Rev Chris Pritchard and Lay Pastor Glen Atkinson share together in offering ministry and pastoral leadership to the church. You can contact them via the Contact us page.
Revd Chris Pritchard
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I originate from the small town of Alsager in South Cheshire. My family have always belonged to the Methodist Church and I grew up at Wesley Place in Alsager. The Junior Church, young people’s fellowship and church youth club had a very great deal of influence on my growth to adulthood and to a mature Christian faith.
I moved away from Alsager when I was 18 and lived for a number of years in Sheffield while I studied for a Civil Engineering degree and then worked for Rotherham Council. It was during this time that I found some like minded Christians who remain good friends to this day. With them I was able to think about the importance of following Jesus Christ.
God called me to become a Presbyteral Minister and so in 1995 I began training for the ministry at Hartley Victoria College in Manchester. On leaving college I served in the Rhyl & Prestatyn Circuit for six years. I then spent eight years in the Wrexham Circuit before moving the Mid Cheshire Circuit. I came to the Bolton Circuit as the superintendent Presbyter in September 2022. Having had two sabbaticals which have looked at how we as Christians were created by God to care for the planet I have a keen interest and caring for God’s creation.
Ruth is my wife, we met while I was in Rhyl, and I have two grown up step-children, John and Becki. When I am not working I try and split my time between my family and my two hobbies. I have had a season ticket for Stoke City FC since the start of the 1975 season and I am also a keen birdwatcher. On my day off, which tends to be a Monday, I am often found with my binoculars in my hand.
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Pastor Glen Atkinson
I'm married to Mandy. We have four grown-up kids and three grandchildren. I always said that I wouldn't get married, have kids or work with kids - all of which I've done! God's got a sense of humour!!
At the age of eighteen I became friends with some German exchange students and got invited to go with them to a church in Bridlington called Christ Church. After making friends and 'grilling' them with questions about God and faith, I asked Jesus into my life. Soon after, I was filled with God's Holy Spirit and a 'whirlwind' journey began! God gave me visions, dreams and would speak to me about people I would meet or even pass-by on the street. If it said it in the Bible, I expected it to happen and so God was able to use me in amazing ways. And so, I was asked to join the church ministry team and later was called by God to become a missionary with an organisation called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). It was during my time in YWAM that my parents moved to South Hiendley in South Yorkshire. When I was on furlough I went to a Methodist Church there. And it was there that I was told, "One day you'll become a Pastor in the Methodist Church!". I thought, "I don't think so" - never say "Never"!
After leaving YWAM, Mandy and I got married. I worked for Lada Cars at the car plant in Carnaby; one night a week for East Yorkshire Council as a Youth Worker and also helped out with the Youth & Children's work at church. When production of Ladas came an end, I did a HND Social Care course (with a Youth Work module tagged onto it). After which, I became the full-time Youth Worker for St Francis Church in Welwyn Garden City and later became 'Bishop's Chaplain' to Oakland's College. After three years with an additional six-month extension the funding came to an end.
I then got the post of Church Youth Worker for St Luke's Church in Bolton. And so we moved to snowy Bolton on the 1st of January 2002! Circumstances caused me to be run ragged. Suffering from Insomnia I ended-up working day & night 'burning the candle at both ends' which led to 'Burn-out' and me leaving the job. Mandy and I tried other churches but nothing felt right. Until we ventured into the newly built Triangle Community Methodist Church, at Christmas, eight years ago (2014) - just to be nosey! Two years later, I felt God calling to 'get back on the horse' and so I trained & became Local Preacher and then applied to be a Local Lay Pastor - so here I am!