St Matthew's Church. Wood Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, United Kingdom LS7 3QF
07484 635886 revsijones@outlook.com or stmatthewschurch1900@gmail.com
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Verger
Brenda Rowland
Brenda Rowland is the Church Verger; she helps set up for the Sunday Communion service and also clears away after the service. She also meets and greets people at the door, and guides them to the pews.
She also officiates at Weddings and Funerals.
At Weddings she greets the Bride at the door, helps to calm the nerves, and gives words of encouragement.
She is also a member of the Flower Ladies Team, so could have helped to create the display for your wedding.
Funerals she will greet the family and mourners handing out order of service sheets and then clear up after everyone has left.
Churchwarden
Fred Rowland
Fred has been a long standing member of St. Matthew' Church, and as such held the post of Churchwarden for over twenty years. He stepped down in 2017 but has now stepped back and also inherited the role of Fabric and maintenance officer. So when thing's go wrong with the building he is called upon to find a solution to remedy the problem. His wife Brenda is also the verger at St Matthew's which makes Fred the deputy assistant verger whether he likes it or not...
Churchwarden
Colin Powell
I have been a parishioner at St Matthew's for eight years. I was Deputy Warden for six years and am about to start my second year as Churchwarden serving alongside Fred. I have two grandchildren at the nearby St Matthew's school where I have been Governor for seven years. I work hard with our Vicar and the Head Teacher to forge strong links between Church and School. I am currently responsible for health and safety in church and am the Electoral Roll Officer for the Parish. I have been researching Safeguarding and am fully trained in safeguarding and safer recruitment.
It is a very great honour to be a warden at St Matthew's especially working alongside Fred and John to support our Vicar. Our church is a very warm welcoming space with a diverse community. I enjoy working with Fred and Brenda to set the church up on Sunday mornings and for special services and it is always such a joy to greet our church family. It is a privilege to serve in such a beautiful and historic church that is at the heart of such a special community.
My own interests include Art, film and photography, chess, model railways, reading, sport, and looking after my grandchildren. I look forward to serving God and our church and the community of Chapel Allerton.
Church Treasurer
John Greenwood
John is a long standing member of St. Matthew's Church, having held many and varied positions in the Church. From some thirty years ago raising money for the then new Boiler that heats the Church today. Being in at the beginning of the Pastoral Ministry team, to organizing the Bonfire displays that used to raise money for the Church, which are no longer allowed for insurance reasons.
He is an active member of the PCC and has just stepped down from being a Churchwarden after a long valuable service to St Matthew's. He did this so that he could concentrate on Managing the finances of St Matthew's which is no mean feat. He is still a member of the Fabric and Maintenance committee, a body that looks after the state of the Church buildings internal and external.
Director of Music
Aljosa Skorja
Aljoša (Josh) Škorja has been Director of Music at St Matthew’s since 2012. Alongside his work at St Matthew’s, he is Music Director of Halifax Chamber Choir and Pontefract Choral Society, and has worked widely with choirs and orchestras in the UK and internationally.
Josh trained as a conductor at the Royal Northern College of Music and also holds degrees in Church Music and Musicology from the University of Ljubljana. He has worked with professional ensembles including Manchester Camerata, London Classical Soloists and RTV Symphony Orchestra (Slovenia), and won the London Classical Soloists Conducting Competition.
At St Matthew’s, Josh leads the church’s choral programme across both the Sunday Choir and the Extra Choir. His approach combines strong musical standards with a warm, inclusive culture, supporting worship while offering singers a place to grow musically and, for those who wish, to explore faith through singing.
Scout Leader
Richard Trout
Richard started at St Matthew's Scout Group back in 2008 and with a team helped to form a new section for Scouts, to give our Beavers and Cubs the next step in Scouting.
He loves being able to give young people the life skills and experiences that they will never forget, and as an adult where else can you have so much fun teaching young people how to set fires, climb rocks, sleep under the stars, cook on open fires, to name a few.