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. Please plan to be there morning and evening on Mike and Natalie’s last Sunday – 28th April. Mike will preside at both churches in the morning and then preach his final sermon in the evening service at St Leonard’s. (Note the earlier time of 4.30pm) This will be followed by a Jacob’s Join supper when “thankyous” will be said, and a presentation made.
Mike’s Institution is on Sunday 19th May at 6pm. St George’s is a large church building and so, as far as I know, we haven’t been limited on numbers attending from Padiham Parish. So please do come to support Mike and Natalie with your prayers. (No evening service at St Leonard’s that day.)
Sunday 21st April is, of course, Easter Sunday. We’re delighted to welcome Kyle Mulholland as our preacher at the morning services that day. Kyle was our Ministry Trainee from 2013 to 2015 and is now in his second year of training for ordination. Please move mountains to be there – not just to see Kyle and Amy again but also to meet their baby, Hannah. But even more so because it’s Easter Sunday – the day the Church has especially chosen to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus!
Paul writes, “the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man… in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:21,22) In that glorious event on Easter morning we see our own future. Because this one man was raised from the dead and transformed to die no more then that is the future that awaits each one of us – so long as we’re united with Christ through faith in him. So come to worship and trust the living, risen Christ on Easter Sunday. And invite others to come with you.
Yours in Christ
Mark
