St. Mary’s Church Moston was dedicated in October 1869 to serve a growing community around a mine and a mill (both long closed). It is now a mainly residential area where about half the housing is council owned and classed as an Urban Priority Area, although new developments will push the balance towards more private housing.

In June 2001, Matthew was appointed to lead this church. He was ordained in 1996 having wanted to be a vicar since 1985. He spent 4 years in Africa (6 months in Kenya and 3½ years in Uganda) where he worked in agricultural development. He is originally from Kent but don’t hold this against him. He enjoys gardening, cooking, being a dad and a week’s skiing every year when possible.

Matthew meet his wife Jo at Theological College in Durham. They were married in 1997 just 2 months after Jo was ordained. They served their curacies in Stoke-on-Trent and came to Manchester with daughter Hannah who was 9 months old then. Since coming to Manchester, Jonathan has been added to the family. Jo took time away from church ministry to care for the children, but now Jonathan is full time in school, she has been a very active member of the ministry team.

Jane Grayson began training for the ministry in September 2004. She was ordained in July 2007 as an "Ordained Local Minister" with a specific roll in outreach to the local community. Jane is married to Brian (who became our church warden in April 2006) and they have two children- Daniel aged 11 and Joe aged 8. Jane has been a great asset to the Ministry team alongside, Matthew, Jo and our reader, Sue Winstanley. David Eastham is our more experienced church warden.

As a church, we have been through some changes in the last few years. However, we are growing slowly but surely both numerically and spiritually. The work amongst the children is one of the strengths of this church and we have sought to build on this by introducing the monthly Family Worship Services, admitting children to communion before confirmation and other activities for the children. We have no hall, so the children meet at the church Primary school. They are now known as the "Kids Church".

Our Sunday worship offers both traditional services at 9.30 a.m. and informal family-friendly services at 11 a.m. This second service makes good use of our multi-media projector and the drinking of quality (Fairtrade) coffee and tea as part of our worship. If that does not make sense to you, then come and see for yourself.

We have adopted Manchester Diocese's "Plan for Growth" and identified 3 areas to place our focus on:

1. Numerical Growth- To increase the Normal Sunday Attendance (a figure worked out every year for the Diocese to measure church attendance) to 82 adults by January 2008. This would represent about 6 people per year being added to the congregation over above the number we loose each year. For those who like percentages, this would mean growing at just under 10% per annum.

2. Spiritual Growth- to have a third of the adult congregation regularly involved in spiritual activities other than on Sunday by January 2008. Taking the NSA figure above this would mean 28 people regularly involved in small groups, prayer triplets or any other activity where the principal aim is growing in faith. In January 2007, we will starting House Groups towards achieving this aim.

3. The Building- to have the church building re-ordered and in use by September 2007. The knave will be divided into two creating space for both church and wider community activities. Full disabled access will be part of this re-development.

All of these plans are completely consistent with the founding vision of the church- to reach out to and serve the local community (our mission & ministry)