Church service details are now listed on the Church services tab, and are shown on a separate page.
For Light Up a Life on 21st December also view the flyer on the Events page
GENERAL INFORMATION
Staying in touch: If you would like further information or to be added to the mailing list for Selside Church please email us at info@selside.net. Follow the church week by week on Instagram at #selside_church
Supporting St Thomas's Church, Selside: Use these links for one-off donations or regular online giving. Gift Aid can be applied to either.
The parish magazine is Skelsmergh, Selside and Longsleddale Church and Community News. Thanks to a generous donor, subscriptions for 2025 will be free, not the usual £6 . The magazine is delivered free within the parishes. If you don't receive it and live within one of the parishes, and wish to request delivery, email info@selside.net with your name and address, and we will pass it on. For UK postal copies send your name and address and £10 to the editor Jenny Farmer at Capplebarrow House, Longsleddale, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 9BB making cheques payable to Church and Community News.
Selside’s parish church is dedicated to St Thomas. There is a sign on the A6 giving direction to the church which is about half a mile to the east of the main road. There is a service on most Sundays. Morning services are followed by refreshments. Hymns are sung, usually with the accompaniment of our excellent modest organ. The Church enjoys strong links with Selside Endowed Church of England Primary School.
The church is in Kendal Deanery in the Diocese of Carlisle. The church is the only Christian place of worship in the civil parish, and the congregation come from a variety of denominational backgrounds. The church is part of the Beacon Team Mission Community, which is comprised of St Thomas, Selside; St John the Baptist, Skelsmergh; St John the Evangelist, Grayrigg; St Oswald, Burneside with St Mary, Longsleddale; and St George, Kendal.
A Mission Community is a cluster of churches who commit to working together in a new way to make the Diocesan vision of 'God for All' a reality in their community. This includes how to use their combined resources (buildings, people, and networks) for mission and to benefit each other and their communities in a way that would not be possible to do alone.
Cumbria has an ecumenical partnership between the Anglicans, Methodists, United Reformed Church and the Salvation Army. This means we try to do all things together recognising each other’s strengths. The Beacon Team churches are part of Churches Together in Kendal.
History: A chapel was built in 1709 in the burial ground, overlooking Selside Hall, which itself dates from the late 15th century. This was replaced by the present building in 1838. The church was further extended with the addition of a tower in 1894. There is a fine East Window [1912] depicting Christ the Good Shepherd in scenery echoing the eastward view of the Howgills from the churchyard outside. A longer history can be found on a separate page A History of Selside Church.
Contact: The Revd Michelle Woodcock took up the position of Priest in Charge of the Beacon Team Ministry in April 2024. She is supported by a team of ordained and lay ministry. The Beacon Team Office, website Beacon Team, telephone number 01539 720018, is located at St George's Church in Kendal.
Belonging to Selside Church:
The church is open to all and welcomes everyone. Those who wish to play an active part in the parish and be involved in the selection of the Churchwardens and members of the Parochial Church Council, who work alongside the Team Rector in supporting the church and its worship and other activities, may join the Electoral Roll. Please use our email info@selside.net if you have further questions about the church or Electoral Roll and we will pass them on.