Dear Friends, Sometimes church members hinder God’s work with the discouraging things they say to each other. There’s a warning about this in Nehemiah 4. (This is one of the chapters we skipped over in our summer series at church but it’s well worth going back to read it for yourself.) As chapter 4 begins…
Dear Friends, First can I share the news that I’ve written to Bishop Julian to inform him that I wish to resign as Area Dean of Burnley. After nine years I feel it’s time for one of my colleagues in the Deanery to have the opportunity to develop his ministry by taking on this role….
Dear Friends, It was great that so many members of St Leonard’s and St Margaret’s were present at Mike Print’s Institution and Induction at St George’s, Chorley on 19th May. I know that this will have meant a lot to both Mike and Natalie; more than that, it shows that our congregations are loving and…
Dear Friends, Do you ever wonder if it’s all worth it? I’m talking about the Christian life – is it worth giving up so much time and energy and money to be involved in church life? Or would it be more worth your while to concentrate on having as much ‘fun’ and enjoyment in your…
Dear Friends, My congratulations to our Curate, Rev Michael Print, on his appointment as the next Vicar of Chorley St George. It’s taken longer than we expected for the right door to open for Mike and Natalie but now there is a great opportunity to preach the gospel in this strategic parish in the Diocese….
Dear Friends, Debt is a miserable burden carried by many people in our society. As well as affecting a person’s standard of living it can lead to mental health problems and strains relationships with family and friends. Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a Bradford based Christian charity which does amazing work around the country in…
Dear Friends, Our motto text for the New Year has been chosen because 2019 sees a significant anniversary in the history of St Leonard’s, Padiham. On 8th January the building will have been open for public worship for exactly 150 years. 150 years sounds quite an achievement but in terms of church history it’s a…
Dear Friends, I’d like to begin by thanking God for the wonderful response to the Gift Day at St Leonard’s. A total of £11,949 was donated for the new Church Office/Clergy Vestry project and when Gift Aid is claimed the amount received should reach £13,964. A contract has now been signed with Atkinson Morley Construction…
Dear Friends, It seems that not only does the autumn bring cooler weather and shorter days, it also brings a flurry of celebrity programmes on television. Celebrity Big Brother was launched a few weeks ago and the BBC has started to drip feed announcements of who will be taking part in this year’s Strictly Come…
Dear Friends, Please plan to come to Padiham Praise in the Park on Sunday 24th June from 3pm until 5pm. This is an alternative event to the annual Walking Day and will take place at the bandstand in Padiham Memorial Park. The Goodshaw Band will be with us and the programme will start with and…