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The Bishop of Manchester visited Rawtenstall on Thursday 17th May and popped in to the local ASDA to greet his flock.
ASDA is next door to St Mary's church in Rawtenstall, and the two neighbours get on very well, with church members regularly packing bags in ASDA to raise money for charity, while ASDA has offered support to the church and other local charities. Local Vicar, the Reverend David Parkin was delighted that the bishop joined in the bag-packing at the supermarket checkout.
The bishop visited Rawtenstall as part of his continuing three-year pilgrimage around Manchester.
While in the neighbourhood, the bishop met with locals at the Old Fire Station, now used as a youth and community centre on Bank Street. He also spent time with centre co-ordinator, Kalim Anwar, and Jan Shutt, a leading light behind Rawtenstall's Civic Pride group.
After meeting staff and shoppers at ASDA, the bishop moved next door to St Mary's church for a reception in the church foyer, where the bishop met members of Rawtenstall's Chamber of Commerce and staff from Rossendale Hospice.
Following the reception, a short act of worship was held in the church, combining old technology and new - a presentation by the Reach Puppet Group was followed by a DVD presentation about the history of the church and the community.
Led by members of the church of all ages, the service, has been entitled "My Story and God's Story", reflecting one of the aims of the Bishop's two year pilgrimage around the Diocese of Manchester to meet community representatives and listen to their stories.
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