which
was a significant development in the unity
of Rochdale Muslims, who were now able
to celebrate the major festivals on the
same day. Recently the Committee
reformed itself into an umbrella
organisation, the Rochdale Council of
Mosques.
Christians in Rochdale
The area which now contains the Parish
Church of Saint Chad has been a
geographical and spiritual focal point for
Christians since Saxon times, for at least
800 years. The first written account of the
existence of a Church in Rochdale is in a
document of 1194 which refers to
Geoffrey the Elder, Dean of Whalley, as
vicar of Rochdale. However the dedication
to Saint Chad (or, as he was originally
known, Ceadda) suggests that the Church
may have been founded much earlier than
this. Saint Chad was born in the seventh
century and educated in the monastery on
Lindisfarne, and it is possible that he
founded Saint Chad’s on one of his many
journeys.
From these ancient beginnings, Rochdale
has continued to develop and expand as a
centre for Christian worship and living. It
now boasts an extensive range of Catholic,
Anglican and Non-Conformist Churches
and centres of worship, including Roman
Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist,
Pentecostal, Salvation Army, Christian
Science, First Church of Christ,
Congregational, United Reformed and
Quaker. All of these Churches share
the Christian message in a friendly
and welcoming way.
The original Rochdale parish covered an
area of over 58,000 acres stretching from
Todmorden to Saddleworth and was
divided into four townships: Hundersford,
Spotland, Castleton and Butterworth.
Eventually, thirty-three parishes were made
from the original Rochdale parish.
4
What Muslims Believe
Muslims believe in one God – known as
Allah and they also believe that Muhammad
(peace be upon him)* was the final Prophet
in a line of Prophets and messengers starting
from Adam, through to Moses, Abraham and
Jesus as well as many more.
A Muslim lifestyle is essentially based upon
his/her obedience to the will of Allah
Almighty through their adherence of the 5
pillars of Islam:
The major Muslim festivals
•
Eid ul Fitr – (Ramadhan Feast) Celebrating
the end of the month of fasting.
•
Eid ul Adha (The Sacrificial Eid)
Commemorating the great sacrifice of
Abraham and Ishmael.
•
Eid Milad un Nabi (celebrating the birth of
the Prophet Muhammad – peace be
upon him)
•
The Hijrah (Start of the Islamic New Year)
3. Almsgiving (Zakah): Giving of 2.5%
of ones disposable income to support
the poor and needy.
•
Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power) – The
night when the revelation of the Quran
began
4. Fasting (Sawm): 30 or 29 days of
fasting from dawn to dusk during the
holy month of Ramadhan.
•
Laylatul Baraa’ah (Night of Forgiveness)
1. The Testification of Faith (Iman /
Shahadah) Accepting that there is none
worthy of worship except Allah and the
Prophet Muhammad is his final
Messenger (peace and blessings be
upon him)
2. 5 Daily Prayers (Salah): Obligatory
prayers that are offered at set times
throughout the day.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj): Once in a lifetime
journey to the Sacred Mosque in
Mecca, Arabia.
Muslims believe that God revealed his will
in the Holy Quran which was brought to
the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) by the Angel Gabriel. It is believed to
be kept in its original state by means of
memorisation and someone who has
memorised it to heart is known as a Hafiz.
5
The general teachings and guidance in the
Quran is translated into the words and
deeds of the Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) known as the Sunnah. He
is believed to be the perfect role model
and exemplar that all Muslims are
encouraged to emulate.
* Muslims will always send a blessing upon
hearing or saying the name of any of the
Prophets – peace be upon them all.
What Christians Believe
Christians believe in one God. For them God
is so great it is not possible for human beings
to understand this idea fully. A Christian way
of trying to understand this is to speak of God
as three in one. God is understood to be
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and this belief is
called the Trinity.
Christians believe that God is revealed in the
world in the life of Jesus. Jesus’ life and
teachings are found in the New Testament
part of the Bible. He is shown as a challenging
teacher, a healer and a friend to all who,
whether they believe in him or not. In his
actions, Jesus showed the love of God for all,
the ideal role model. The Bible is an essential
part of a Christian’s life. In this holy book
many of the teachings and beliefs of the
Christian religion are found. There are two
sections, the Old Testament and the New
Testament.
The Old Testament covers the time before
Jesus was on earth and the New Testament
covers Jesus’ life and the events surrounding
the early Christian church. The Christian
Church grew and developed in various ways,
with different church groups or
denominations establishing their own
emphases of teachings and beliefs. The
Roman Catholic Church is the largest
denomination in the world; however the
Church of England is the largest in this
country.
The major Christian festivals
•
Christmas (celebrating the birth of
Jesus Christ)
•
Ash Wednesday (the beginning of the
fasting season of Lent)
•
Good Friday (the death of Jesus by
crucifixion)
•
Easter Sunday (the raising of Jesus
from the dead)
•
The Ascension (the ascension of Jesus
to heaven)
•
Whit Sunday/Pentecost Sunday (the
coming of the Holy Spirit)
•
Trinity Sunday (the celebration of God
as Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
6
Rochdale Parish Church, Saint Chad’s
A Church has stood on the hill overlooking Rochdale town centre for over a thousand
years. The dominant local heritage landmark, the Parish Church tells the town’s story from
Saxon times. Built and re-built over generations, it has stonework dating back to the 13th
and 14th centuries. A stone wall in the churchyard is reputed to be pre-1066. Splendid
stained-glass includes the Edward Burne-Jones ‘Faith Hope and Charity’ window in the
tower, with glass by William Morris. Legendary film-star Gracie Fields was baptised in the
13th-century font. In the churchyard are the remains of the town stocks, dated 1688 and
last used in 1822, and the grave of 18thcentury Lancashire poet and satirist ‘Tim
Bobbin’ (John Collier).
Sparrow Hill, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 645014
Saint Patrick’s
Parish Church
The Church was founded as an offshoot
of St John’s in 1856 by a young priest,
Father Michael Moriarty. The new parish was intended to accommodate the increasing
numbers of Irish immigrants settling in Rochdale at that time and generous parishioners soon
built a beautiful Church on Watts Street and a small school on Bunyan Street. The parish
flourished throughout the twentieth century, welcoming new parishioners from Poland,
Hungary, Slovenia, Ukraine and Italy in the aftermath of the Second World War. Today there is
a modern Church building on Elliott Street and a well-designed and successful school on
Foxholes Road. The parish is also proud of its association with Alice Ingham Primary School,
Smallbridge and St Cuthbert’s High School.
Watts Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 640424
www.stpatricksrc.btinternet.co.uk
7
St John the Baptist
Roman Catholic Church
St John’s has 1,000 seats and was opened in 1925. The plans were prepared before the
Great War of 1914-1918 but, because of the War, work did not begin until 1923. It has been
described as one of Rochdale’s hidden gems and hailed as ‘the most striking addition to the
town’s architecture since the building of the Town Hall’. Saint John’s has a beautiful dome
modelled on the Byzantine Santa Sofia in
Istanbul, and a huge mosaic of the Italian
marble depicting the resurrection of
Christ. The mosaic was created in 1933
by a firm of Italian craftsmen and attracts
visitors from all over the world. St John’s
is open every day for groups, by prior
arrangement.
Dowling Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 646877
www.stjohns-rochdale.org.uk
Hebron
Pentecostal
Church
The Church was founded in
1943 by the Home Missions
Department of the Assemblies of God, when the Pentecostal movement was in its infancy.
Initially the congregation met in an upper room over a café on the Butts. In 1974 the Church
opened the present building which was built, at great sacrifice, by the members themselves.
In 1987 the Church was extended to include a multi-purpose hall, kitchen and office. Hebron
is a contemporary Church with traditional Christian teaching and values and a modern style
of worship. The congregation reflects the community with all nationalities and age-groups
represented. It is involved in the local community through its social concern department,
English classes, crèche, children’s clubs and prison ministry.
Falinge Road, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 630197
8
Faith Journey Map
8
18
Key
COLLE
GE
1. Rochdale Parish Church, Saint Chad’s
RO
AD
2. Saint Patrick’s Parish Church
3. St John’s the Baptist Roman Catholic Church
4. Hebron Penetecostal Church
5. Saint Mary, the Baum
6. Parish Church of Saint Luke’s
7. The Salvation Army
8
A5
8. Golden Mosque
9. Unitarian Church
10. Neeli (Blue) Mosque
RO
AR
SP
11. Spotland Methodist Church - Rooley Moor Road*
W
12. St Andrew’s URC Church
LL
40
ET
RE
OAD
EE
DA
L
ES
TR
EE
T
DRA
13
RO
AD
TW
ME
RE
ST
RR
STE
CHE
MAN
HI
A6
13. Central Mosque
MA
CL
UR
E
3
E
N
TO
KS
IL
D
ROA
9
14
STREE
T
E
AR
H
10
M
6
MILKSTON
E
RO
AD
MIALL
STREET
AD
RO
ND
LA
OT
SP
11
F
ERIF
SH
H
4
EET
STR
19
O
LL
AN
D
9
ST
RE
ET
A6
RO
AD
80
RTH
ATE
’S G
2
WO
ARY
M
ST
HUN
TER
A67
1W
HIT
5
7
A5
8
S LA
NE
A5
CH
UR
ET
12
B6
REET
15
26
6
CH
RA
17
MS
TRE
ET
16
B62
23
AY
S
ST
RE
ST
M
1
ER
ET
NS
TR
ET
E
BU
LW
RE
LS
O
GEOR
GE ST
N ST
REET
ST
JOH
H
A671
IT
ILT
ON
NE
SM
ST
B6223
8
RICHARD STREET
KE STREET
Key
14. Chashtiah Mosque
15. Al-Quba Mosque
16. Bilal Mosque
17. Jalalia Jamia Mosque
18. Haroonia Islamic Teaching Centre
19. Jarvis Street Methodist Church
20. Trinity Methodist Church - Well I’th Lane*
20
*Not shown on map
10
Saint Mary, the Baum
Built in 1742, the original Church remained in use until 1909, when it was decided that
owing to the excessive cost of repairs the building of a new Church would be more
economical. The new building was consecrated in 1911. The arrangement of the Church is
unusual in that there is a main aisle, choir and sanctuary on the South side, and a centre aisle
and Jesus chapel on the North side. The screen is perhaps the most striking feature of the
Church and is arguably the finest in the Diocese. Since the whole Church is dedicated to Our
Lady is cannot have a conventional Lady Chapel, and therefore it has a Jesus Chapel.
St Mary’s Gate, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 352604
www.stmaryinthebaum.co.uk
Parish Church
of Saint Luke’s
A splendid Victorian Gothic
Church (1862, Grade 2 listed)
with majestic proportions.
Impressive stained-glass, reredos,
pulpit and war memorial.
Salkeld Street, Deeplish
Tel: 01706 354628
11
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army first commenced its work in Rochdale in 1878, but also closed in the
same year. The work started again on Sunday 12th March 1882. The first premises, or
'Citadel', was the Old Rink on Castlemere Street. In 1892, a new Citadel was opened in Lord
Street, which today is Newgate. It remained on the present site until 1989. In January 1993,
The Salvation Army opened the doors of the purpose built centre which now exists. More
information on the flag and crest can
be found at the location.
Newgate, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 715624
Golden Mosque
Golden Mosque was the first
mosque built in Rochdale. Since the
1970s, Golden Mosque has
remained in the Spotland area and
provides the Muslim community of
Rochdale with their Islamic needs,
from daily prayers, talks to funerals. It aims to provide everyone with a beneficial Islamic
education and encourage others to study the correct ways of Islam. The new mosque will
encourage youngsters in the community to be more involved in Islam, God willing. Golden
Mosque Youth Committee has a youth club which aims to promote interest of all youths in
the Spotland ward of Rochdale by bringing together the statuary and voluntary organisations
as well as the local residents in a common effort for education and recreation opportunities.
Lower Sheriff Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 527802
12
Unitarian Church
A Unitarian building has been present in Clover Street since 1818, but it wasn’t until 1862
that the first minister was appointed and the building modernised. Since 1890 links between
Clover Street and Blackwater Street had been developed, and when demands of town
planners necessitated the closure of Blackwater Street Church, Clover Street was also
demolished to make way for present multi-purpose building. It opened 29 July 1974 and a
wide variety of religious and social activities can take place. The “pre-Raphaelite” altar
windows, designed by famous Victorian artist Edward Burne-Jones, are retained from
Blackwater Street building and serve as constant
reminder of shared heritage.
Clover Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 648461
Neeli (Blue)
Mosque
Established in 1969 and rebuilt in
2005 Neeli Mosque today is a perfect
example of traditional and modern day architecture. The original Mosque building was built
in 1840 by James Hoyle, a successful corn-miller who also built the halfpenny bridge. Neeli
Mosque provides a wide array of services to the local community which includes Islamic
education for children and adults, educational tours for schools, computer courses for women
and funeral services. The Mosque is part of a larger organisation called UKIM; which actively
works towards building bridges of understanding and mutual respect across faith
communities.
Durham Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 648094
13
Spotland Methodist Church
There has been a Methodist Church in the Spotland area since 1826. Our present building dates
from 1897 and is one of the few Methodist churches that retain the original raised pulpit, choir stalls,
pipe organ and pews. The beautiful Memorial Window, dedicated in 1921, with names added in
1945, was funded by donations from the congregation. The other attractive windows feature words
from the Sermon on the Mount. There is also a large hall and other smaller rooms which give space
for different styles of worship and enables the
provision of a number of activities for members and
also for the wider community. These include Ladies’
Groups, Youth Clubs, holiday clubs, Mums & Toddler
Group and Luncheon Club. The building also
provides rehearsal facilities for the Rochdale Festival
Choir and the Chimera and Phoenix Opera Groups
and a meeting place for the Rochdale Woodworkers
group.
Rooley Moor Road, Spotland
Tel: 01706 647648
St Andrew’s
URC Church
There has been a church building
on the Smith Street site since 1854.
The United Reformed Church
came into being following the union of Congregational and Presbyterian Churches in 1972.
In 1980, a new sanctuary was built in Smith Street with a new name, St Andrew’s United
Reformed Church. Rochdale Methodist Mission from the Champness Hall joined St
Andrews in 1997, and so the St Andrew’s Methodist and United Reformed Church
partnership came into being. The positive influence of various religious traditions enriches
the worship life of the church. As a town centre church, St Andrews is viewed both as a
sanctuary in a busy area of the town and also as a vibrant community building for a variety
of events and meetings.
Smith Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 648779
14
Central Mosque
Idara Taleem-Ul-Islam was set up in 1974 as an Institute of Religious Education. In 1995 the
organisation embarked on a mission to develop a complex catering for all the needs of the
Muslims of the borough, entailing a large purpose-built Mosque, an Education centre and a
community resource. The Central Mosque opened in 2000 with a capacity of 2000. Its
design is based on the Dome of the Rock adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and is
the quickest built Mosque of its size in the country, taking only a year from start to finish. The
second phase was the redevelopment of the Castlemere Community Centre. The final phase
is the development of a new education
centre at William Street which will provide
facilities for over 500 children.
Mere Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 645135
Chashtiah
Mosque
Housed in an original local Co-operative store
on Milkstone Road, the Chashtiah Mosque was
established in 1985 – initially using only one floor before expanding to the current three
floors with a total capacity of 1500 worshippers. The current building also houses the
Chashtiah Book Centre – an Islamic resource centre, The Light of Islam Academy and has
close affiliations to Crescent Community Radio. The Academy aims to bridge the divide
between mainstream education and traditional mosque learning and it has been recognized
as a beacon centre of learning. The ‘Chashtiah’ name is derived from the Sufi Chashtiah
Order based in Ajmer, India.
Milkstone Road, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 663691
www.lightofislamacademy.org
15
Al-Quba Mosque
Established in 1992 in a small building that had a previous life as a carpet warehouse. When
the mosque was first started in 1992 it had room only for 200 worshippers. The building
was rather derelict and subsequently underwent substantial renovation work in two phases.
Firstly in 1998 with an extension that gave room for 500 worshipers and then the second
phase was completed very recently which now gives a capacity for 1000 male worshipers
in the main hall and 350 in a dedicated ladies’ prayer hall.
Trafalgar Street, Rochdale
Bilal Mosque
From humble beginnings in 1990
Bilal Mosque began in a temporary
Portakabin with a capacity for 400
local worshippers. With the ever
growing Muslim community in
Wardleworth it was not long before plans were drawn up in 1999 for an ambitious £3 million
project to build a purpose built mosque that is perhaps the largest in the North West – with
capacity now for 3500 worshippers. The new mosque is nearing its completion with beautiful
marble imported from Turkey and Spain. This modern yet traditionally ornate building is
going to be well worth a visit. The Bilal Mosque takes its name from the Ethiopian companion
of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was the first person to give the
traditional call to prayer (Azaan).
Bulwer Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 861853
www.bilalmasjidrochdale.com
16
Jalalia Jamia Mosque
Jalalia Jamia Mosque was first established in 1971 at a terraced house on 66 Trafalgar Street.
In 1982 the house was demolished and a purpose built mosque was erected on the same
site. It was able to accommodate 150 worshippers at this stage but after several extensions,
the last of which was in 2005, the mosque now has a 1500 capacity.
It is remarkable to see the change from a humble terraced dwelling into what is now a
spacious, airy and beautifully decorated purpose built mosque.
The mosque is well attended daily by over 300
local worshippers from a predominantly
Bangladeshi heritage. Jalalia Mosque has two full
time Imams, one Muezzin (Caller to prayer) and
four Quranic teachers.
In addition to the daily prayer services there are
Islamic classes for both children and adults running
regularly. There is also a full funeral service available
at the mosque.
Trafalgar Street, Rochdale Tel: 01706 646822
Haroonia Islamic
Teaching Centre
Jamiah Haroonia Islamic Teaching
Centre was established in 1998.
Alongside providing Islamic education to children, they also provide congregational five-time
prayers as well as the Friday prayer and Eid prayers. The centre can hold up to 200 people
which will increase after works to extend the centre are carried out. This will include adjoining
the building next door as well as building a double story extension across both gardens. The
centre is named after its main trustee, Al-Hajj Pir Haroon-Ur-Rashid Sahib. The centre is in
the care of Khalifah Sufi Mohammed Afsar Naqshbandhi. For Friday prayers and other special
events, Imam Abdur Rahim Naqshbandhi is the primary scholar assigned to perform
speeches and sermons. In their absence, young scholar UbaidhUllah Aleem performs this
duty.
College Road, Rochdale
17
Jarvis Street Methodist Church
Methodism began with a group of Anglican Christians in the 18th century, led by a priest
called John Wesley. He believed that religion should come from the heart and had to
influence how you lived your life. They were nicknamed “Methodists” because they met
regularly (methodically!) for Bible study, prayer and Holy Communion. Local Methodists met
in a room above a Whitworth Road
butcher’s shop until the chapel was
opened in 1887.
Today meetings for worship take place
every Sunday at 10.45am. There is a
kitchen, hall and meeting room which
are used by groups from the local
community.
Every fortnight, on
Tuesdays, there is an over-60s lunch
club.
Jarvis Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 642943
Trinity
Methodist
Church
Methodists try to fulfil their calling to love
God and their neighbour through
worship, learning, caring for others and
sharing the good news of God’s love as shown to us in Jesus Christ. Methodists have
worshipped God on this site since 1856, although the first Methodists in the area met in a
farm kitchen from the 1750s. The present chapel opened in 1982 and has a worship space,
hall and kitchen.
Sundays: Worship at 10.30am (including Sunday School) and 6pm
Tuesdays: Prayer group, fortnightly, 7.30pm
Wednesdays: Coffee morning, 10am-11.30am
Thursdays: Meeting with invited speakers, 2.30pm, fortnightly
William Henry Street, Rochdale
Tel: 01706 642943
18
Booklet produced by:
SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education)
Rochdale Borough Council, PO Box 70
Municipal Offices, Smith Street
Rochdale OL16 1YD
Tel. 01706 647474
Contact details for other
places of worship
St. George’s Church
Oakenrod (Bury Road)
St. Michael’s Church, Bamford
(Bury and Rochdale Old Road)
Vicar: The Revd Paul Gully
Telephone: 01706 369610
Manchester Jewish Museum
Telephone: 0161 834 9879
[email protected]
www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com
Visiting Jewish Speaker:
[email protected]
July 2009