ARCHBISHOP of York Dr David Hope crossed the Pennines to visit an East Lancashire church as part of an historic mission to Blackburn diocese by English and German church education and mission experts.

Dr Hope and other church leaders were given an insight into the work of St Peter's Church, Laneside, Haslingden, which serves 8,500 people, and its parish community centre.

Dr Hope was accompanied yesterday by the Most Reverend Manfred Kock, chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, its equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Visitors took part in a Eucharist service with the church's young people's uniformed organisations.

The Reverend Jeff Finch, Vicar of St Peter's, said: "The theme of the church leaders' meeting is 'Passing on the faith to the next generation', so this fit in very well.

"I think the Bishop of Blackburn wanted our visitors to see a normal parish at work and worship, and this type of service is one of our ways of passing on the faith. The work we do through our community centre also marks very much our way of standing with the community.

"It was a great privilege for us to have the Archbishop of York and the German equivalent of the Archbishop of Canterbury in our parish." The visit was part of a six-day meeting, due to end today at Whalley Abbey, involving experts in the Church of England and the Evangelical Church in Germany.

The visit took place under the Meissen Agreement, which foresees regular exchanges between the churches to gain a greater understanding of each other's life and worship. Blackburn diocese is linked with Braunschweig in Germany.

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