A new community group is to take over responsibility for a church in Brymbo.

Friends of St Mary’s Church will lease St Mary’s Church from the Church in Wales taking over responsibility for the upkeep of the building. It follows a decision by the Bishop of St Asaph to formally close the church as a place of worship at the end of December. The church community will continue to meet for services in the nearby Church School.

Tonight (20 December 2022) a final carol service will take place inside the church with Brymbo Male Voice Choir performing a medley of Christmas songs and carols. Readings will be given by the deputy Mayor of Wrexham and local councillor Paul Rogers and the headteacher of St Mary’s Church in Wales School, Austin Bowers. A collection will be held and donated to the Friends of St Mary’s Church.

The Archdeacon of Montgomery, The Venerable Dr Barry Wilson, who has been meeting with the local community to find creative solutions for the building’s future said: “Bishop Gregory’s decision to close St Mary’s Church follows a lengthy process of consultation. I know that this announcement will be met with a mixture of emotions. However, as many will appreciate, the cost of repairing and renovating the building is beyond our ability to tackle. I would especially like to thank Councillor Paul Rogers and members of the community who have been working so hard to secure the future of the building.”

From January, St Mary’s Church will be leased by Friends of St Mary’s Church who will care for the upkeep of the building, enabling provision for occasional funerals, baptisms and other special events.  The deputy Mayor of Wrexham and local councillor Paul Rogers said: “The agreement by the Church in Wales to lease the building to the Friends of St Mary’s is a key milestone and means that the building will be able to remain open for baptisms, funerals and other community use.

“On behalf of the community who care about this Church I would like to thank Diocese of St Asaph and the Church in Wales for working with us to secure a future for this building.

“Over the past 18 months there has been a significant amount of generosity from the local community, and I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to everyone for their support.”

The large church yard at St Mary’s will remain open and will be maintained by the Alyn Mission Area. Its Leader, Revd Huw Butler, said: “Tonight’s carol service is a bridge moment, we could say. It marks a new beginning in the life of the church community here in Brymbo – building upon the strong links with St Mary’s Church School where regular worship will also now be based as we move into 2023. Our first service will take place on Sunday 15 January at 3pm.

“There are also new beginnings for the care and use of the building being undertaken by the Friends of St Mary’s. The strong partnership between the church, The Friends and the wider community will see us through as we seek this new vision of sharing our common life together. We are committed to continuing and building the church presence in Brymbo as we move into the future.”