'It was absolutely wonderful': Royal Navy veteran gets baptised at Bolton boozer
You've probably heard of communion wine - but what about baptism beer?
Going to the pub can be quite the spiritual experience — as Mike McGarry has discovered, after undergoing a church baptism at his local, the Mosley Arms in Breightmet.
The watering hole, owned by the Joseph Holt brewery, doubles as a place of worship.
It holds weekly services as part of the Church of England's New Life Church initiative, which includes baptisms — making it possibly the only pub in the UK where you can be born again.
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Mike, 83, a former teacher and Royal Navy veteran, has been attending services at the pub since they began three years ago.
'I also read a lot about faith, and when Ben asked if I wanted to be baptised, I immediately said yes,' he said.
'It was absolutely wonderful — a real family affair with my wife, Joan, our children and grandchildren there, as well as members of the church.
"I was christened C of E over 80 years ago, and now I was being born again. It felt brilliant.'
Mike was baptised by Reverend Ben Woodfield, a Church of England vicar who co-leads the Antioch Network — a Diocese of Manchester initiative focused on establishing Anglican churches in what he calls 'harder to reach places,' including council estates, urban communities and inner cities.
'For us as Christians, Jesus went to where people gathered,' said Rev. Woodfield.
'A lovely pub like The Mosley is an example of this. Pubs are where people experience life's big moments — weddings, birthdays, wakes — so holding services and baptisms here is a perfect fit. It's informal, people feel relaxed, they sing and pray. To have a church here is just beautiful.'
Baptism, which symbolises Christ's burial and resurrection, is marked by the pouring of water on the head of the baptised — and at the Mosley Arms, these ceremonies have included people in their twenties right up to octogenarians like Mike.
The church at the Mosley Arms came into being when landlady Bernadette Bates was approached by a friend about using her pub as a worship space.
'I thought it was a wonderful idea,' she said.
'I'm C of E and really enjoy my religion, but some people may be reluctant to go into a traditional church.'
The Joseph Holt brewery was established in Manchester 175 years ago by weaver`s son Joseph Holt.
It has been in the same family for six generations and the company owns 127 pubs across the North West.
As such, says Bernadette, the idea of a church in a Joseph Holt pub very much mirrors the ethos of the independent family business, with their pubs central to the communities where they are located.
'Our pub provides an informal alternative to a traditional church yet we are still in the heart of the community,' she added. 'Joseph Holt pubs are so much more than places to eat and drink. We really are a place where people come together.'
Mike said: 'This has been a wonderful initiative by Joseph Holt.
'The church has a lovely atmosphere at The Mosley — it's a place people can really relate to.'
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