See below the latest stories from Emmanuel, together with the story of its refurbishment in 2011.
Emmanuel Crib Figures – Gospel Simplicity
Our Rector, Martin Snellgrove, writes about the portable crib figurs he is finding useful in telling the nativity stories:
Most churches put their crib-figures away in January, after the Magi have made their appearance, but in Emmanuel Church, two new figures appear, together with Mary, Joseph and the baby, to mark the Presentation, namely, Simeon and Anna.
Like the others, their bodies are made from an A4 sheet of coloured card, formed into an open cone-shape, and secured with a staple in the back, and their heads are 6 cm Christmas baubles. 
Head-dresses, wings, cloaks and crooks – made from bicycle spokes standing in a drilled, wooden base – distinguish members of the full set. None of them takes more than five minutes to make and the total cost is just a few pounds – less if you have any of the materials to hand!
The attached photos show the crib, which is the Communion table turned round specially for the purpose, in its three phases: Christmas, with the Annunciation, the stable, and the Magi still on their way; Epiphany, with the Magi at the house and the shepherds returned to their flocks; and the Presentation.
Emmanuel Church is now fully open
Details of church services are again listed on our “Services” page.
Emmanuel Church on Vounog Hill, in Pen-y-ffordd, was built in 1959. The church has now been extended and refurbished, and was reopened in October 2011.
Here is a record of that refurbishment.
The picture above shows the entrance to Emmanuel church when it was first used again – for this year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning. The cross above the entrance was designed and made by Edwin Jones.
The chancel has been refurbished but remains essentially the same. Extra glazing has been added to the existing window.
The new chairs are of two types – those seen in this picture will be used mainly for worship, and there are also easier chairs which can be used for social occasions. The interior of the church provides a flexible space for both worship and social events.
.
.
.
.
The first event after the keys were handed back by the builders was this year’s Macmillan coffee morning. The new kitchen was put to good use!
The belleplates group took advantage of the reopening of the church to meet there since the church hall in Hope was hosting a party. It’s just possible to see the line across the ceiling where it is planned to fix a flexible accoustic screen which will enable the “social” are of the church to be used by community groups.
.
.
.
Looking Back
On 30th August we said:
As you can see the work is now nearly complete, and the first service will take place at 9.30am on Sunday 18th September
THANKS ARE DUE TO TIM HUMPHREYS AND HIS TEAM WHO HAVE WORKED WITH SUCH SKILL AND DEDICATION TO COMPLETE THE WORK TO SUCH A HIGH STANDARD.
THANKS ARE ALSO DUE TO THOSE PARISHIONERS WHO HAVE HELPED WITH THE PROJECT, ESPECIALLY TO EDWIN JONES WHOSE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE, AND WHOSE CROSS ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WILL BE APPRECIATED BY ALL VISITING AND PASSING THE CHURCH.
Posted early August:
The improvement and extension work has been progressing well and plans are now in place to celebrate Emmanuel’s reopening with an initial service at 9.30am on Sunday 18th September.
More details about all the complex and hard work which has been carried out can be seen in the displays which are available in the Parish Church on our Saturday Activity Afternoons.
The two pictures below provide some information about progress upto 15th July.
The walls have been insulated and replastered, and new double glazed windows added in the style of the old ones.
The extension at the front will provide a welcome area, kitchen, store room and accessible wc.
This next picture shows the situation by 27th July – the front gable brickwork is now complete. The brickwork holding the bell needs to be stabilised and after that the roof can go on the extension.
……………………………………………………………………………
Work started back in April when the contract was signed on 4th April with our builder, Tim Humphreys, to carry out the long planned extension and refurbishment of Emmanuel church. 
The picture shows the Rev Martin Snellgrove (standing) with Emmanuel warden Helen Dalrymple (signing) and builder Tim Humphreys (second left), along with Edwin Jones and Blodwen Ellis from the parish.
Now that the land behind that church has been sold the land to the left and front of the church will be landscaped and a car park created after the extension has been built at the front and the inside of the church has been refurbished.
There appeared to be some confusion, following the sale of the land at the back, that the church itself might be for sale, so Martin commissioned a sign to let passers by know exactly what is happening!
Our picture shows builders Tim Humphreys and Dave Jones with Martin Snellgrove and Edwin Jones on Thursday, 14th April, just a few days into the project. We wish all those involved in the project well, and look forward to the summer when the church will reopen. In the meantime Hope church members extend a warm welcome to members of the Emmanuel congregation as they join services at the Parish Church.
HISTORY OF EMMANUEL CHURCH IN PEN-Y-FFORDD
A history of the current church, together with its two predecessors, was produced in 1993 (author unknown). Extracts from this leaflet follow.
“On January 20th 1881 the first Anglican Service was conducted in a converted shippen, on the site of the present chip shop in Chester Road, Penyffordd. Mr Francis Aylmer Frost began at eighteen years of age to do important Church work in the Parish of Hope where his father, Mr Meadows Frost of St John’s House, Chester (owner of the kings Mills at Ellesmere Port), had his country house in Penyffordd, known as Meadowlea.”
“After assisting the Rev. John Rowlands, the then Rector of Hope (who was his brother-in-law) in introducing a brance of the Church of England Temperance Society, he began mission work at Penyffordd, and set up, entirely at his own expense, the little Mission building……He conducted two services, preached two sermons and carried on two Sunday schools each week…..The church must have been growing in strength because in 1882 the Hope Church members agreed to an expenditure of £240.8s.11d on Penyffordd Mission Church.
