The new Rector of the Parish of Congleton, the Revd Ian Enticott, and the Treasurer, Mike Laurence, are running the 16 miles of the parish boundaries on Ascension Day, Thursday 13 May 2021, to raise money for the Christian Aid Week appeal.
Traditionally, in the days leading up to Ascension Day, parishioners 'beat the bounds' of the parish, a centuries-old tradition aimed at reminding everyone of the parish boundaries.
The parish of Congleton was formed in 2019 when the four former parishes of St Peter’s Congleton, St Stephen’s Congleton, St John the Evangelist Buglawton and Holy Trinity Mossley were combined. This will be the first time anyone has run the new boundaries.
Ian, 61, and Mike, 78 are both keen runners. Ian says: "Our route will take us from the centre of Congleton out over Astbury Golf Course, and then up Congleton Edge, into Timbersbrook and over The Cloud before following the River Dane back to Congleton, starting and finishing outside The Lord Mountbatten."
This year, Ascension Day falls right in the middle of Christian Aid Week and in the past people from the local church would go out across town collecting donations. Mike says: "Because of the lockdown it is not going to be easy to go round house-to-house this year, so we thought, 'why not run around them all instead?'"
This year’s Christian Aid Week campaign is to help support poor communities in Kenya affected by severe drought and unpredictable changes in weather. Ian says: “I lived and worked in East Africa for many years and have seen first-hand the devastation caused to poor communities through unreliable rainfall. Your support can make all the difference.”
"The scientific evidence is just really clear"
Care for the environment is increasingly seen as a top priority and mission imperative in the Diocese of Chester.
Speaking in March, Bishop Mark said of the environment and the importance of cherishing God's creation: "The scientific evidence that we are doing damage to our ecology, I think, is just really clear, and we have a responsibility to work together to leave a good planet for those who come after us. Wherever you are, there are little things you can do which invest in the environment, and, together we can do really big things."
Ian and Mike's proposed route can be viewed at http://bit.ly/POCrun and you can sponsor them here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/parish-of-congleton
Outdoor connections
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