A message for August from Team Rector, Rev Ian Hepburn

Dear Friends, 

Over this year and the next the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, is undertaking a tour across the north of England entitled The Lord’s Prayer Tour. He will be in Manchester Cathedral on 19th March 2026 and in Blackburn Cathedral on 10th October 2025 (an event that will be livestreamed).

The Lord’s Prayer is familiar to so many of us, even topping a survey in being more familiar even than lines from Shakespeare and the National Anthem. ‘It’s ‘a prayer for all occasions: for comfort, for spiritual sustenance, for joy, sadness, and for routine. By soldiers going into battle. In Church Sunday by Sunday. At the christening of a new child, and at the coronation of a King. Walking the dog and burying the dead.’

 It’s also a prayer which has been translated into thousands of languages; too many to keep track of. I remember visiting a church on the Mount of Olives where the walls were decorated with large sets of tiles with writing on them. As we were walking around and trying to decipher what was written on them, we could see they were written in different languages. A Portuguese colleague got the answer first, he found his native language and what was written was the Lord’s Prayer. It was a poignant moment, recognising the religious and political tensions in the Middle East, even at that time, that here was a prayer so many nationalities could agree on. 

The Lord’s Prayer is well-known and familiar to so many of us, yet even so, a child was overheard reciting the following slight mis-pronunciation, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from email”, a sentiment some of us might empathise with. 

As schools, colleges and universities take a break over summer, and many enjoy a break (perhaps even from emails, for a short while) I wish you a joyful and peaceful August, and hope to see plenty of you on 3rd and 10th. 

With love and best wishes,

Rev’d Ian Hepburn
Team Rector of Turton Moorland Team Ministry

Our TEAM RECTOR, Rev IAN HEPBURN, and his family invite us to a Summer Afternoon Garden Party…