Archbishop Prays For Mission Teams

Bishops primarily from the Dioceses making up the Church of England’s Northern Province are in the Diocese of York till the 15th March, to participate in a huge list of social and evangelistic events organised by parishes between the Tees and the Humber and from the Yorkshire coast to the A1.

The Archbishop will led prayers for the visitors and for the host parishes as ‘Come and See’ began, and led them in a commissioning prayer:

“I commission you for the work of this mission, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. May God grant you grace, wisdom and joy as you invite others to Come and See.”

The service  ended when Archbishop Sentamu led those participating in the Mission out of the Minster’s west doors during the hymn ‘Go Forth and Tell, O Church of God Awake’.

The Archbishop told Premier Nothing excited him more in this life than talking about Jesus.

The visiting teams, including the Bishops of Newcastle, Carlisle, Blackburn, Durham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sodor & Man, Sheffield and Southwell & Nottingham, then dispersed across the Diocese of York to offer support, friendship, prayer and encouragement to parish clergy and lay people running a host of events and services.

Premier’s Northern Correspondent Ian Britton attended the commissioning service and compiled this report.