Hulme, Manchester, 1965, by Shirley Baker, 1932-2014 (Café Royal Books).

Radical Reading Room returns on 13th November with a conversation on Disability. David Jackman, who’s supported people with learning disabilities since 1989, will be guiding us through experience, history, language, and where we go from here. 5.00pm tea | 5.30–6.30pm discussion Ascension Church

COMING UP LATER IN THE MONTH... Music, dance, poetry and lived stories from Alrowwad (Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem), hosted by @amostrust.bsky.social. Reserve your place: https://www.amostrust.org/christmas-2025 Proceeds support trauma care and education for children in Gaza and the West Bank.

Long awaited announcement... Our delicious and ethical Fairtrade calendars are now on sale! Get them before they're gone!🎄🍫

Honoured to play a role in ensuring Manchester and Sanctuary are forever interlinked. A history that goes right back to Viraj Mendis at @hulmeascension.bsky.social. (Would recommend reading up on this chapter of Manchester’s history if you’re unfamiliar! ✊)

An appreciation post on #TrusteesWeek! 🧡 We're super grateful for the work our trustees do to guide MCoS' strategic vision; ensuring we embed sanctuary in every last corner of the city. Futureproofing our movement of welcome, one meeting at a time. 📈

New to Manchester? Far from family? You’re not alone. Home From Home is a free creativity group for women - a place to feel welcome, speak your language (whatever that is), and make something with your hands and heart. Next date: Friday, 14th November!

Thank you, Alina, for the beautiful sound bath on Sunday - a perfect reminder to pause, breathe, and listen 🕊️

Huge thank you to Isaac and Enock for sweeping up the leaves around the church! 🍂🍃

Forton Services, M6, Lancashire, 2021, photo by Dawn Mander. A nesting place for starlings.

May Christ who makes saints of sinners, who has transformed those we remember, raise and strengthen us that we may transform the world; and may God give to us and to all those we love, his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next. Amen.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10 Step into stillness with us at Fire & Gold, a contemplative service for prayer, quiet, and calm. Next date: 9th November

We can’t believe it’s been a whole year since our Cathedral of Nature event closed the Rising Tides Festival! We’re still thinking about that wonderful day. Here’s to keeping that same spirit of creativity, community, and climate action alive - one year on and still rising. 💚

Faith isn’t meant to be a solo journey. 💬 On National Mentoring Day, we’re celebrating the mentors who guide, challenge, and cheer us on in church and beyond.

Powerful letter from Clare Herbert in today's Church Times

Hulme Park Tidy-Up! 📅 Sun 26 Oct | 11am–1pm 📍 Meet at the Basketball Court, Hulme Park Join us to get Hulme Park looking spooktacular before Halloween by litter-picking, sweeping, and tackling fly-tipping - all gear provided. See you there! ✊

37.1kg of food = 90 meals for our neighbours in need Thank you to everyone who supported our Harvest collection for Manchester South Central Foodbank! 🌾

Azariah's latest Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2! This time on the topic of Black History Month. 

Stockport motorways, painting by Helen Clapcott (b.1952). #WomensArt #NorthernArt

A few pics from our recent visit from Goofus Theatre! What a great day! 🎭

The World Transformed welcomed thousands of attendees - a massive success in every sense. Huge THANK YOU to Ray, Revd Rebecca, Anthea, Safina, Rafael, Micah, and Philip for keeping everyone refreshed and energised throughout the event. We truly couldn’t have done it without you.

What a beautiful service last Sunday! A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who made it such a peaceful and uplifting experience. Feeling so grateful for our wonderful community. 💛

These are the stories that make me proud to live in Manchester. These are types of stories that we need more of - stories of solidarity and community - not hostilities and St George’s flags! This is the Britain that we need to get back to ✊🏻

🥘✨ Every plate tells a story. Today, on World Food Day, we honour the hands that grow, cook, and share food - and remind ourselves that everyone deserves a seat at the table. Photo credit: Rachel Bywater Photography 📸

Join us every third Thursday of the month, 5:30pm–7:30pm at Ascension Church Hulme, for a warm and welcoming space to practise English, meet new people, and have a good laugh while you're at it. Whether you're fluent, a complete beginner, or somewhere in between – everyone’s welcome!

What a weekend! Drop your pictures from The World Transformed festival below!

A brilliant podcast sharing the life of Viraj Mendis, a Sri Lankan National who claimed the right of sanctuary at the Church of the Ascension in Hulme, Manchester, England during the 1980s. ⭐🎧 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

A handsome young red deer stag. #ukwildlife

It's mushroom season, time to go trudging through the undergrowth to find treasures and take in the magical earthy scent. These ones are penny buns AKA porcini. folksy.com/items/8556677 #Mushrooms #MushroomArt #Fungi #OriginalArt #Drawing #Painting #Artwork #GiftIdeas #ArtShop #bsnm

Come visit our church from 10AM today as we host “760 Days of Sanctuary”- an exhibition exploring the Viraj Mendis anti-deportation and sanctuary campaign of the late 1980s.  This is part of The World Transformed Festival happening in Manchester this weekend! ✊

Article from BBC news about Viraj Mendis and the new fantastic podcast series, "Sanctuary: An Act of Defiance" ✊

New to contemplative services? 🕯 Fire & Gold offers a quiet space to pause and reconnect. All are welcome. Next date: 12th October

Good morning lovely Blue Sky people! Here’s to a happy and peaceful new week for all!

We had a wonderful evening this time last week at the launch of the much-awaited BBC Sounds podcast "Sanctuary: An Act of Defiance". Thanks to all who came to support it!

Today is World Animal Day - and our Church is no stranger to a furry friend dropping in on a Sunday morning! This summer, we invited the incredible Noah's A.R.T to church for an animal-assisted therapy session! Their visit was reminder of how animals help us heal, connect, and thrive.  <3

Some photos of our ThisAbility festival in partnership with L'Arche!

At the launch of this tonight 🤩🤩 All episodes released tomorrow. #BBCSounds #Sanctuary @hulmeascension.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...

“It actually doesn’t take much to be considered a difficult woman. That’s why there are so many of us.” ― Jane Goodall 💙 RIP to a real one. My childhood hero

A band of 13 ringers completed a double peal at #ExeterCathedral on Saturday, ringing 10,001 changes in eight hours and 12 minutes without a break #bellringing #churchnews

You don’t need to be “good at art” to have a creative life! You need space, support, and somewhere that feels like home. That’s why Home From Home exists. 🟣 Free women’s creativity group | Fortnightly Fridays, 6–8pm Next dates: Fridays, 3rd October, 17th October and 31st October!

The art of Play. Where welcome, creativity, and joy come alive - giving us a small, beautiful glimpse of God’s Kingdom here and now. 💛

As part of The World Transformed Festival in Manchester, we're proud to host “760 Days of Sanctuary”- an exhibition exploring the Viraj Mendis anti-deportation and sanctuary campaign of the late 1980s. Click on the link below for more information about the festival!

We’re delighted to announce that this coming Monday we will be hosting the launch of “Sanctuary: An Act of Defiance”, a new BBC Sounds podcast telling the remarkable story of Viraj Mendis and his time in sanctuary here at Ascension Church! The story returns to where it all began. 🕊️✊

We’re thrilled to share that our very own Marie has been nominated as one of Hulme’s Unsung Women Heroes! Please join us in congratulating Marie on this honour. We’re so proud to see her celebrated for all she does! 💐👏

As always, we have another Festival jam-packed with fun times for your little readers. Here's what we have in store for your young ones, and activities that the whole family can enjoy together:

Father Azariah's 'Pause For Thought' on the theme of the week 'The Gift of Giving'.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel."  - Maya Angelou

Join us every third Thursday of the month, 5:30pm–7:30pm at Ascension Church Hulme, for a warm and welcoming space to practise English, meet new people, and have a good laugh while you're at it. Whether you're fluent, a complete beginner, or somewhere in between – everyone’s welcome!

We are collecting Harvest donations until the first week of October!

Check out what Niamh's been up to at the Emerging Leader's Academy!