The Diamond Jubilee Year saw the beginning of a remarkable decade in the life of the church, one of great growth, great change and potential disaster. The church's furniture was slowly being added to with many gifts in light oak, of more modern design which was blending into a harmonious whole. Flower pedastels, a portable font, vestibule table, clergy prayer desk, Communion table and prayer book stands, collection -plates, hymn and prayer book cupboards and flower vases all given in memory.

The PCC decided to make the Jubilee Project the furnishing of the church in light oak pews, at a cost of some £1800 - £1900. The appeal was launched on Palm Sunday when Mr. Saunders our second vicar returned as Preacher. The aim was to complete the project within the year. It was a busy year with the Jubilee celebrations, fund raising in earnest, and the Billy Graham North of England Crusade at Manchester, which naturally the congregation found time to support fully.

The choir became robed for the first time and Pathfinders was introduced as the Sunday group for pre-adolescents and young teens. By December the pews were in place and dedicated by the Bishop of Blackburn at a special service with only three hundred pounds still needing to be raised.

In 1963 our curate Bob Rudd left us for the parish of Huyton in Liverpool, taking with him our Campaigner Clans' Chief, Shirley Bancroft as his wife. The Revd. Roy Taylor became our next curate and Gwyn Hopper our first lady worker. Girls were admitted to the junior choir for the first time and the Diocesan quota doubled to £300.

In 1963 Peter Tong wrote of his concern at the lack of united prayer, whilst he firmly believed that individuals must have been praying because he could see no other reason why God should be blessing us, as He obviously was, he still believed that corporate prayer life should be stronger. Never one to avoid grasping the nettle, two years later Peter was writing, challenging as ever, of the difference in the distinctly poor attendance on Good Friday and the wonderful numbers on Easter Sunday, hoping "this does not subconsciously, reflect the desire we all have to shun the cross for the crown."

By 1965 Peter Tong had announced his appointment to the parish of Barnsbury, just behind King's Cross station in London. The church had moved forward under Peter Tong's ministry, becoming financially more secure with increased giving, whilst materially the church was redecorated and furnished with pews. Worship was greatly assisted by a flourishing and accomplished choir. Undergirding all of this was a band of faithful, committed workers who were ready to face any challenge.

1965 was a key year in the life of the church and was marked by many changes Around this time another of our young ladies, Brenda Parkinson, went off to Dalton house in Bristol to train as a lady worker. In the same year Michael Maudesly entered training for the ministry. Harold Bell and later Frank Riley were licensed as Lay Readers.

Rev. John Roberts

In September we welcomed our seventh vicar Revd. John Roberts to the parish, we bade farewell to Gwyn Hopper and welcomed Jean Howard. Church services underwent a major overhaul with the focus of the main adult service being Holy Communion followed by a special Children's Service at 11.00 am and Baptism now taking place during the main service, Sunday School remained in the afternoon.

In John Roberts we soon realised that we had a vicar who was not afraid of change and at a time when the church nationally was facing the challenge to change and modernise, the Church of the Saviour was encouraged to keep up with the times.

Roy Taylor moved on to another curacy during 1966, but before he announced his move the vicar had already had an enquiry from a young man in training, wanting to be his curate, prompting the vicar to quote in his parish letter for May 1966 the words of Isaiah 65. verse 24, "before they call I will answer." And so our Canadian curate, Tom Morgan joined us in September 1966 together with his wife Lillian and baby son Roger. Under Tom's tender loving care the youth work which had flourished with Roy Taylor took another giant step forward. However, the first ascent of Snowdon by the youth group almost ended in disaster, when part of the group becoming separated from the main party discovered that straight up isn't the safest way to the top. Nothing daunted the exercise was repeated the following year and Tom waxed eloquent in the magazine, "no cloud or rain until we had reached the top! Nevertheless one or two were soaked on the way up. But if people will insist on standing knee deep in mountain pools, they can expect the splash of an occasional falling rock!"

During the latter years of the decade the church was plagued with fabric problems the most serious of which was an outbreak of dry rot. Discovered in November 1967, this eventually proved more extensive than first thought. Together with organ renovations it took two years before the church was fit for human habitation again. For the last nine months of that time the church building was closed and services were held in the Hall.

It was a difficult period for the congregation but creative as ever they set to work with a will to raise the huge amounts of money necessary to repair the organ and eliminate the dry rot. Sponsored walks, covered coat hangers, blotters, marmalade and Peggy's Pennies were but a few of the diverse ideas for raising money. Peggy Bailey became almost a fixture, seated at the back of church before every service with her big glass sweet jar, into which worshippers were encouraged to empty their purses and wallets of their small change. In this way alone a total of £214 was raised.

With John Robert's encouragement not to neglect evangelism, despite the fabric problems and fund-raising, a successful mission to the parish was conducted. So much happened during those two years; including the vicar's marriage to Jean Higham conducted by the Bishop of Blackburn, assisted by Peter Tong and Tom Morgan. Jean Howard left us for pastures new, Fred Bannister was honoured by St John Ambulance Association by being made a "Serving Brother of the Order" at a ceremony in London. One of our girl Campaigners, Carol Thompson, became the first person from the Saviour to win the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

In May 1969 the church bade a reluctant farewell as the Morgan's returned to their native Canada, having added David to their family (how will they ever forget Blackburn now?) Dudley Powell began his curacy in June and the church was officially re-opened and re-dedicated in September.

The church entered the 70's to a reorganisation of church government nationally, a new parish worker, Norma Robson, Night School for Christians and the prospect of another vicar. John Roberts left us to take up the challenge of St. Peter, Parr St. Helen's with his new family, wife Jean and very new baby daughter, Catherine.