St Mary’s Church meets for worship in the hall of the St Mary’s Community Centre, Chequerfield. We’re very friendly and welcoming to all visitors.
Services
At the beginning of 2025 the decision was taken to move our worship from 9.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning, to 4.00 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.
This decision was taken to enable to church to be more accessible to the people who live on Chequerfield, and to allow them the opportunity to experience worship which is family friendly and varied.
As part of this we are experimenting with a variety of types of worship, this includes more relaxed forms such as Café Church or table talk, and on the 3rd Saturday we have our Messy Church.
About Us
We are a small, but growing community, holding our services in the hall at St Mary’s Community Centre in the heart of the extensive Chequerfield estate.
Our congregation is keen to see our church grow and thrive and be an integral part of the community. We organise various initiatives to connect with people and on the fifth Saturday of the month, we can be found running the café at St Giles’ Church.
We love to see new people join us, and you will be made very welcome.
Messy Church
Messy Church is a monthly event for people of all ages, taking place here at St Mary’s. It includes crafts and other activities; an informal service with music, storytelling and prayer; and free shared food. Children very welcome (please bring a grown up!)
Messy Church takes place at 4.00 p.m. on the third Sunday of every month.
For more information, email stgiles.office@cofe-pontefract.co.uk
History
In 2017 we celebrated our 60th Anniversary. The original St Mary’s Church on this site was built in 1957 to serve the Chequerfield estate which was built after World War II to provide new council housing in Pontefract. In 2003 the church was demolished and the St Mary’s Centre was built on the site and opened in 2004.
Pontefract has a long association of having a church dedicated to St Mary. An earlier church on the site of St Giles’ Church in the town centre which was called St Mary de Foro translated as ‘St Mary in the Marketplace’. From the latter part of the 19th Century and through the early part of the 20th Century there was a Mission dedicated to St Mary on Watergate (near where the Haribo factory now stands). From there local clergy and the Church Army ministered to the residents of Tanshelf area of Pontefract.