Vicar’s Letter

This June is certainly about journeys…

The Queen who recently visited Warrington, is continuing her regional visits around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern

Ireland as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and then on Sunday, June 3^rd there is to be a flotilla of up to 1000 boats on the River Thames.  And on Tuesday, June 5^th the Queen will attend a special service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and will later travel in a carriage procession back to Buckingham Palace.

Meanwhile the 70 day, 8000km Olympic Torch Relay which also visited Warrington, continues around the country visiting an estimated 1019 different communities, and using 12,800 torchbearers!

Not quite on the same scale, two members of St. Mary’s, Alan & Margaret Shields, have begun their long-planned journey following Alan’s retirement from his work with the Salvation Army. We look forward to catching up with them again in the summer when, no doubt, they will have many tales to tell!

Nearer to home, a coach load from St. Mary’s and quite a few cars will be heading to Liverpool Cathedral on Sunday, June 10^th for Phil Turner’s Ordination. We are looking forward to that special occasion as we go to support Phil and pray for God’s blessing on his future ministry.

In June, and in the coming months, we also have many baptisms booked, and at the beginning of this month we really begin to move into the ‘wedding season’. Please pray for those who are ‘beginning their journey in faith’, and for those who are beginning their journey as married couples.

Sadly, in the first five months of this year, many local families have been bereaved and as we enter a new month we remember those who have made that final journey into God’s nearer presence.

Yours in Christ,

Michael