Right Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool
OUR PATRON Bishop Paul Bayes, who announced his retirement in July, is returning to the first Open Table community in Liverpool for a special farewell celebration.
When he became Bishop of Liverpool in 2014, in his inaugural sermon Bishop Paul spoke of an 'open table' made by a poor, generous carpenter who offers a place at the table to anyone who wants to sit and eat.
In July 2015 he visited the first Open Table community, and allowed us to record his reflection, in which he charged us with a mission to give ‘the love that you share, and the openness that you manifest’ as a gift to the wider church, which struggles to receive it.
He has become an outspoken ally - In 2017 he became a patron of Pride In Liverpool and marched with the Christians At Pride group, the first Diocesan bishop in the Church of England to do so. He also returned to Open Table Liverpool to reflect on the experience of walking with Christians At Pride.
He became a Patron of the Open Table Network in June 2020, and in March 2021 our Coordinator Kieran interviewed him in a Zoom webinar.
Join us for a communion service for the first week of Advent (the traditional Christian period of preparation for Christmas). Each of the four weeks of Advent has a theme: hope, peace, joy, and love. The first week is hope!