Who we are
At St Laurence’s our rich pattern of worship forms the bedrock of our work and ministry. Everybody is welcome to come and join in, to pray quietly, or simply to sit and soak up the atmosphere in this church that has been a place of worship for many centuries.
The church dates from the 12th century. It was largely rebuilt between 1868 and 1869 by the architect George Edmund Street. The old church was made to form the south aisle. A north aisle, nave and chancel were added in the same style as the old building. The contractor was Mr Hunt of Long Eaton. The pews were replaced with open seating. A new pulpit was carved by Thomas Earp. Two stained glass windows by Ward and Hughes were inserted in the chancel, and a window by Hardman & Co. was inserted in the south aisle and the church re-opened on 26 August 1869
Our Clergy
Priest-in-Charge Father Max Marsh SSC
Our Parish Priest, Father Max arrived with us in January 2025 following a curacy in Lewisham in the Diocese of Southwark. Originally from Sheffield, he trained for the priesthood at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield where he developed a particular interest in Benedictine Spirituality. Before seminary, Fr Max studied Drama in London, where he met Hannah his wife. After university Father Max worked as a pastoral assistant at St George the Martyr, Borough High Street in London and at St Albans Cathedral. Father Max is a priest of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) and a member of the Society of the Resurrection, linked to the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield.
In his free time Father Max enjoys live music, model railways and spending time with his daughter, Cecilia.
Father Michael Brinkworth
Fr Michael Brinkworth was born during an air raid over Gloucester in 1941. His father was chaplain in the RAF and he was posted all over the UK. After being demobbed, he found livings in the South of England which meant that Fr Michael lived a somewhat nomadic early life. He was at School at Milton Abbey in Dorset and after school he worked for some years as a laboratory technician.
Fr Michael was trained at Kelham Theological College run by the monks of SSM in the 1960s and ordained at Blackburn Cathedral in 1967. He was an honorary curate at Lancaster Priory (paid a compulsory stipend of £1.00 a year in four equal instalments ) whilst studying at Lancaster University. It was here that he met Pam, his wife.
After Lancaster he moved south to Portsmouth where he spent four years as a curate at Saint James’ Milton having responsibility latterly for a daughter church, Saint Andrew’s Eastney. In 1974 they moved with their first child to Ault Hucknall in Derbyshire. He was asked to go to Derby in 1984 and moved with his family which had by then increased with the birth of twins, and enjoyed life in the City of Derby. Being vicar of two inner city churches, Saint Anne’s and Saint John’s they gained much experience of city ministry.
In the year of the millennium the Bishop of Derby invited Fr Michael to be a honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral. He retired in 2006 and since then he has helped where he is needed in many churches. In 2013, they were welcomed to Saint Laurence’s and Holy Trinity where they have made their spiritual home. He has had the great privilege of ministering from time to time in both churches. His interests include reading novels and biblical commentaries and also jam and marmalade making and cooking. They often care for their three young grandchildren who delight but exhaust them.
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