Parish children’s video prayer for vicar who tells jokes is answered

A PRAYER by children for God to help them find a vicar for their parish church has been answered.

The young people at St Paul’s in Shipley launched a Facebook plea. On Saturday May 13 at 3pm, the Rev Henriette Howarth will be installed as the new vicar at a special welcome service. She has joined the members of the Junior Choir in the creation of a new film welcoming her to the church which will be shown at the service.

In their first video, which was featured in newspapers and received thousands of views, the children of the Junior Choir spelt out the type of vicar they wanted: “If you want this choice position have a cheery disposition, make us laugh, smile lots, play games, tell jokes.”

For good measure they added, “You must be kind, you must be fair. Bible stories you will share. Plan parish weekends and retreats, sermons short – and sweet, share God’s love with everyone – be energetic; work hard, have fun. Boy or girl it doesn’t matter – but you must enjoy Harry Potter!”

The Rev Howarth said: “It’s exciting that the children in the church were involved in the advertising for the new vicar. I hope I can fulfil their expectations.

“I know the first question they will ask me is ‘Do you like Harry Potter?’ and I do. The ‘sharing God’s love with everyone’ is what I live for. Of course a vicar can’t always be cheerful but I am the kind of person who enjoys life and smiles a lot! As a church, like Jesus, we will be with people in happy but also in sad times in their lives, that’s a promise.”

The new video which has been made by St Paul’s Junior Choir has again been produced by Rachel Hesselwood, director of music for children and young people at St Paul’s. Based on

from the it lists many of the activities of the church, shows the new vicar being shown around the church by the children.