St John the Baptist,
Bircle

Photos from this Run the race Bishop's pilgrimage

The Bishop of Manchester met a veteran of the 1960 Commonwealth Games on his pilgrimage visit to Bircle on October 19, 2010.

Sam Coker, 800 metres bronze medalist at the 1960 West Africa Commonwealth Games, and churchwarden of St John's, returned the baton to the bishop for the next leg of his pilgrimage journey at the end of the service of Celebration and Commissioning which was the culmination of the bishop's visit.

The bishop arrived by 4pm and prayed the Pilgrimage Office with Vicar, Rev. Arthur Brockbank, churchwardens and members of the Parochial Church Council.

Bishop Nigel then visited the site of the proposed new Bury Hospice which is in the parish, with Hospice Chairman, Michael Garrity.

The bishop visited Topping Fold Community Centre and Library to hear about the work of the Partners and Communities Together (PACT) initiative with Officers from the Bury East Neighbourhood Policing Unit. He met Inspector Charlotte Cadden and PCSO's Andrew Bigland and Kimberly Rafferty and offered his ongoing support to the "Redeeming our Communities" initiative.

After stopping off to bless the recently opened Fairfield House Funeral Home in Rochdale Old Road, where he met funeral director  Bernadette Gibson, the Bishop went on to Birtle Riding Centre to meet members of the Birtle and Rochdale Riding for Special Needs Committee and centre co-owner Sally Ashworth

A community reception followed in the Church Foyer and Upper Room hosted by the Church Council. Guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Bury Metropolitan

borough, local councillors, representatives of a number of community groups and members of the local community.

The bishop's visit ended with a Service of Celebration & Commissioning in the church. Members of the congregation told the parishes' story through a Power-point Presentation, and the baton played a large part, illustrating the call of Christians to pass on the Good News of Jesus' love. Many members of the church spoke with the bishop and took the opportunity to take up the baton, if only for a moment.

Vicar, Rev. Arthur Brockbank said, 'The bishop's visit and encouragements has helped us to remember that we are a resurgent parish - we want people to see that they are a vital part of our parish and that there is room for them in church!'