Archbishop of York to visit Manchester Diocese as part of ‘Lord’s Prayer’ tour

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, will visit Manchester Diocese on Thursday, 19^th March for the next leg of his  Lord’s Prayer tour – part of Faith in the North, an initiative working alongside others to encourage a movement of prayer, storytelling and church planting inspired by the Northern Saints.

The purpose of the tour is to invite communities to rediscover the relevance and power of The Lord’s Prayer,  encouraging people to pray and use it as a pattern for discipleship. During his visit to the diocese, Archbishop Stephen will also find out how local churches, schools and community leaders are responding to today’s challenges through music, supporting international congregations, and growing new churches.

The Archbishop will begin the day at The Blue Coat School in Oldham, joining collective worship and speaking with students about the Lord’s Prayer. The visit will highlight the strong relationship between the diocese and its church schools, and the role young people play in shaping the future of the Church.

Later in the morning he will visit Oldham Parish Church to experience Sing My Soul, a vibrant choral music project revitalising parish worship. During the visit, the Archbishop will learn more about the ministry of Oldham Parish Church and hear from leaders of the Sing my Soul project. He will listen to performances from the children’s choir and find out how this project is strengthening links with Holy Trinity C of E Primary School. He will also enjoy performances from the Sing My Soul Choral Scholars, a group of talented musical scholars from universities in Manchester.

Over lunchtime, the Archbishop and the Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, will meet clergy and lay leaders involved in intercultural mission, gaining insight into how churches are supporting international congregations and nurturing diverse worshipping communities across the city region.

In the afternoon, the Archbishop will tour Fabric Church, the growing city‑centre church based at Ardwick Barracks. Led by the Revd Mark Roper, Fabric Church is engaging students, young professionals and local residents, and is playing a key role in Manchester Diocese’s wider plans for church planting and revitalisation.

The day concludes with a Lord’s Prayer event at Manchester Cathedral. Archbishop Stephen will teach, reflect and invite those attending to rediscover prayer as a grounding rhythm for daily life, discipleship and community. Everyone is warmly invited to attend, whether connected to a church, part of a school, or simply curious about faith. More details are available here.

Speaking ahead of the event, Archbishop Stephen said, “God laid on my heart an idea to teach The Lord’s Prayer right across the North of England. The Lord’s Prayer is not just a prayer, but a way of learning how to live, a way of educating ourselves to know what God’s will is for our lives and our world. Our hope is to encourage churches, schools and individuals to explore and respond in a fresh way to the prayer Jesus taught us. There are lots of resources available on the Faith in the North website to help you do exactly that, from newly commissioned songs for children and choirs, collective worship resources for schools and small group resources for churches.”