THERE was a very important visitor at a Warrington school this week.

Children from Winwick CE Primary School welcomed the Bishop of Liverpool, Bishop John, when he attended a service at St Oswald’s historic church in the village on Monday.

The morning service “A celebration of Christianity”, led by the Reverend Martin Cox, priest in charge pf St Oswald’s, is Bishop John’s first visit to the church since he began his public ministry in April 2023.

More than 100 children attended the service in addition to members of the church congregation.

There were hymns sung by the school choir and special readings of prayers and lessons by the pupils.

Bishop John recalled his own childhood in India and the religious stories read to him by his parents during a question and answer session with Reverend Cox during the service. He was presented with an original piece of art work done by children at the school.

He was also given a tour of the iconic church, whose existence was first recorded in the Domesday book in the year 1086, by Reverend Cox and John Watkin, church warden. Its Anglo Saxon origins over 1.000 years ago are carved in a stone cross within the building which would have stood beside the original wooden church site.

Bishop John who performed a short assembly for the younger children at Winwick school in the early afternoon said how much he had enjoyed the visit and would look forward to making a return in the future.

Reverend Cox who has accepted an invitation from the Bishop to serve as the Area Dean of Winwick Deanery in addition to his parish duties said: ” We have really looked forward to welcoming Bishop John to St. Oswald’s.

"The visit provided us with an opportunity to share some of the story of this historic parish church with him and to get to know Bishop John on a more personal level too.”