
Traditional and New Communities
St Ninian's Church is a modern group of faith communities where we value what is ancient as well as embracing what is new.
Here are the main ways we explore and grow faith together at the moment.

1. St Ninian's on Sunday mornings
Weekly at 10.30 on Sundays
At 10.30am, every single Sunday morning, our traditional congregation meets in the main worship space. This community use traditional forms of worship which have been handed on to us over the centuries through The Church of England, but always in an informal and accessible way. We enjoy the power and beauty of our space and are accompanied by the church's impressive organ as we sing old and modern hymns and songs. You'll hear an engaging, relevant message from the Christian Scriptures, and there is time at the end of the service to enjoy refreshments and conversations together.
This congregation is led jointly by our Vicar (Rev'd Steven Herron), and our Associate Pioneer Minister (Rev'd Alex Brown).
2. Sunday @ 10 (The Cat With No Tail pub)
Weekly at 10am on Sundays
St. Ninian's are linked in a working partnership with Sunday @ 10.
At 10am, also every Sunday, this congregation meets at "The Cat" pub around the corner. This entirely separate congregation have been growing there for 30 years and follow a more simple version of Anglican worship. They enjoy singing together with more contemporary worship music, and appreciate the informality and flexibility of the pub environment. There is also time for refreshments and conversation at the end of this service.
Sunday@10 is led by Chris Wildman.
3. SHOAL All-Age Community.
Monthly, Sunday Afternoons.
This is a fairly new all-age community for families and friends who want to be able to explore and deepen faith experientially without separating off different ages. This monthly community meet on Sunday afternoons to explore the Bible through activity and discussion, sing music with the band, pray together, and listen to each other, valuing the input and leadership of the youngest as well as the oldest.
This community is run in partnership with Pioneer Church, with leaders coming from both Pioneer and St Ninian's - an exciting dual-church congregation. If you're into creativity, informality and explorative conversation, this may be for you and your family. To find out more, contact Rev Alex on WhatsApp (07624 428053) or email him here.
4. Ebb & Flow worship.
Monthly, Saturday Evenings.
Ebb & Flow is a community which began its life with Pioneer Church and is now rooted under the St Ninian's Church banner. Monthly evenings of free, gentle modern worship songs from the Ebb & Flow band, interspersed with space to pray, to read out scripture, to wait quietly for God to speak to us, or simply to 'be' in God's presence. The pace is gentle, the structure fluid, and the focus always on allowing ourselves to know God at a deeper personal level. We also have a community artist who paints during our worship, and who speaks afterward about what God was saying to her as she painted.
At the end there is a 'soft ending', where people can grab more refreshments, or pray with someone they trust, about anything that's on their heart. To explore this further, please contact Rev Alex on WhatsApp (07624 428053) or email him here.
5. Morning Prayer
9.30am-10.15am Tuesdays and Fridays
We are a praying and a prayerful people. We believe that God loves to have us deepen and grow our relationship with him and the world around us as we pray for the needs of the world, our Island and each other. Apart from praying throughout all of our services, and in the week, and at dedicated prayer events, we come together on Tuesday and Friday mornings to pray. We follow a simple format where we prayerfully read three short passages from the Bible, pray for the needs around us, listen to God, and conclude with the Lord's Prayer and a blessing. Anyone from anywhere is welcome to join us. Just pitch up to St Ninian's Church before 9.30am and we'll be there!
6. Working Party:
Monthly, Saturday mornings 10am-12pm
This is where the rubber hits the road! Keeping St Ninian's looking beautiful and functional doesn't just happen by chance! Join the group of working party heroes who bundle down to church on the first Saturday of each month. We clean, we vacuum, we garden, we sort, we laugh and if you can't do any of those things, feel free to randomly turn up with morale-boosting cake or biscuits and you'll be welcomed into the hero-fold immediately! Whatever your level of skill or energy, mobility or experience, the more the merrier.
10am - 12pm every first Saturday of the month. To find out more about this community of heroes, email the wardens here.
7. Soil & Soup
Monthly and ad-hoc, outside in the grounds.
As communities of faith linked to St Ninian's Church, we are passionate about sustaining and healing the world around us. This includes care for creation. This growing community of people from in and outside of the church world meet up monthly and ad-hoc to help transform our grounds into an ever-increasingly bio-diverse and locally 're-wilded' space. We want our entire grounds to be filled with colour, life and scent, to reflect our duty to care for this 'Eden' we live in, and to be a place of calm and peace for all of humanity. If you garden, weed, plant, trim, sow, lop or water (or would like to) join us. To join us, message us by email here.
CPAS - The Church Pastoral Aid Society
From the word go, St Ninian's was under the 'Patronage' of CPAS - a group of churches who share the same ethos when it comes to faith. CPAS have always emphasised the centrality of the Bible and a need for a personal encounter with God through Jesus.
CPAS have 4 key goals:
1. Every church a pathway to faith;
2. Every leader a catalyst to making Jesus known (evangelism);
3. Every Christian a courageous 'witness' (able to share their personal story of faith);
4. Every child the chance to explore Jesus for themselves.
To see about the work of CPAS for yourself - hit this link, or the picture.
Our Church Diary
Here you can take a look at all the things St. Ninian's run,
including the diary a couple of things Pioneer Church run, using the beautiful St. Ninian's facilities.
Weekly News Sheet
St Ninian's creates a weekly news sheet for our 10.30 congregation. We will upload this every week here, so that you can keep up even if you're unable to get here on a Sunday.
And last time?
Here's the news sheet from the previous week.
Monthly Prayer Diary
Each month we produce this to help us pray around our community and the world. Click on the link and you'll get a month's worth of prayer topics.

Mothers' Union
at St Ninian's
St Ninian's Mothers' Union is an active group who usually meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2.30pm and we'd love to see you!
The organisation today is made up of hundreds of individual Mothers' Union charities spread across 83 countries, making up four million members worldwide. Mothers' Union members work together to solve challenges in their local communities. By helping to restore and strengthen relationships in families and communities, the movement gives a sense of belonging and purpose.
Take a little tour
The video below takes you on a little tour of our church facilities.
And more than that...
We're an active congregation, involved with Open The Book (primary school assembly team), mother's union, and partnering with Pioneer Church too. For information about courses, prayer events, social events and more head to the NEWS tab.
Who's Who?
When you come to St. Ninian's Church for a function, a service, a party or just to look around - you'll probably find some of these people. Here are our titles and a little biog about us too.

Rev'd Steven Herron: Vicar
I grew up in Southport and, after working across Merseyside as a Paramedic and lecturer for almost 10 years, moved to the Isle of Man in 2016. I was ordained in 2020 and have enjoyed volunteering with many organisations over the years, having been a Scout Leader and volunteer with St John Ambulance for over 20 years.
I love the outdoors, music, hiking and kayaking, as well as playing tuba with Douglas Town Band. I'm married to Sarah and have 2 incredible daughters, all of whom constantly outwit me! I love a good curry and can never turn down a slice of lemon drizzle cake!
I now serve as part-time Vicar of St Ninian’s while also still working for the Isle of Man Ambulance Service as a part-time Paramedic. Clearly, I like to keep busy and I also run a small first aid training company, am a trustee of the Ellan Vannin Home, an advising member of the Patient Consultative Committee of Hospice Isle of Man and volunteer my time with the Cheshire and Isle of Man Army Cadet Force as well as being the island’s Scout Association Chaplain. Finally - I'm also a clinical team volunteer and educator with St John Ambulance Merseyside.

Rev'd Alex Brown: Associate Pioneer Minister
I also have two part-time jobs, but both of mine are with the Church of England. In my role at St. Ninian's I oversee ways we can engage people in new, innovative ways of doing and being church. In the rest of my time I run Pioneer Church, which does just that but with no building.
I moved here in 1997 and spent 20 years running a charity here which engaged in youth work, training young leaders, and leading churches across all denominations into missional thinking. I'm a Director of a local anti-addiction charity (Motiv8), and of Emmanuel Bible College (NW England), as well as being a dramatist and writer. I've got a beautiful wife, two amazing girls, two pets that I'm sadly allergic to, and with ADHD ... also way too many batteries!

Marilyn Payne: Church Warden
Marilyn's biographical info will appear here soon! Watch this space.

Paul Naylor: Church Warden
I have been on the Isle of Man for more than 60 years, now retired after a career of 40 years in the Financial Services Industry. Married to the amazing Annie for 30+ years with two adult boys. Have been a church warden at St Ninian's for several years.
An active member of our Open the Book team delivering dramatised bible stories to the 5 primary schools within our parish.
Have sung in a number of Island choirs over the years although now more involved in the brass band scene as Secretary and playing member of Douglas Town Band. I also play with Crosby and District Silver band.

Julian Power: Head of Church MUsic
We are so honoured to have Julian as our head of music. He has been the organist of St Ninian’s for over 45 years. He is a conductor of choirs and operatic societies, and was awarded British Empire Medal by the late Queen Elizabeth for services to Music.
Julian is a Master of Business Administration, Fellow of Chartered Management Institute and Hon Treasurer of St Ninian’s and other Island charities, as well as being a director of numerous international businesses including some licenced by Isle of Man Government’s Financial Services Authority.

David Sweet: Parish Safeguarding Officer
I came to the Island in Aug 1997 after spending many years a Deck Officer in the Merchant Navy to take up the role of a Personnel Officer for the Company I work at sea. I spent 18 years recruiting young people to complete a 3 year training programme to become the future Captains and Chief Engineers in the Merchant Navy. When I retired, I had 100 Trainees on the programme 25% were women.
Since retiring I have been involved with St John's Mill as General Manager and now Company Secretary.
I have been involved with Safeguarding since 2016.
Safeguarding FAQs
We take the welfare and safety of everyone we come into contact with seriously, and recognise that though we are trying to be a Jesus-centred group of faith communities, people invariably get things wrong.
If you, or someone you know is in danger, or you see behaviour that is wrong, here's how to deal with it and bring it to light. We promise that we will always take things seriously.
Our Parish Safeguarding Officer is David Sweet.
Our Church Wardens are Paul Naylor and Marilyn Payne
To register a concern, if you would prefer not to contact our Parish Safeguarding Officer, here are two other options:
Our Safeguarding Handbook and Safeguarding Policy
St. Ninian's Parish Church is part of the Church of England on the Isle of Man.
We operate in the Diocese of Sodor and Man.
You can find our safeguarding information at the bottom of our "about" page.







































