Vicar of Bolton Canon Chris Bracegirdle's final service

In a service that ranged from mediations on love and community, to a tongue-in-cheek recreation of This is Your Life, Bolton bid a fond but not quite final farewell to The Reverend Canon Dr Chris Bracegirdle, who retires after nearly 40 years service with the Church.

Speaking after the service Dr Bracegirdle, or “Canon Chris”, as he is near universally known, said his time in Bolton had taught him many profound lessons.

Dr Bracegirdle delivering his last service (Image: Dominic Holden)

He said: “It’s been very humbling, and I guess most of us are the worst judges of our own character but I really accept what everyone has said with deep gratitude.”

He added: “Without in anyway wishing to sound patronising or condescending, it really is about being able to tune into people and connect with people and to present the Christian faith in a warm and welcoming way.”

Along with regular parishioners, Bolton Parish Church was packed on Sunday afternoon with guests including councillors, including Mayor of Bolton Cllr Akhtar Zaman, council officers, voluntary sections and representatives of other faith groups.

The Reverend Canon Dr Chris Bracegirdle (Image: Newsquest)

Dr Bracegirdle said: “The particular relationship that my work in Bolton has tired to build on has been my work with the town, with the schools and with the other faith groups.

“Just in that way of being a Christian leader in the town and working with the other faith groups.”

A huge congregation, including Mayor of Bolton Cllr Akhtar Zaman was in attendence (Image: Dominic Holden)

And the parishioners got the chance to hear all about this work for themselves thanks to a range of impassioned, moving and often very funny reminiscences from Dr Bracegirdle’s friends and colleagues throughout the years, interspersed with hymns and prayers.

The sermon was delivered to a packed congregation (Image: Newsquest)

A particular highlight came when Dr Bracegirdle told the congregation about one of his very earliest experiences in Blackburn, where a parishioner had told him he would get on fine with them having proven himself “simple” and “common.”

Though this could have been taken in different ways, Dr Bracegirdle decided to make it his guiding light throughout his career, in his view “simple” and “common” simply meaning that he was their for his flock and that their concerns were his concerns.

People from all over Bolton turned out for the service (Image: Newsquest)

Now that he retires after 38 years’ service with the Church of England, Dr Bracegirdle says that he welcomes a “more gentle” change of pace but says it is not the end of his work with the Church just yet.

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For his congregation at Bolton, he will leave many fond memories from his five years as Vicar of Bolton and work will soon begin on finding a successor.

Canon Chris heard from a number of special guests (Image: Dominic Holden)

Church Warden Cllr John Walsh said: “It’s not just as a Church Warden that I’ve worked with Chris.

“I’ve seen Chris at work in both the Church and the town and if you look around and see how many councillors and council officers have come today you’ll see how he has really made this role his own.”

He added: “He’s going to be a very hard act to follow and our next task will be selecting his successor.”