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The Bishop of Manchester visited the parish of St John Farnworth on Monday June 9th, 2008 as part of his pilgrimage around the diocese.
Most members of the church council were able to join the bishop and his team for the opening prayers which began the pilgrimage visit.
The Bishop was then taken to visit some long standing members of the church in their homes many of whom are no longer able to attend because of illness or frailty.
At a community reception, organised by the church council, church members were joined by ecumenical colleagues and friends from local Methodist and Roman Catholic churches, as well as representatives of church schools and community organisations in the parish. Many of those who attended the buffet meal also stayed for the pilgrimage service of commissioning.
Rachael Gregory, one of the team of servers at St John's, who is going to university in September, created a PowerPoint TM presentation around the theme 'This is our Life', using photographs from church events and church group activities over the past 10 years.
At the end of the service, the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games baton, which has accompanied the bishop throughout his two year pilgrimage, was handed down a line of church members, each of whom represented one of the past nine decades. A longstanding church member in their 90's passed the baton down the line, and a school boy younger than 10 handed it back to the bishop.
Reflecting on the event, Team Rector of East Farnworth and Kearsley, and soon to become Archdeacon of Rochdale, The Revd Canon Cherry Vann said: 'Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and
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