SADDLEWORTH’S Team Rector is retiring with a plea to churches to keep their doors open during the day.
Fr Christopher Halliday, 67, took his final service at St Anne’s Church, Lydgate, on January 6.
And in a parish letter looking back on his seven years in charge he said: “With the exception of Holy Trinity, Dobcross, none of our churches are open during the day.
“I would like to see all our churches doors open during the hours of daylight.
“Ever since I was ordained, parishes where I ministered have had open doors for anyone to come in to pray, to be quiet, to rest, to explore.
“The comments in the visitors books were always illuminating. I never experienced vandalism or theft in any of those places.
“It was President Roosevelt who commented ‘we have nothing to fear, except fear itself’ and I am certain that is what keeps all these church doors firmly locked – the fear of fear, nothing else.”
Fr Christopher, who lives in Delph with his wife, spent most of his 30 years in ministry in rural parishes, both in Ireland and in Maryland, USA.
“Becoming Team Rector brought a new dimension,” he explained.
“I could no longer expect to visit every family in the Benefice, visit everyone sick or in hospital, nor could I physically make every meeting that happened across the Team.”
And he revealed that until coming to Saddleworth he rarely officiated at more than two or three weddings a year whereas in this Parish he can have more than 40.
“This has been such a privilege to me,” he said. “I have met some wonderful couples, experienced some interesting moments and shared special days with hundreds of couples.”
Fr Christopher said another great joy was bringing the ‘Exploring faith Matters’ programme from America to give lay people a better understanding of their faith and the Church.
“We now have a couple of dozen graduates playing an increasing role in the life of the churches and another 20 students on the course at present,” he said.
“EfM boldly proclaims it seeks to empower the laity to take control of the Church, a sentiment I concur with and I shall continue to mentor groups here for the foreseeable future.”
He added: “I would thank everyone who has helped my ministry, the church wardens, PCC members, organists and choirs, the sides people and the congregations who have faithfully continued to attend the places of worship.
“I pledged when I arrived we would make sure worship continued every Sunday in all nine worship centres and with the help of the expanding group of clergy and lay ministers I have kept that pledge.”
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