Hi everyone. I’m Matthew Porter. I’m just starting out as the new Bishop of Bolton.

I’ve already met some great local people, like Sarah and Martin who live on our street, who kindly lent us a wheelbarrow, and Robbie on the supermarket check-out, who told me how he loves his work and enjoys chatting with people.

I’ve also had the interesting experience of being directed by my satnav not to TK Maxx as I’d hoped, but to Bolton’s Incontinence Shop!

One thing I’ve noticed while driving has been Bolton’s traffic lights. There are a lot of them, the red light seems to last a long time, and they all change to red when I reach them. Most people find red lights frustrating. They make your journey take longer. They slow you down. They make you stop.

I got thinking about this and then I began to wonder: what if taking longer, slowing down, and stopping was a good thing?

What if rushing around and trying to get from here to there in the fastest time isn’t the best way to live? Since then I’ve tried to use the experience more positively, aiming to be more attentive to what’s around me, noticing the people and the places. When I do this, I realise that I see more.

We all need to see more and be more attentive and observant of our wonderful world. Yes, it’s imperfect and flawed, but it’s full of fascination and vibrancy that’s easily missed.

This is the world God made and loves, and as a bishop I’m called to serve not only its Creator but its people. Being new I’ve much to learn and I want to get to know Bolton’s people, as well as the history and culture.

So I look forward to meeting you, hearing your stories, sharing life with you, and finding out where Bolton’s best coffee shops and bacon sandwiches can be found. As I do this I want to listen, understand and notice more.

This idea of noticing more fits with the title of this new column. The plan is that I’ll comment bi-weekly on local life in the Bolton area, writing about things I observe. People. Places. Funny things. Sad things. Curious things. That’s why it’ll be called Bishop Matthew Notices.

There’s much to notice, especially as we slow down.