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Community prepares for church to become a minster

Jon Wright/BBC David Matthews and Jo Jones standing together inside St Mary Le Tower church, smiling at the camera. David has short grey hair and is wearing a navy jumper and beige coat. Jo has shoulder-length grey hair and is wearing glasses. She has a royal blue top on, with a black puffer jacket and pink and white scarf over the top. The church's altar is behind them.Jon Wright/BBC
Church warden David Matthews and former warden Jo Jones believe the recognition will help boost the church's community work

Members of a town's church said a weekend of events to mark it becoming a minster gave the congregation an "upbeat, buoyant feeling".

St Mary le Tower is being designated as Ipswich Minster at a service on Sunday, which recognises its historic importance and work in the community.

A procession will move through the town before the service, and people can take part in "minster-making" events during the weekend, such as bell-ringing and a children's singing workshop.

Church warden David Matthews said: "We've got a bit of recognition and that reflects what is currently going on, and indeed, our plans for the future."

LISTEN: St Mary le Tower becomes a Minster

The Church of England said a minster was an honorific title bestowed on churches of regional significance, to reflect their importance and contribution to their local communities.

Some of the work carried out at St Mary le Tower includes the congregation running a weekly top-up-shop, where supermarket surplus goods are available to buy for a nominal £2 fee for a full carrier bag.

Jo Jones, a former church warden, helps co-ordinate the shop and said becoming a minster was really exciting.

"I think more and more people know that there's a church here, that it's open all the time, that they can come in," she said.

"They can sit on Wednesday morning, they can attend the shop, and we are a welcoming presence in the centre of the town."

Jon Wright/BBC Neil Thomas stands inside a bell tower next to a large grey metal flywheel. He has very short grey hair and glasses, and is wearing blue overalls over a red top.Jon Wright/BBC
Neil Thomas, from Matthew Higby and Company bell hangers, installed the six weighted training bells in the ringing tower

St Mary le Tower has had a long history of bell-ringing for at least 300 years.

Ahead of the "minster-making" weekend, a set of six training bells have been installed.

They have weighted flywheels that give the feeling of ringing, but the sound is conveyed to a set of headphones, so people can learn without disturbing the neighbours.

Amanda Richmond is one of the ringers, and said: "We are such an important church in Ipswich and to be made a minster is really exciting for us all.

"The weekend is going to be brilliant - we're having tours of the bells tower.

"People will be able to see our training bells for the first time, where they can either ring all six bells together, or one person could be just practising something of their own."

Jon Wright/BBC Three navy blue banners hanging portrait above a pedestrian street. They feature illustrated images of the tower and the words "Ipswich Minster".Jon Wright/BBC
Banners hang across Tavern Street in Ipswich town centre, where a "minster-making" procession will go from the town hall to the church

The "minster-making" weekend includes:

  • Friday: The Making of Ipswich, The Call of its Minster - An evening of entertainment through story and music tracing the historical and cultural history of Ipswich, from the medieval to the present day, including world premieres of works written for the occasion.
  • Saturday: A church open day, cafe, exhibits and tour. There is also a children's singing workshop and bell-ringing workshop.
  • Sunday: A procession from the town hall before the "minster-making" ceremony at 10:30 GMT - the historic official redesignation service of St Mary le Tower as Ipswich Minster, led by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
Jon Wright/BBC June Molloy standing with a garden trowel in front of a stone memorial in the church's grounds, smiling at the camera. She has white hair, glasses and is wearing a wax jacket over various layers of clothing.Jon Wright/BBC
June Molloy, head gardener, has been coming to the church for 40 years and has been hard at work preparing for the weekend

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