Download reflections bishop paul
His commitment to spend time with us as deacons to help him fight the lure of the "purple haze". There are a few memories that illustrate this: him dropping to his knees as he entered Liverpool Cathedral to begin his ministry here, weighed down by the weight of this calling. “Bishop Paul has always inspired me in my vocation as an example of sacrificial leadership, which is relational - filled with humour and self-awareness. Here, I have greatly enjoyed working towards the vision, of which you have regularly reminded us, as part of a team of kind, generous wonderful people who you have been responsible for leading.
I remember attending a licensing service very early in my time as a curate at which I was very impressed that you knew our names.
“I was inspired to explore curacy in the Diocese of Liverpool through hearing about your passion for church planting. I decided to ask 3 people who have been through the process for what Bishop Paul has meant to them. I don’t think anyone will ever forget him spontaneously bursting into A Capella song at the ordination services or singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to the tune of While Shepherds watch their flocks! He has shown his own vulnerabilities and in doing that he has shown the candidates and ordinands how vulnerable they can be. Throughout his work with Vocations, at LifeCall events, inspirational Bishop’s Charges, and Christmas receptions, Bishop Paul has shared his own journey with total honesty and openness. "Bishop Paul has always inspired me in my vocation as an example of sacrificial leadership". May he and Kate go forward to create beautiful skies in their retirement may they dance and whisper wisdom with and to all whom they meet for a very long time to come and may the Lord bless them always. They stay in our lives for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Perhaps I can best sum up Bishop Paul’s impact on Liverpool and its people in the words of Flavia Weedn: “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. I hold in my heart the love and support he has given to me and my family. He is never too busy to listen, never too preoccupied with work to respond. Personally, I am grateful for Bishop Paul’s kindness for his prayerful spirit, and for the gift of his friendship. So many people have been touched by his warmth and loving care: his humility and that calm, soft voice put everyone at their ease. It is going to be very difficult for us to wave him off into retirement: he has worked tirelessly for this Diocese, aiming to ensure that the church remains relevant to local communities and reaching out into the heart of every community both within churches and beyond. "I am grateful for Bishop Paul’s kindness for his prayerful spirit, and for the gift of his friendship". I would like to think my heart is kinder and my eye of faith that little clearer by my time serving with him and under his leadership.
Personally, this has at times been challenging, it has been profoundly compelling and always inspiring. Bishop Paul has shown depths, breadths and heights of invitation, hospitality and the rich diversity of what it means to be human and what the world might look like if we embraced and honoured the dignity of all humankind.įor Bishop Paul there is no one excluded from the table. We have gathered a sampleīishop Paul is a man with a heart for all people. There are many people who can offer many voices for what Bishop Paul has achieved here.
His advocacy for a range of groups, his encouragement around discipleship and the formation of a simple, memorable Rule of Life where we Pray, Read and Learn, Tell Serve and Give, his challenge for us to Do Ten Things, Bring One Friend and build a bigger table shows the real heart he has for our diocese, for our communities and for the people who live, work, pray and serve here. This was built on throughout his Ministry in our diocese as he embraced our growth agenda urging us to get “Fit for Mission”. Being launched from the North Liverpool foodbank signaled where our new bishop’s heart lay. From the moment Bishop Paul Bayes was announced as the next Bishop of Liverpool we were clear that here is a bishop who would make a bigger difference.