Saturday 13 September 2008

10.15 and 11.45

All tours are restricted to a maximum of 12 persons for safety reasons. To avoid disappointment, please pre-book your ticket at the Parish Office in the Parish Hall between 10.00-12.00 & 14.00-16.00.

No tickets will be available on Saturday 13 September.

No children under the age of 12 allowed and all other children must be accompanied by an adult.

Hello Everyone!

“Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…” I feel a song coming on. It must be the impending perils of moving house. For at last the time is drawing ever closer for Michelle, Ellie and me to pack our bags and move to join you in Bolton. Indeed by the time you read this we might even be in our new home amidst all the bags and boxes. It seems a long time since the Bishop appointed me to the post back in April but we are so looking forward to coming now!

You already know one or two things about us from the June magazine but I thought I would round out the picture just a little. Originally I hail from the West Midlands like my esteemed predecessor, Mike Williams. My early life and education was in Walsall and most of my family are still in the West Midlands. I studied Theology at the University of Cambridge and later returned there to train for ordination and to undertake postgraduate research.

I was ordained deacon in Manchester Cathedral in June 1994 and ordained priest the following year at the Church of the Ascension, Hulme. My whole ministry has been in the Manchester diocese: my curacy was at the Ascension, Hulme and then I moved to the Langley & Parkfield Team in the Middleton area, first as curate and then as team vicar. For the last eight years I have served as Priest-in-Charge of St Cross Clayton in East Manchester and for the last five also as Area Dean of Ardwick.

My wife Michelle is originally from County Durham and she is currently a chaplain at Styal Prison for women. We have a daughter, Ellie, who will be two in November. She is full of beans as you can imagine and will want to get to know everyone too especially the children in Sunday School no doubt.

We are so looking forward to moving and getting to know you all. I hope you will be able to join us for the Licensing and Welcome service on Sunday 21^st September at 3pm. I also look forward to meeting you in person and getting to know one another better. I plan to visit everyone on the Electoral Roll in my first year if I possibly can. See you soon.

Matt Thompson