Holy Trinity Church Tunstead, on Newchurch Road in Stacksteads, Rossendale, was opened in 1840 and the first service took place on November 5th of that year.

In 1999 following the retirement of Revd Eddie Ashworth, the Vicar of St. Saviour's (Revd Stephen Brook) was asked to also take responsibility for Holy Trinity. Following his move to another parish in 2003, Holy Trinity and St. Saviour's churches became part of a team ministry along with St John and Christ Church, Bacup.

Revd Garry Whittaker was appointed Team Rector in 2005, with his main responsibilities being at Holy Trinity Tunstead and St Saviour's Church, Bacup. The Revd David Woodall was appointed Team Vicar in 2006  to cover St John and Christ Church in Bacup.

In October 2007, St Saviour's closed and the majority of the congregation moved to Holy Trinity, forming a new parish named Holy Trinity Tunstead with St Saviour's Bacup.

I was Ordained in 1991 after studying theology at St.John’s College Nottingham, taking up my first post as Curate of Christ Church Denton with St George Dane Bank between 1991 and 1995. Then becoming Priest in Charge at Holy Trinity Waterhead, Oldham from 1995 to 2005 before being appointed Team Rector for the Bacup and Stacksteads Team Ministry later in 2005.

I am the proud granddad of two granddaughters.

My Interests include, rugby league, (I am a keen supporter and follower of my home town team Leigh and I attend games whenever possible,) music (both listening and playing, I play bass guitar in the church music group,) and more strenuously, body-boarding on holiday. (I recommend Croyde beach in Devon!)

I came to a real living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ after a conversion experience in 1984, this was the completion of a journey that started some four years earlier, after praying for the first ever time when a family member was rushed into hospital.

Our Churchwarden is Oliver Finnegan.

The Warden has a strong mixture of legal, spiritual and pastoral responsibilities, as well as looking after the church building and its contents. It is a role of leadership and so much depends on their loyalty, leadership and hard work.

Contact details: 01706 875993.

The Team at Holy Trinity is assisted by Canon Martin Gooder (Honorary Assistant Minister) who is a retired clergyman with permission to officiate at services and his wife Carol who is a Reader, which means that she is licensed by the Bishop of Manchester to preach and take services.

We met at Sheffield University where Martin took a B.Sc and Carol a B.A. degree. After Martin’s training at Oak Hill Theological College we were married in 1960. We have two married daughters and two grandchildren. 

We have always exercised a joint ministry – Martin seeking to share the Gospel especially through visual communication of various sorts, and Carol focussing on Reader ministry, informal counselling and children’s work. Carol is also Chair of Governors at a local school.

Our ministry, all in the north west of England seems to have centred on the letter B: Curacies in Barrow-in Furness and Bolton; followed by 26 years in Brunswick (Manchester) where we lived through the demolition and re-building of both the whole parish and the church, and saw the congregation grow from 20 to 200 – though it took 25 years! 

Then a final 10 years at Christ Church in Bacup, before retiring – still in Bacup – to worship at Holy Trinity.

We thank the Lord for giving us the privilege of working together in his service for so many happy years.

Holy Trinity Tunstead is in the evangelical wing of the church. We affirm the Bible as the inspired Word of God and stress a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our two Communion Services (1st & 3rd Sundays) are a bit more on the traditional side with the use of organ and choir.

There is a Parade Service, attended by the uniformed organisations on the 2nd Sunday and a Family service on the 4th Sunday. These two services are of a more informal nature and are led by our music group, Xpression, featuring Graham & Jacqueline Dungworth and Revd Garry Whittaker. The children are also usually actively involved in these services. Power Point presentations are often used at these more informal services.

We like to think that with these various styles, we appeal to the needs of most and indeed this variety seems to be appreciated. We feel that we are a friendly congregation, and that everyone will receive a warm welcome. We like to think that people are happy here and are comfortable in making Holy Trinity Tunstead their spiritual home.

There is a caring side to us that is reflected in prayer and fellowship with each other.

We have a good connection with our local school, Holy Trinity Stacksteads and children from the school attend Church at Harvest and Christmas, and the Team Rector, Revd Garry Whittaker takes assembly on various occasions and also visits St Saviour's School on a regular basis.