In the Parochial Hall at St Oswald’s, Sowerby, the ecumenical monthly men’s breakfast on the Saturday of our Come and See Mission (12-15 March) was streamlined down from full English to a generous supply of bacon butties in order to accommodate the novelty of a guest speaker. Martin Sheppard turned up to learn more.
Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes joined the group of Anglicans, Methodists and friends with great relish, and having eaten, spoke about his own journey to faith and the role played in it by people of visible integrity, including two professors of theology whose lives impressed him before he became their student.
Asked if a breakfast could be mission, Bishop Paul said, “What we’ve had in the room today is part of the Christian Church; people who are immersed in their own communities, with friends who are not Christian believers – they can make a difference.
“So they’ve come together today and I’ve been able to share some of my story; each one of them would have a story too, and when they go from here they will be salt and light in their community. If that’s not mission, I don’t know what is.”