The Dales :: The Penhill Benefice

	The Penhill Benefice St Andrews Parish Church Aysgarth Dates For Your Diary Prayer List The Benefice Peace And Justice Group Incorporating the parishes of Aysgarth, Bolton-cum-Redmire, Preston with Wensley, Thornton Rust, & West Witton Vicar: Revd. Canon Sue Whitehouse, The Vicarage, Carperby. Tel: 663235 Curate: Revd. Penny Yeadon, Dale Cottage, Aysgarth. Tel: 663505 Curate: Revd. Judith Walker, New Cottage, Swinnithwaite. Tel: 663171 Penhill Benefice Newsletter March 2010 Dear Friends, This Lent I have bought three books to read; ‘Bothered and Bewildered’ by Ann Morisy – a book that looks at enacting hope in troubled times; ‘An Altar in the World’ by Barbara Brown Taylor, an Anglican priest who teaches spirituality at Columbia Theological Seminary and last but not least Joanna Trollope’s new best seller ‘The Other Family’. As I write I have only started reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s book and you will have to challenge me at one of our Easter Services as to whether I have achieved my aim of finishing all three by Easter morning! In ther opening to her book Barbara writes “I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, ‘I am spiritual but not religious’. This phrase is one that is often said to me when colleagues or acquaintances find out that I am involved in the church. They want to let me know that they have a sense of a divine being but that they are not regular church goers, and do not, often, want to become one as they perceive that such institutions are not for them or in fact they may have been regular attendees once but they have become disillusioned with what they have to offer. Many of them have retained the helpful bits from their experience of church or other religious institutions; others search the globe and sometimes the internet searching for something that will fulfil the ‘spiritual’ side of their nature. Even regular church goers still feel the need to search for ‘more’ than the traditions can give them. Some find this ‘more’ in nature, in love, in art, in grief and others travel half way round the world to visit a monastery or holy place. But Barbara suggests that the last place that we look to is right under our feet, in everyday activities, accidents and encounters of our lives. The reason we can’t see the red X that marks the spot is because we are standing on it. The treasure we seek requires no lengthy expedition, no expensive equipment, no superior knowledge or special company. All we lack, she suggests, is our consent to be where we are. Our lives depend on engaging in the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found ‘out there’ but the treasure is found when we engage in the most ordinary experiences of human life on earth, giving them our utmost attention and becoming fully human trusting that the way to encounter God is from real life in the world. In the Bible we read of Jesus walking, talking, and eating with the ordinary people that he came across in his daily life, he teaches tax collectors, prostitutes, religious leaders and his own followers that God wants us to be truly human to live our lives as he lived his, to allow God to shape us in to the human beings that he truly wants us to be, to have a relationship with each other and with God. To make bread, or to love, to dig the earth, to feed an animal or to cook for a stranger these activities require no extensive commentary or theological explanations. All they require is someone willing to bend, to reach, to chop, to stir. Most of these tasks are full of pleasure and don’t need complicating by calling them holy. And yet these are same activities that change lives, sometimes all at once, sometimes slowly, like dripping water changes stone. It is in these ordinary places, in these everyday activities and in the people that we encounter that we often meet God. Wherever we are, who ever we are, we live in a world, which is waiting for us to notice the holiness in it. Yours in Christ, Penny WHEN I SURVEY....Christ's Cross and Ours A Lent Programme with refreshments open to everyone in the benefice from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm in Wensley Village Hall. 2nd March Into Great Silence 9th March The Child on the Cross 16th March Outside a City Wall 23rd March Touching the Rock More info available from Graham Dear (623960) and John Webster (622491) MISSION STATEMENT The benefice mission statement appears on all our newsletters and pewsheets. But it’s important that it’s not just some sort of letter heading or logo. It must be something real, living, built into our lives and those of our churches. Do you have ideas about how the mission statement should be put into practice? Pass them on to one of your PCC members so that they can be discussed and plans made. THE BENEFICE MISSION STATEMENT The Penhill Benefice is committed to show the love of God and the saving grace of Jesus. We share together as the body of Christ, in prayer, worship, ministry and fellowship. In the power of the Holy Spirit we are called to mission and outreach and to be a support and comfort in the community. CHRISTIAN AID TREASURER Christian Aid is looking for a new Treasurer to take over from Noel Ashworth from May 2010. After a 5 year stint, Noel will be happy to give help to whoever would like to continue this work. Please tel: 624604 or the Benifice Office. Many thanks. CMS IN WEST WITTON DURING LENT Bob & Rosalind Arnold are St. Bartholomew’s Mission Link Partners. They have indeed done an excellent job in enriching the Ugandans through learning various skills in the centre, thus helping them to help themselves. CMS Lent boxes are available now. Please take one and give generously returning them to St. Bartholomew’s Church at the Easter Day Service. Thank you. Eileen Barraclough. WHIST EVENING At West Witton a Whist Drive with supper hosted by Mrs Vera Brown raised £263 for St. Bartholomew’s Church Funds. Grateful thanks are extended to everyone who donated raffle prizes & bring & buy and all who helped and supported the event. It was as ever a very enjoyable evening. LENT LUNCHES For Christian Aid On Fridays in March 5th Aysgarth Village Institute 12th Thornton Rust Village Institute 19th Thoralby Village Hall 26th Carperby Village Institute All lunches between noon - 1.30pm CHRISTIANS IN THE DALES - Spring Meeting - Thursday 29th April, 10:00 for 10:30am – 2:30pm. ‘‘The Importance of being Earnest’ Developing a closer relationship with the Lord with Ruth Dent The Methodist Church Hall, Middleham, Near Leyburn, North Yorkshire Charge £5 (this includes coffee, tea & biscuits on arrival and at lunchtime). Remember to bring your Bible and a packed lunch! Mrs. Jean Boyd 01969 663474 & Mrs. Anne Day 01969 624171 CHARITY CONCERT in aid of Marie Curie Nurses and the Amala Orphanage, India. Craven Accordion Orchestra Conductor Harry Hinchcliffe Redmire Village Hall on Saturday May 8th at 7 00pm Refreshments. Tickets £6 Contact Margaret Hall 623012/ Anne Day 624171 Wensley Deanery are tentatively considering a pilgrimage to Sri Lanka between Feb and May 2011, and are seeking expressions of interest from persons who might go. The trip might last about 10 days. The dioceses of Kurungala and of Colombo have "official" links with our diocese ; and as a result some funds should be available through the David Young Sri Lanka Fund to help people go when they might not really be able to afford it otherwise. Contact Robert Hall 623012/663097 NEWS ABOUT OUR CURATES! Penny - Has finished her training as a curate and we are delighted that she is staying in the benefice as our associate priest (a priest who assists the Parish Priest in the pastoral care of a parishes). She will continue with her full time job as before but now has a new status. Bishop James will license Penny at a benefice service on Sunday April 11th at 10.30am at St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth. Please put this date in your diary & come along to support Penny. Judith - Congratulations to Judith who has been appointed as Rector of the Episcopal Church in Haddington, Scotland. Join us for Songs of Praise & bring & share supper on Easter Sunday April 4th at 6pm at Holy Trinity Church, Wensley. There will be opportunity to say thank you to Judith for her ministry with us and God’s speed to her and David in their new church. EASTER LILIES Would you would like to donate a lily this Easter in memory of a loved one? The lilies will be used in a floral display in St. Bartholomew’s Church, West Witton at Easter. A list of those in whose memory the lilies have been given, will be displayed in the church. If you wish to make a donation for a lily, please write your own name & the name of the person in whose name the lily has been donated for on an envelope enclosing £2 per lily and give to Valerie Alsop (622576) by 27th March. ‘When the one you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure ... ' The Coffee Morning held by Ben & Hilary Grisewood on Feb 29th raised a total of £580! Half the money has been sent to the Disaster Emergency Committee and half to Mary's Meals, a charity with long-term involvement in feeding children in Haiti. Very many thanks to all who contributed. BAPTISM & CONFIRMATION SERVICE Castle Bolton on Sunday March 7th at 9.30am Please pray for the young people being baptised & confirmed. Elsie Raw (baptised), James Peacock, Charlie Sargent, Jack Sargent & Andrew Zelinska (confirmed) at a service with Bishop James If you would be interested in thinking about confirmation please contact Sue (663235) or Penny (663505) Thank you very much for the books that were donated for Cockermouth Library, the used stamps for Marie Curie (ongoing please leave in church) and used Christmas cards – much appreciated. The monthly Penhill benefice newsletter can be found at: www.standrewschurchaysgarth.org.uk www.thedales.org.uk. (linked bible readings) The weekly services and other news can also be found at www.pipspatch.com. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Penhill Benefice Newsletter February 2010 Dear Friends, I intended to write, this my last newsletter to you, telling you all about my news. Many of you will already know that I have been appointed Rector to Holy Trinity Church, Haddington in the Edinburgh Diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church and that David and I will be leaving Penhill sometime shortly after Easter. Haddington is a rural market/farming town about 15 miles east of Edinburgh, the seat of government for East Lothian with a rich spiritual and secular history. I had intended to tell you about the wonderfully hospitable people, the former friary on which the church is located, the beautiful coastline and the history of fighting (both for and against) the English, and of how excited both David and I are that God has, somewhat unexpectedly, called us to this wonderful place. All of that is however personal news and whilst it might affect us in what seem significant ways, it seems also to be profoundly irrelevant in light of the news we have all been hearing over the past weeks. The questions raised by the devastating disaster in Haiti are of a different magnitude and demand our attention no matter what else is going on in our lives. There has been much debate in the media between theologians and sceptical atheists about continued belief in God in the light of such natural disasters. Human suffering whether on this unimaginable scale or as something we are facing personally and privately, always seems to raise the question posed by philosopher AC Grayling; ‘How can anyone believe in an all-powerful God who allows this to happen?’ How can people of faith continue to believe and how can people like me continue to be willing to leave home, friends and family for His name’s sake? This question is particularly pertinent for me when my grandson Alfie is about to be born into the world and whom I know I will miss terribly when we’re north of the border. Grayling and others are pointing to questions about the very nature of God and of belief and there are times in our lives when we all hope and pray that someone else, usually God, is in control of the things we seem incapable of understanding let alone controlling. But actually in reality most of us realise that the things that affect our daily lives to the greatest extent are the choices and decision we ourselves make. Grayling dismisses a God who has mapped out every single detail in the history of the world and I would dismiss that God too, for such a God would have created irrelevant robots, not human beings made in His image. I do not believe we are part of a mindless and meaningless clockwork machine in which God has already predetermined all the outcomes. If the world were truly like that what would be the point of human existence? What I do believe is that we can make a contribution to God’s purpose here on earth, this earth where bad things as well as good things can happen, because God has taken a risk on us. By His grace He has given us the freedom to be fully human and that means we can make mistakes. But it also means we have the freedom to make a difference. When things happen in the world whether good or bad, what matters both to humanity and to God is how we respond. How we respond, whether to the needs of the people of Haiti, to the financial crash, to a sick or frightened neighbour or to God calling us to take a risk in His name. And I believe that if we do not make decisions that try to make the world a better place, we are not fulfilling God’s purpose. My prayer is that Alfie will be born into a world willing to change, willing to be better, and that for him, for you and for the people of Haiti, the world, through God’s grace and our action, may be transformed. Perhaps we can all begin not by blaming God but asking what is it He wants us to do. Yours in the hope of Christ, Judith BIBLE STUDY: TUESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY Gordon Lodge, Redmire 2:00pm followed by afternoon tea. Christian Character - Romans 3:9-26 ‘Acceptance – Freed to serve God’ WEDNESDAY CLUB 10th & 24th February Afternoon Tea in Redmire Village Hall at 2:00p.m. Contact Jayne Foster (622331) or Anne Day (624171) for further information. THE FIRST THREE LENT LUNCHES FOR CHRISTIAN AID 2010 WILL BE HELD ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS 19th February at REDMIRE Village Hall 26th February at WEST BURTON Village Hall 5th March at AYSGARTH Village Institute All lunches between Noon - 1.30pm Christians from Wensleydale invite you to the UNITED SERVICE At St Peter & St Paul’s Catholic Church, Leyburn, Sunday 7th February 2010 at 7pm John Dickinson (From Richmond) speaks on “Doctors, Ethics And You” With supporting features and refreshments CHRISTIAN RETREAT HOLIDAY 14th- 18th June 2010 At the Endsleigh Centre, Hull 30 places have been provisionally booked. If you wish to make a booking, contact Geoff Phillips by mid-February. No deposit is needed from you at this stage. If you need to cancel after booking, you will be expected to meet any cancellation charges made by the Endsleigh Centre. There will be a group meeting with a bring-and-share meal about a month before the holiday. Then we can meet one another and plan any further details. For enquiries and /or making a booking, please contact Geoff Phillips, 01969-650117 geoff.phillips@talktalk.net See poster in church for more details. FUND RAISING COFFEE MORNING Wednesday 3rd February 10:00am to 12noon Overdale, Redmire, (Margaret Moore) In aid of Bolton-cum-Redmire Church and The Children’s Society’ including Raffle, ‘Guess the weight of a cake’, Cakestall MEN’S PRAYER BREAKFAST Saturday February 6th at 8.30am Sycamore Hall, Bainbridge Breakfast followed by a talk and a time of prayer. Speaker Mr Barry Thornton BENEFICE COLLECTIONS SENT TO CHARITY AT CHRISTMAS Bolton cum Redmire - £265 to St George's Crypt & £66 to Children's Society from Carol singing & Margaret Hall busking on accordion in Leyburn. Preston with Wensley - £120 to The Children's Society. From carol singing. Aysgarth - £249.44 to the Lighthouse Group from Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and Thoralby Carol Service collections. (More to follow from giving Christmas Cards in church). West Witton - £118 to Children’s Society from Crib Service. WHEN I SURVEY....Christ's Cross and Ours Once again, you are warmly invited to join us in sharing this year's York Course - a Lent Programme with refreshments open to everyone in the benefice from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm in Wensley Village Hall. Introductory speakers (via the CD!) include John Bell of the Iona Community, retired General Sir Richard Dannatt, Christina Baxter who is Lay Chair of the General Synnod and the broadcaster and Methodist minister Colin Morris. 23rd February Darkness at Noon 2nd March Into Great Silence 9th March The Child on the Cross 16th March Outside a City Wall 23rd March Touching the Rock Further details and course booklets are available from Graham Dear (623960) and John Webster (622491) or as you attend. Please, come for as many of these Tuesday evenings as you are able. THE BENEFICE MISSION STATEMENT The Penhill Benefice is committed to show the love of God and the saving grace of Jesus. We share together as the body of Christ, in prayer, worship, ministry and fellowship. In the power of the Holy Spirit we are called to mission and outreach and to be a support and comfort in the community. The monthly Penhill benefice newsletter can be found at: www.standrewschurchaysgarth.org.uk and www.thedales.org.uk. The weekly services and other news can also be found at www.pipspatch.com. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Penhill Benefice Newsletter December 2009/ January 2010 Dear Friends, As I write this letter at the end of November I am doing what I expect most other people are doing – sorting out my Christmas cards and address list. I love receiving cards with all their variety of styles and colours. And, I choose carefully what I am going to send – charity cards which express something of the Christmas story and message. This year those of us who were at the Church Mission Society meeting in West Witton had the opportunity to choose cards made in Africa from banana leaves. They were sold in aid of the rural training centre in Uganda where our mission partners Bob and Ros Arnold work. The simple silhouette figures of the Christmas story on these cards have made me stop and reach through all the glitter that is beginning to build up around us to the heart - and the gold – of Jesus’ birth. The fact that the cards are blank inside is also significant for me. Words cannot contain the depth of God’s love for us. As Karl Barth ,a famous theologian of the twentieth century, has said, “God’s revelation in Jesus cannot be frozen or pinned down, any more than a bird can be stopped in mid-flight.” Greetings such as “Merry Christmas” or even “Happy Christmas” can sometimes seem to be very superficial responses to God’s birth among us. I try to avoid them because for so many people it is not a “happy” time. And, God knows this because that was why Jesus was born – so that God could share our human life with all its highs and lows. My preferred greeting in cards is “Christ’s peace be with you.” “Peace be with you” was the greeting that Jesus used after his Resurrection when he came to the disciples in the upper room where they were huddled away ,overcome with bereavement and fear. Before he died Jesus had already told them, “My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” The peace of Christmas – the peace of Jesus – does not ignore our present situation but is there in our confusion, anxiety, grief and fear. It does not, however, return us to our previous comfort zone but helps us to move on in the promise of the new life that Jesus came to bring in his birth, death and resurrection. There is a profound Christmas story by Bob Hartman called “A Night the Stars Danced for Joy”. A shepherd and his wife (with their son) go to the stable and look into the face of God – the baby in the manger. The shepherd is weighed down by the resentment he feels at his treatment by the conquering Roman soldiers. His wife is haunted by guilt and memories of bitter rows with her mother who is now dead. They each return from the stable freed from their burdens and with true joy in their hearts. Like birds soaring in the sky they have been liberated into the hope and possibilities of their future lives. In the midst of the laughter and the tears, the sparkle and the isolation of our Christmas festivities, may we each stop for a moment and allow the freedom of Christ’s peace to liberate us from whatever is holding us captive. With God’s peace and love, Sue Many worshippers at St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth have again this year decided to give one Christmas card to their friends in church and to donate the money that they would have spent on other cards to a charity for young people. If any other churches in the benefice would like to do the same please contact Christine at the benefice office. BIBLE STUDY: Tuesday 1st December 2:00pm Colossians 4:2-18 ‘Making the Most of Opportunities’ Gordon Lodge, Redmire CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING Tuesday December 1st 10.30am-noon Mince pies will be served at the coffee morning at Pamela Thornton's (the bungalow beside Palmer Flatt at Aysgarth). This is a friendly get together particularly for those living in and near Aysgarth, but donations of £1 towards the cost will be welcome. BOLTON-CUM-REDMIRE CHURCH COFFEE MORNINGS Wednesday 2nd December 10:30am to 12 noon The Old Police House, Redmire, Jill and Paul Adamson (625503) Wednesday 6th January 2010 10:30am to 12 noon Dale View, Castle Bolton, Margaret & Robert Hall (623012) MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST Saturday December 5th 8.30am Sycamore Hall Bainbridge Speaker Mr Julian Spikerman Please do join us. Any questions to Ian Ferguson 650685 NORTH YORKSHIRE WEST FEDERATION OF WI’S CAROL SERVICE Tuesday December 8th 2.00pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Mince pies served afterwards. No charge but donations welcome THE WEDNESDAY CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY Wednesday 16th December Redmire Village Hall. Enquiries Anne Day (624171) SWALE SINGERS CHRISTMAS CONCERT Saturday December 19th 7.00pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Messiah GF Handel Tickets £6 START THE NEW YEAR WITH GOD’S WORD Take time each day to listen to God through reading the Bible Daily Bread: Real inspiration relating the Bible to everyday life. (Also available in large print.) Closer to God: Empowering us to live more like Jesus and do the things he did, by reading the Bible regularly and expecting God, by his Holy Spirit to speak through it. Encounter with God: Inspiring, stimulating, Biblical exposition to lead you to a deeper understanding about what God is saying to you and his world today. Order your Scripture Union daily Bible Reading Notes now for January to March, 2010. If you are not already a regular subscriber phone Margaret Ferguson (650685) before Wednesday, 9th December to receive three months readings, with reflective comments. There are also notes for children and teenagers. Wordlive For those who prefer an online experience that puts the Bible at your fingertips check out www.wordlive.org CONFIRMATION 2010 There will be a Confirmation Service at Castle Bolton Church on Sunday March 7th 2010. If you would be interested in thinking about confirmation please contact Sue (663235), Penny (663505) or Judith (663171). The preparation and service will be for older adults as well as younger people. FESTIVE COMMUNITY FAMILY CAROL CONCERT Wednesday 16th December 2009 at 6.30pm Leyburn Market Square (Leyburn Secondary School if weather is bad) Come and join The Dales Massed Brass Band, conducted by James Yeadon for Carols and Festive readings followed by lots of mince pies! All proceeds to the NSPCC. Don't forget your lanterns or torches. Wensleydale School presents: THE DRACULA ROCK SHOW! A Musical for all the family Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th December AT 7.30pm At Wensleydale School. Tickets available from James on 01969 663505 or directly from the school on 01969 622244 £6 Adults, £3 children. REDMIRE PCC HARVEST SUPPER The countryside around the village of Redmire, in the Yorkshire Dales, is breathtakingly beautiful. Situated in a very rural location, Redmire is not immune to the vagaries of agricultural economics, and as with most of our villages there are fewer farmers and farmsteads have re-located out of the centre - although cows do walk up and down the village on a daily basis! Farming is still important and many families are dependent on the wider agricultural industry with many villagers employed at the creamery in nearby Hawes. Bolton-cum-Redmire PCC, for the second year running allowed ARC-Addington Fund to benefit from their Harvest Supper and sale of produce. Ian Bell, Fund Director, enjoyed the fantastic hospitality of a packed village hall on Monday 12th October and had the opportunity to explain in more detail the work of the Fund and in particular the current heavy demands on the Fund in all parts of Yorkshire. Although counting is not yet complete, the Fund is already benefiting by £600. A huge thank you for all the hard work of the organisers and the generosity of all who attended. (Written by Ian Bell and published in the ’ARC Addington News’ soon after the Harvest weekend) THE BENEFICE MISSION STATEMENT The Penhill Benefice is committed to show the love of God and the saving grace of Jesus. We share together as the body of Christ, in prayer, worship, ministry and fellowship. In the power of the Holy Spirit we are called to mission and outreach and to be a support and comfort in the community. The monthly Penhill benefice newsletter can be found at: www.standrewschurchaysgarth.org.uk http://www.thedales.org.uk The weekly services and other news can also be found at www.pipspatch.com. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Penhill Newsletter November 2009 Dear Friends, In last month’s newsletter many of you noticed Sue’s congratulations to me for having my PhD proposal accepted by the Archbishop’s Academic Board. I am grateful to Sue and to all who have reinforced her congratulations since, but ought perhaps to point out that as yet I have done little to deserve congratulation other than having what the Board felt was a good idea. The real work is now underway. When a priest is ordained they are each challenged to ‘…proclaim afresh in each generation the faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures.’ Every priest does this in their own way according to the gifts with which God has graced them and every generation faces new challenges in proclaiming, in a meaningful way, the truth revealed in Jesus. Our generation is faced with the challenge of believing in a truth that a sceptical world sees no rational evidence of. Wanting to see with our own eyes is of course not new, Saint Thomas was of this sceptical mindset until faced with the very real presence of the Risen Jesus. But in modern and post-modern times our notion of what constitutes ‘evidence’ has become ever more narrowly defined. Bertrand Russell once famously dismissed religion as being like believing in a china teapot orbiting between Earth and Mars, which, having no means of disproving its existence (being too small to be detected even by the most powerful of telescopes) ought to be presumed to exist. God, to Russell, was just as crazy an idea as a flying teapot. The threat to faith today seems to come from those radical atheists such as Richard Dawkins who have built on Russell’s cynicism. This cynicism seems to me to come from a world trapped into believing only in that which it can sense; if we cannot smell it, touch it, hear it or see it, it is not real. My research work is based on a little known American theologian who claims a different way of understanding the nature of ‘being’, ours and God’s. John Cobb Jnr.’s Process Theology says that the very essence of existence is not something we can ‘sense’ but something which has the power to transform and that it is through that possibility of transformation that we have hope. I think his work deserves greater attention as the real threat to Christianity comes, as that great Dominican preacher Fr. Timothy Radcliffe has said, not from the radical atheists, but from loss of hope. And just in case you think I’m off in the realms of unreal teapots, things that are crazy and unprovable, take time to look into the eyes of someone whom you love and try to measure that love – then you will know that its not ‘proof’ you need, only hope. Yours in the hope of Christ, Judith SAMARITAN'S PURSE SHOEBOXES BURSTING WITH JOY CHRISTMAS 2009 Wrap and pack a shoebox boy/girl ages 2-4, 5-9, 10-14 Toys - soft toy with CE mark, ball, finger puppet, yo-yo, jigsaw, doll, small musical instruments, trucks/cars. Education - pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture/puzzle book, chalk, stickers, pencil case, felt pens. Hygiene – toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, soap, flannel, hairclips Other Items, sweets, (NO CHOCOLATE), gloves, scarf, Cap, hat, sunglasses, necklaces, bangles. £2.50 per shoebox. If you would like to see a DVD on Operation Christmas Child Please contract Jayne Foster 622331 CHURCH COFFEE MORNING & BOLTON-CUM-REDMIRE GIFT DAY 4th November 10.30am to 12 noon Gordon Lodge, Redmire, (Anne & Anthony Day 624171) ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH, WEST WITTON GIFT DAY COFFEE MORNING Saturday 7th November 10am-12 noon Fox & Hounds, West Witton ST. WILFRID’S LECTURES Ripon Cathedral. Thurs 19th 7.00pm Dr Inderjit Singh BBC Radio 4 ‘Pause for Thought’ & Editor, Sikh Messenger The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society – a Sikhperspective The Lectures are free but a plate for voluntary donations will be at the back of the Cathedral. Tickets will be required and will be available from the Cathedral Office, Liberty Courthouse, Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QS Tel: 01765 603462; email: judithbustard@riponcathedral.org.uk. Everyone welcome. FOLK SINGER SONGWRITER RICHARD GRAINGER IN CONCERT FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY Holy Trinity Church, Wensley Sunday 8th November 2:30 - 4:00pm A tour of this wonderful medieval church will precede at 2:00pm. Advance tickets £7 adults and £5 concessions available from www.festivalonthemoor.co.uk Tickets on the door £8 adults and £6 concessions, Under 12s Free. Tel: 01287 660060 www.richard-grainger.com MISSION TALK Wednesday November 11th West Witton Village Hall at 7pm An evening gathering with Bob & Rosalind Arnold, St. Bartholomew CMS Parish Link Partners. The Arnolds are currently back at Masham for a break until the New Year. They are visiting West Witton to give us an up-dated Mission Talk of their work of rural development in Bungokhu, Uganda. Please come along and support. Refreshments to follow. MOVING FORWARD – A JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE Tuesday 3rd November 7.30pm St Oswald’s Parish Church Askrigg Revd Ann Chapman “The Book of Ruth” Wednesday 17th Nov 7.30pm Hawes Methodist Chapel, Rev Henry Dubios, “The Gospels” Thursday 26th November 7.30pm Wensley Village Hall Geoff Phillips “The Message of Creation” Bring & share supper. Please bring your own drink & glasses. Tea & coffee is provided. No charge. See flyers in church SWEETS & SPARKLE Christingle Family Service Sunday 22nd November at 11am St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth All welcome MAF PRESENTATION Wednesday 4th November at 7.30pm Redmire Village Hall Brian Harris (Embsay) will make a presentation on the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Aysgarth and Bolton-cum-Redmire parishes have supported MAF for over 6 years, and the Waugh family based in Nairobi, Kenya have been their Mission partners through this time. The family has visited and stayed with some of us most times that they have been home on UK visits, so we have got to know and love them. But, though they renewed at the end of their first term and we renewed our prayer and financial support then for their extra time, they have now returned to life in UK (Fiona is continuing to work for MAF from home in Newcastle, but Paul is seeking IT work still). MAF is a mercy mission flying light aircraft in poor parts of the world, supporting missionaries of very many sorts across the whole realm of Mission to show love and Christ's Kingdom. The Waughs have supported the flight programs through their IT skills in Kenya and more widely in East Africa. Brian Harris will make this presentation, aimed at enabling Aygarth and Bolton-cum-Redmire parishes to make an informed decision as to whether to renew with new Mission partners working within MAF, or to change; and members of West Witton and of Preston-under-Scar with Wensley are invited to join for the presentation, and maybe for the possible link. There will be light refreshments and discussion. Robert Hall TAIZE SERVICE For ‘All Saints and Souls’ Friday 6th November at 7.30 p.m at Ripon Cathedral Rehearsal OPEN TO ALL in the Cathedral Sunday 1st November at 6.30 p.m. For information, please contact Canon Janet on 01765 601 316 or email janeth@riponleeds-diocese.org Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter.* If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Penhill Benefice Newsletter October 2009 Dear Friends, I am writing this after having been blackberry picking and making the most of the late harvest of fruits which will be made into a crumble for our evening meal. Autumn always strikes me as one of the most colourful seasons; gold’s, russets and ambers adorn the roads and the fruits ripen ready for harvesting, but it is always tinged with a slight sadness because winter is fast on autumn’s heels. I was at one of The Benefice’s Harvest Supper’s, recently, and the conversation inevitably turned to the facts that the evenings were drawing in and the days becoming cooler, many had even turned the heating on or had succumbed to lighting a coal fire. For many it wasn’t the fact of the colder weather, although snow and ice always has its challenges, that they were not looking forward to the winter, but it was the case for many that because the days are shorter and the pavements often treacherous, the sense of isolation increased. Some don’t even see another soul for days and they feel out of touch with their neighbours and the other families in their villages. Within the Penhill Benefice the parishes are aware that for many elderly or housebound, loneliness can be a familiar characteristic to their lives. For mums or dads with young toddlers the opportunity for conversation and company are often few and far between. So they have provided opportunities for people to get out and share in each others news. West Witton holds a ‘Pop-in’ on a Monday morning in the village hall between 10am and 12 noon; Redmire and Castle Bolton have a monthly coffee morning on the 1st Wednesday of the month at various homes; 4th November is at Gordon Lodge Redmire and the 2nd December is at 1 Hargill Court, Redmire, people from the villages and surrounding area are welcome to drop in between 10.30am – 12 noon. On the 2nd and 4th Wednesday’s of the month there is a cup of tea in Redmire village hall from 2pm. More recently St. Andrew’s, Aysgarth have held a coffee drop-in at West Burton and Thoralby and their next drop-in is on the 3rd November at Angela Moores, Carperby and the 1st December at Pip Lands, Aysgarth and they are from 10am until 12 noon. It doesn’t have to be a planned event just asking people to pop in for a coffee and a chat, or even taking tea and cake to someone who cannot get out can often be a bright spot in anyone’s day. Hospitality was at the centre of Jesus’ ministry, often he would be gathered with friends over a meal and would share his story and the stories of the other guests, and he would often tell how God was at work in their lives. Jesus said, “Those who receive you receive me, and those who receive me receive the one who sent me.” And in the Letter to the Hebrews it says “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.” What happens when we offer hospitality? Most simply, we invite someone into our space, a space that offers safety and shelter, comfort and refreshment. An occasion for story telling where both laughter and tears are acceptable, where after a short interval of hospitality the guest moves on, perhaps with some provisions for the next stage of their journey. Hospitality at its simplest is a gift of space, both physical and spiritual, like the gift of attentive listening; it is not to be undervalued. As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we never know who might turn up on our doorstep and all the parishes look forward to seeing you at any of their coffee drop ins this winter. Yours in Christ, Penny (curate) OPEN DAY AT WEST BURTON SCHOOL – THURS, OCTOBER 15th West Burton School, which is the church school in our benefice, has recently had major building works and the interior of the Victorian building has been totally transformed! There is to be an open day for members of the community to come and see what has been happening in school! This will be on Thursday October 15th. At 9am the children will give a presentation on the different stages of the building project. There will be refreshments and guided tours. Thereafter the building will be open until 3-15 pm and again in the evening 7pm – 8-30pm. Do come to support our school, to talk to Mrs Brotherton (our headteacher) about what the school offers and to have a nosey round the building!! Everyone is welcome! CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations are due to our curate Judith who has had her proposal for a PhD under the Archbishop’s Lambeth Degree Awards accepted! Given the training requirements for curates, her research work and a day off she will be available in the benefice Saturday to Wednesday lunchtime. We look forward to hearing about her research! Sue. SAMARITAN'S PURSE SHOEBOXES BURSTING WITH JOY CHRISTMAS 2009 Wrap and pack a shoe box boy/girl ages 2-4, 5-9, 10-14 Toys - soft toy with CE mark, ball, finger puppet, yo-yo, jigsaw, doll, small musical instruments, trucks/cars Education - pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book notepad, picture/puzzle book, chalk, stickers, pencil case felt pens Hygiene – toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, soap, flannel hairclips Other Items sweets, NO CHOCOLATE gloves, scarf, Cap, hat, sunglasses, necklaces, bangles. £2.50 per shoebox. If you would like to see a DVD on Operation Christmas Child Please contract Jayne Foster 622331 MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST This is a new initiative and there is a warm welcome to any who can attend. Saturday October 24th at Sycamore Hall Bainbridge. 8.30 am - 9.45am Speaker Mr Martin Coates. Breakfast from 8.30 followed by a talk and a short time of prayer. Come for a full breakfast or a cup of coffee. ( £1 - £5 ) On this first occasion a phone call to Ian Ferguson ( 01969-650685 ) would be appreciated. Or email ferguson.priory@tiscali.co.uk Bolton-cum-Redmire PCC - The Wednesday Club are hosting a ‘SAFER SESSION’ Wednesday 14th October in Redmire Village Hall from 2pm- 4pm Exhibitions will include: Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership, North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Vale and Dale Home Security Service & NYCC Trading Standards. All are invited Refreshments available HARVEST SUPPER Redmire Village Hall Monday 12th October 6:30pm for 7:00pm Tickets £6 in support of the Addington Fund are available from Anne Day TABLE TOP SALE Saturday 31st October 10am - 2pm (Open for sellers from 9.00am) Tables are £10.00 Carperby Village Institute FUN FOR ALL! Tombola & cake stall Refreshments will be served Entry: £1 Children free (For St. Andrew’s Church Funds) Contact (01969) 663368 or 663097 LIGHT PARTY at CHURCH Saturday 31st October 4pm – 5.30pm Apple Bobbing, Doughnuts and FUN!!! For further information please contact: Revd Penny Yeadon 663505 ALL SAINTS DAY Sunday November 1st At each of the services on this day we shall remember those of our family and friends who have died. And as we give thanks to God for them we shall also dedicate our own lives as Gods’ saints here on earth into the coming year. If you have been bereaved and you would find this helpful please come to the service at your local church. If you would like more information please ring 663235. GIFT DAY Wednesday 4th November 10:30 to 12 noon. Gordon Lodge, Redmire (Anne and Anthony Day) (part of Church Coffee Club) CHRISTIAN RETREAT HOLIDAY 14th- 18th June 2010 At the Endsleigh Centre Hull For enquiries and /or making a provisional booking, please contact Geoff Phillips, 01969-650117 geoff.phillips@talktalk.net (poster in church) The 2010 price will be determined later this year, but – as a guide – in 2007, we paid £25 per night for a single room, £45 for a double. Ensuite was £5 extra per night. Dinner cost £11.50. There is no bar but we were allowed to bring in our own bottles! (There is a supermarket nearby.) 30 places have been booked. If you wish to make a provisional booking, contact Geoff. You will be asked to confirm it in January when exact prices are known. Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Penhill Newsletter September 2009 Dear Friends, September is often a time for new beginnings. As children and young people return to school after the summer holidays we look to the onset of autumn and make plans for the dark evenings. The timetables for evening classes appear through the letterbox and we consider learning new skills. The organisations to which we belong start up again and there is a new energy and impetus to life after the summer break. The same is true for the church. We are only part way through the season of “Sundays after Trinity” in the church calendar and the New Year does not begin until the first Sunday in Advent – this year on November 29th. But, in practical terms, meetings and events on a parish, benefice, deanery and diocesan level embark on new programmes. This August Bishop John has visited incumbents in the deanery to discuss with us our “Ministerial Development Review” (MDR) which is a new initiative throughout the Church of England and will take place annually. Each year we ask a variety of people to fill in forms, which ask what is, and what is not, working in our benefices at the moment. We then formulate three “ministerial objectives” for the coming year and discuss them with our reviewer who will be one of the bishops (John or James) or our archdeacon (Janet Henderson). I asked a range of people covering all four parishes in the benefice to fill in the forms. The comments were very consistent and as a result I established three objectives for us as a benefice for the coming year/eighteen months which Bishop John endorsed. We have now officially been the Penhill Benefice for three years and are gradually getting to know each other and appreciate the witness of each of the church fellowships which comprise the benefice. The present situation in the church generally of different congregations being linked to each other is very reminiscent of the church in the early days. In his letters to the different church communities St. Paul stressed the wholeness of the church as the Body of Christ. We are not independent congregations. We are united but just happen to live in different places. To this end the Team Council at its November meeting will draw up a “mission statement” for the benefice. Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find a list of Bible references* and the names of the Team Council members* for each parish. Each PCC and every member of each congregation are invited to consider what they think should be the most important characteristics and role of Christ’s church in our situation. Give these ideas (written down) to your Team Council representative and from these we shall compile a benefice mission statement. This statement will then be taken back to the parishes The PCCs and the church members at the Annual Meetings will decide prayerfully on two practical objectives deriving from the mission statement for their parish for the coming year 2010-2011. These will be brought to the Benefice Service in May and dedicated to God. There are many different groups and study groups meeting in the benefice. These will continue and I shall ask the convenors to meet with me as an “Education Team” so that we can coordinate what is happening and from there look to organising occasional workshops particularly with children and young people in mind. And there will be a Confirmation at Castle Bolton. The date for this and preparation times will be published shortly. If you, as an adult or young person, would be interested in being confirmed please have a word with one of the clergy. Finally, Bishop John is delighted that we are looking towards establishing lay organised and led services as an occasional part of the rota for each parish. At the beginning this will be quite a daunting prospect but it does open up all sorts of possibilities. We are very grateful to the four people who have undertaken to set the ball rolling and to the Revd. David Ineson for agreeing to support them in this endeavour which is new to us but not to many other parishes. The first services will be at Castle Bolton on September 20th led by Kristin Whalley and Robert Hall and at Aysgarth on October 11th led by Val Gladman and Margaret and Ian Ferguson. Please be supportive and remember that the quality of worship depends not only on the leaders but above all on the attitude and prayerfulness of all of us there. May we respond to God’s Spirit and guidance as we move forward together in our work for Him. Sue (Vicar) Bible References for Mission Statement: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-end Ephesians 2: 14-22, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Peter 2: 4-10 & Isaiah 61: 1-2 Team Council Members: Hilary Davies, Anne Day, Jayne Foster, Jeremy Gard, Doreen Mason, Angela Moore, Doreen Moore, Penny Seckerson & Daisy Thwaites. (Or contact the benefice office). COFFEE DROP-IN Tuesday 1st September – 10.30am – 12 noon at The Garth, West Burton. This is the first of monthly coffee drop-ins in different villages in the parish. You are invited to pay £1 to cover costs & join us for a chat over a cup of coffee. All Welcome. YORKSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST SPONSORED RIDE & STRIDE CHURCHES AND CHAPELS SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 2009 10.00am to 6pm Pump up your bikes, dust off your boots and get ready to join in this event and enjoy a fun day! Half the funds you raise go to the Trust for grant-aiding Churches and Chapels, the other half goes to a Church or Chapel of your choice. Kristin Whalley walks, Robert Hall & Anthony Day cycle . Anne Day serves refreshments from her camper van at Redmire church. Kristin is the contact for all the churches in the benefice Tel: 663885. If you cannot take part please sponsor. KING’S CLUB – THE POWER SAVER This year’s King’s Club centred on ‘The Power of God to Save…….’ God’s power to save is most importantly demonstrated in his raising Jesus from the dead – a most significant fact in history which can, if we allow it, impact on all our lives. 170 children and young people met each day at Askrigg School and Low Mill having been bussed in from all over the Dale. A fast moving programme included music, visual presentations, craft, games and competitions. More than 35 leaders ran the programme and lots of fun was had by all. We are very grateful to the school and staff at Low Mill for allowing us to use their facilities and look forward to planning year 22 – King’s Club 2010. Mike Hirst. (See more on church notice boards). FAMILY SERVICE Sunday 27th September at 11am St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth. Theme – All things Bright & Beautiful (Our Harvest Festival) Do come along and join in the fun! The Benefice Summer Fayre held on Saturday August 8th raised £661.00 Dolls name was Alice (winner M Mason). Cake weighed 5lb 14oz (winner F Thwaites). Thank you very much to all who supported this event. NSPCC Thursday October 1st between 3-5pm Teas & stalls in Carperby Village Institute EMMA HANCOCK IN CONCERT ACCOMPANIED BY GARY MATTHEWMAN Saturday 12th September 7.30pm at St. Andrew's Church, Aysgarth Adults £10, Children £2 Advance tickets from Church Office tel: 663097 Emma Hancock is one of the leading young violinists of today. Her performances have thrilled audiences throughout the world. She holds a first class degree from the Royal College of music and was recently awarded the coveted artists diploma by the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. TIME FOR GOD’S WORD Take time each day to listen to God through reading the Bible Daily Bread: Real inspiration relating the Bible to everyday life. (Also available in large print.) Closer to God: Empowering us to live more like Jesus and do the things he did, by reading the Bible regularly and expecting God, by his Holy Spirit to speak through it. Encounter with God: Inspiring, stimulating, Biblical exposition to lead you to a deeper understanding about what God is saying to you and his world today. Order your Scripture Union daily Bible Reading Notes now for October to December 2009. If you are not already a regular subscriber phone Margaret Ferguson (650685) before Monday, 14th September to receive three months readings, with reflective comments, at discount prices. There are also notes for children and teenagers. Wordlive For those who prefer an online experience that puts the Bible at your fingertips check out www.wordlive.org MOVING FORWARD - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE A series of five talks followed by light suppers. No charge. You are asked to bring a small amount of food as your contribution for the supper. Please bring your own bottle & glasses (non-alcoholic please at Hawes Methodist Chapel). Tea & coffee provided. (leaflets in churches) Wednesday 7th October 7.20pm for 7.30pm St Andrew’s Church Aysgarth Rev Canon Sue Whitehouse “The Psalms” Wednesday 21st October 7.20pm for 7.30pm Redmire Village Hall Revd Ian Robinson “The Epistles” More dates to follow. Tel 663097 or email penhillbenefice@tiscali.co.uk Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk August Dear Friends, How typically British it is to grumble into our tea cup over the demise of great British institutions, parts of our childhood that are no more, some imagined, some real for example good public transport, school milk, Opal Fruits, free dental care, mutual societies, and a post office in every village. We’ve recently been on holiday in Italy and I am always astounded that in every town and village there is not one but many beautiful churches, vibrant with the life breath of prayer and regular worship. But this time we came across a church in the tiny village of Lucignano with a pitiful sign on the door ‘Enter carefully – this beautiful 12th century church is suffering from neglect.’ I can only speculate on why it’s in this state, it seems inconceivable that it could have been overlooked, for anywhere else other than in this region of Tuscany with its rich artistic heritage, this church would have art lovers flocking to see its now crumbling frescos. It seems equally inconceivable that the pious Italians simply didn’t care enough about this lovely little church. But perhaps, as we often do, they had simply thought this wonderful part of their heritage would live on forever, without any effort on their part. Perhaps they too had grumbled into their tea (or their espresso) but done little else to save this thing they now lament over. As I reflected on this it seems to me that we need to renew our passion for things that matter, before it’s too late. Three things on my mind at present that I am passionate about are churches, milk, and representative British politics. A church newsletter is not the place to get political and many have criticised our Bishops and Archbishops for speaking out against the British National Party (BNP) in the recent European elections. I for one think it was a right and brave thing to do, not because priests should tell folk how to vote, that is not our business, but because when the name of Jesus is invoked - it was after all the BNP who asked the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) question - then it is the job of priests to preach the gospel message with integrity. We are currently perhaps disillusioned with day-to-day politics, but if our response is apathy then surely we cannot complain when our democratic process produces a response that does not (and I pray it does not) represent the views of most British people. If we are passionate about fair and representative politics it takes no more effort than using our vote to make sure we keep it that way. Why am I passionate about milk? Aside from its obvious nutritional benefits and general usefulness in the kitchen, I am particularly passionate at present because milk is under threat. ‘Dairy Farmers of Britain’ has recently gone into liquidation and many of our smaller scale producers (typical of those here in the Dales) relied upon this company to purchase and distribute their output. without it, income has dried up and the future is uncertain. Apart from grumbling about the recession and worrying about the security of future milk supplies what can we do? Again it is not for me to tell you but personally I will be trying harder to shop locally, I will be praying for an alternative distributor and perhaps we could all look out for our neighbour and be prepared to pay a fair price for our milk. And of course as a priest I am passionate about Churches, but I’m sure that even those who are not regular Church goers value the beauty and history of the buildings, the sound of church bells and the presence of God in community at those liminal moments in life. However it is becoming harder and harder for small Church communities to maintain this vital part of our heritage. What can we do? Locally I would encourage everyone to support the heritage project here in the Penhill benefice starting at St. Andrew’s Church on the 11th and 12th July, and if when you’re on holiday you, like me, like to visit church buildings, spare not just a moment, but a thought or a prayer and perhaps a pound or two for the community in that place helping them to make sure it is there the next time you visit. With a little effort perhaps we can preserve some things from our past into our future. Happy holiday if you manage to take one and every blessing for a wonderful summer. Here’s hoping it’s just like those glorious ones we remember from childhood. Judith ST WILFRID’S LECTURE 9th July at 7pm Ripon Cathedral St Wilfrid, a saint and his mission, Dr Catherine Cubitt of York University,. Admission by free ticket, Cathedral Office 01765 603462 COFFEE MORNING Saturday 4th July 10am – 12 noon Station House, Wensley Station. John & Doreen Moore invite you to a coffee morning at Station House. This is to raise funds for the flowers for the forthcoming Flower Festival on July 24th – 26th. FLOWER FESTIVAL July 24th – 26th July St. Margaret’s Church, Preston-under-Scar (Preview Thursday 23rd) FAMILY SERVICE St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth 11am Sunday 26th July 11.00am Family Service, Aysgarth. Theme: Breakfast on the Beach, Rev P Yeadon. Bring & Share BBQ Do come along and join in the fun! Bring a friend! THE CHURCH ON SHOW AT THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW, HARROGATE Tues 14th - 16th July The Church’s Pavilion is situated close to the main display ring and the Great Yorkshire Show is open from 7.30am (Morning Prayers) to 7.30pm each day. For more information see the website www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk or ring 01423 541000 HERITAGE WEEKEND St Andrew’s Church on July 11 to 12. Do mark this in your diaries! From 10am to 5pm on the Saturday 1pm to 5pm on Sunday. As well as the exiting events in and around the church, there will be refreshments in the Lady Chapel. There will also be various selling stalls on Saturday - produce (preserves & cakes etc.), garden produce and plants, books, etc. Donations of items for these stalls will be gratefully received. Please contact Doreen Mason, 663457/Pat Hesketh 663420. There are also five guided circular walks, two long ones on the Saturday and shorter walks on Sunday. For details contact Pip Land, tel 01969 663362 or see www.pipspatch.com. WENSLEYDALE CHORUS Will sing Mozart Requiem & John Rutter Magnificat Sat 11th July 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth SUMMER FAYRE Saturday 8th August 10am – 3pm Wensley Village Hall A benefice social event with each church in the benefice taking part Bolton-cum-Redmire Bottle Top Tombola Preston with Wensley serving morning coffee with scones & light lunches West Witton Raffle, Guess the Weight of the Cake and Name the Doll Aysgarth Produce Stall, cakes, preserves, bread etc. (Contributions would be gratefully accepted and can be left with Doreen Mason at Carperby, Pat Hesketh in Thoralby or brought on the day). (For Penhill Benefice Funds). For more information contact 01969 663097 ALL WELCOME! CRICKET MATCH Sunday 9th August 2.30pm West Witton Playing Fields Swinithwaite v West Witton Come and support your team! Lots of fun! PET SERVICE Sunday 16th August 3pm Castle Bolton Come & give thanks for Gods creations and our own special pets. You are responsible for your own animals! (No snakes!) EVERYONE & PETS WELCOME! VACO CONCERT Sunday 30th August 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth (Aysgarth is their favourite venue!) Ticket prices £10 & £5 Children Programme: Brahms: A Major Serenade Wagner: Siegfried Idyll Doppler: Andante and Rondo (For two solo Flutes and Strings) Plus various Wind Quintets and other chamber music. ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH, AYSGARTH Live website -www.standrewschurchaysgarth.org.uk Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Dear Friends, I often reflect on how privileged we are, not only because we live in a beautiful part of the country but because we have access to some of the best music around, locally, on our door steps. Many of our church buildings host concerts from the traditional Brass Bands to the more contemporary artists performing as part of the annual Swaledale Festival. The Wensleydale Tournament, celebrating its 100th Birthday next year is a platform for the traditions that are associated with the Dales to live on, whilst allowing both adults and children alike to share their talents with who ever is willing to listen in an environment that is supportive and encouraging. “Sing for joy to God our strength… Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre. Sound the horn…” (Psalm 81: 1-3) Apparently if you want to lose that stressed feeling, feel healthier, have a good time and feel the goosebumps then join a choir! Choirs facilitate spaces where lawyers, housewives, nurses, doctors, butchers, bakers in fact people from all walks of life can put the cares of the day aside and focus on being part of a group that can communicate story through the music that they perform, whether that is secular or scared. “Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skilfully, and shout for joy.” (Psalm 33: 2-3) In a world where people often say that they find it difficult to belong, or to feel part of something, music provides that opportunity, whether young or old, experienced or lacking in musical expertise, there is something for everyone. We should encourage our local schools by supporting them at local concerts and listening to their musical contributions. Recent television programmes such as the ‘Last Choir Standing’ or the ‘Singing Estate’ go to show how much can be gained by performing as part of a group; understanding of people’s differing needs, acceptance, support, friendship providing an inclusive place and sheer enjoyment. “May the peoples praise you O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy … then the land will yield its harvest and God, our God will bless us.” (Psalm 67: 3-6) So in this current economic climate what better way of developing a new interest, and generally you only have to pay weekly subs and commit to turning up at rehearsals and performances, so dust off that old instrument that you haven’t played since school, stretch those vocal chords and find a local group or church choir or even join the local bell ringers so that you can: “Sing and make music with all your soul. Awake the harp and lyre! Sing of God among the peoples. For great is his love, higher than the heavens; his faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (Psalm 108) Yours in Christ, Penny (curate) SHARE THE LIGHT – BIBLE STUDY - COLOSSIANS 2:00pm Tuesday 2nd June, Gordon Lodge, Redmire followed by afternoon tea Passage for reflection - Colossians 1:1-14 An overview of Paul’s letter to a church he never visited - Greetings - Thanksgiving - Prayer CHURCH COFFEE MORNING Wednesday 3rd June 10:30am to 12 noon. Hambleton House, Redmire – Irene & Colin Watt (624742) Please note change of venue BIBLE STUDIES ON THE HOLY SPIRIT With Rev. Graham Dear 7.30pm Tuesday 16th June - Curlews Preston under Scar Tuesday 30thJune - Village Hall in West Witton FAMILY SERVICE St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth 11am Sunday 28th June Theme – Lost Property Do come along and join in the fun! Bring a friend! PILGRIMAGE TO HEXHAM ABBEY & ESCOMB SAXON CHURCH Saturday 6th June 2009 A coach will leave Hawes at 8.30am, picking up along the Dale. We will be leaving Hexham at 4.45pm. Leaflets in the back of church or contact Shirley Pate, (01969 624036) Mary Merricks (01677 424783) or Jackie Warden (01969 623789). WENSLEYDALE METHODIST CIRCUIT OUTING TO WETHERBY & HARROGATE Saturday 20th June 09 At Wetherby we will be able to enjoy Floral Celebrations the theme this year for Wetherby Flower Clubs 40th Flower Festival in St James Church. Also,this year, it is the 20th year for Wetherby‘s Flower in Bloom and the 50th year for the umbrella organisation N.A.F.A.S. so we will also be able to enjoy the many floral baskets and troughs around the town. After leaving Wetherby we will go on to Harrogate. We invite you to join us. Tel: Eunice Page 01969 663158 or email: eunicepage@googlemail.com Details of prices and times to follow eg. a full bus will cost £6:50 each CHARITY SUMMER PICNIC with MUKER BRASS BAND Hardraw Scar, nr Hawes By kind permission of M Thompson (through The Green Dragon, Hardraw, Hawes, DL8 3LZ) Saturday 20th June 2009 from 4 pm - 6 pm Tickets £4.00 adults & £1.00 children (the concert will be held in Hardraw Church if wet) (sandwiches, cakes & refreshments available for purchase on site) Tickets available at The Green Dragon, as below, local shops and on the day For further information contact: Helen Benson on 01677 470180 or fcnyorkshire@btinternet.com HERITAGE WEEKEND AT ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH JULY 11TH - 12TH A grant from Awards for All has been a big encouragement this month as volunteers prepare for the Heritage Weekend at St Andrew’s on July 11 to 12. Do mark this in your diaries! It will be open from 10am to 5pm on the Saturday and from 1pm to 5pm on the Sunday. Events include a churchyard party, graveyard tours, question and answer sheets for children, an exhibition of how the church was built and its role within the community over the centuries, information about the Jervaulx Screen, and assistance with finding out more about any ancestors buried in the churchyard. There are also five guided circular walks, two long ones on the Saturday and shorter walks on Sunday. For details contact Pip Land, tel 01969 663362 or see www.pipspatch.com. If anyone has any information we could use in the exhibition do please contact Pip. As well as the exiting events in and around the church, there will be refreshments in the Lady Chapel. There will also be various selling stalls on Saturday - produce (preserves & cakes etc.), garden produce and plants, books, etc. Donations of items for these stalls will be gratefully received. For more information please contact Doreen Mason, 663457 or Pat Hesketh 663420'. CREAM TEA & OPEN GARDEN With a "WELL,WHAT HAVE WE HERE!” STALL Sunday 21st June 2pm till 4pm Catherall Hall, West Witton (Next door to Fox & Hounds) £2 Admission including tea All very welcome FRIENDS OF GOVI (UK) CHARITY CONCERT BY LEYBURN BAND Saturday 27th June St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth 7.30pm Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk* for extra info and electronic newsletter.:: If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Incorporating the parishes of Aysgarth, Bolton-cum-Redmire, Preston with Wensley, Thornton Rust, & West Witton Vicar: Revd. Canon Sue Whitehouse, The Vicarage, Carperby. Tel: 663235 Curate: Revd. Penny Yeadon, Dale Cottage, Aysgarth. Tel: 663505 Curate: Revd. Judith Walker, New Cottage, Swinnithwaite. Tel: 663171 Penhill Newsletter June 2009 Dear Friends, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” These words, spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his inaugural address as President of the U.S.A. in the midst of the economic crisis in 1933, have been much quoted in recent weeks. They are, of course, appropriate for our present financial situation. They also resonate with this month’s heading in our “Toolkit for Mission” series – “Moving On”. And, of course, they are very apt for the Easter Season as we celebrate Christ’s victory over fear and death in his resurrection. Statistics have recently been released to show a rise in the number of people affected by anxiety disorders. And, there is some link with the present economic climate. But it is also a fact that people in so-called “wealthy countries” (materially speaking) are more prone to fear than in those counties that are financially poor. For many people in this country the ‘credit crunch’ certainly will take them below the poverty line. And, redundancy and unemployment take their toll on mental and physical health as well as on financial security. But fear in a nation, a community and in individual lives leads to paralysis – an inability to do anything but hide away. This is where the disciples were after Jesus’ death and resurrection. They had put their trust in their own expectations of Jesus as their Messiah – that he would bring them victory in earthly terms. And when, in their eyes, this failed, they locked themselves away because they were afraid. Individually and collectively they were unable to do anything. But then, in a very moving account, St. John tells us in his Gospel that the risen Jesus stood among them. The disciples began to see things in a different perspective. They let go their previous understandings and values and started to put their trust in the new life that Jesus offers. They became different people. Hardships and difficulties still faced them but they knew that by relying on God’s strength in the Holy Spirit, rather than on their own, they could move on and emerge through difficult patches. In church life we can often become despondent. We are a small group and the task ahead seems so enormous. However, when we realise that we are not called to do everything to further God’s Kingdom only to play the part required of us, then we can move forward. And, we can achieve what God intends because he equips us for the task in the power of the Holy Spirit. The peace and presence of the risen Jesus can change us from fearful and inert individuals and communities to people of joy, life and action. Similarly, in our personal lives today, we can re-examine our priorities and re-assess where our values lie. And, always sensitive to people suffering hardship and willing ourselves to look for help where we and our family needs it, we can move on. We move forward confident that the love and forgiveness that Jesus brings us in the new life of the Resurrection gives us a quality of living and relationship that material goods cannot supply. With the love and peace of the risen Christ. Sue (Vicar) LENT LUNCHES Margaret and Evelyn would like to thank those who made soup, those who brought bread, cheese and the helpers from the 6 villages who organised the lunches. Over £1,000.00 has been sent to Christian Aid. Evelyn Abraham. Our grateful thanks once again go to Mrs, Evelyn Abraham who organised our Benefice Lent Lunches. To date £1001 - 86 has been raised plus an extra £151 in gift aid tax rebate. Very many thanks to everyone who helped and supported these very worth -while events. Many thanks Noel Ashworth FAMILY SERVICE St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth 11am Sunday 24th May Theme - Caterpillars and Butterflies Do come along and join in the fun! Bring a friend! PILGRIMAGE TO HEXHAM ABBEY & ESCOMB SAXON CHURCH Saturday 6th June 2009 A coach will leave Hawes at 8.30am, picking up along the Dale. We will be leaving Hexham at 4.45pm. Leaflets in the back of church or contact Shirley Pate, (01969 624036) Mary Merricks (01677 424783) or Jackie Warden (01969 623789). TOOLKIT FOR MISSION – ‘MOVING ON’ We must move on! We cannot stand still as Christians, as individuals and as a body – the church. The opposite of ‘moving on’ is not standing still but moving backwards - a lack of progress, lack of purpose and from the Bible, a failure to follow Christ’s command. If we have committed our lives to Jesus, continued to pray and worship, grown in our Christian faith as individuals and as the body of Christ - the church. If we have developed in our discipleship and are open to receive and to give, then surely we should move forward, move on. To ‘Take it on from here’! It has been said that the whole purpose of the church is to exist for those outside it. How do we share what we have been given with others? Share our faith. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Later Jesus commissioned his disciples "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly…….. Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, - I thank my God every time I remember you. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more…………... .’ Those tremendous challenging and encouraging letters in Revelations 2 and 3 was to the seven churches. These messages are as relevant today to the church worldwide as they were 2,000 years ago to Asia Minor. Although many people have come to commit their lives to Christ through the verse, Revelations 3:20; it was written to the Church in Laodicea (modern day Pamukkale in Turkey). Could it be a challenge to all our churches as well as to us as individuals? ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me.’ Is Christ is standing outside the door of our lives and of our churches? Christ wants to come in and enjoy continuing fellowship and intimacy with us? We only have to open the door. We move on with Jesus. WENSLEYDALE METHODIST CIRCUIT OUTING TO WETHERBY & HARROGATE Saturday 20th June 09 At Wetherby we will be able to enjoy Floral Celebrations the theme this year for Wetherby Flower Clubs 40th Flower Festival in St James Church. Also,this year, it is the 20th year for Wetherby‘s Flower in Bloom and the 50th year for the umbrella organisation N.A.F.A.S. so we will also be able to enjoy the many floral baskets and troughs around the town. After leaving Wetherby we will go on to Harrogate. We invite you to join us. Tel: Eunice Page 01969 663158 or email: eunicepage@googlemail.com Details of prices and times to follow eg. a full bus will cost £6:50 each) SALE OF PLANTS AND CAKES WITH REFRESHMENTS Castle Bolton Church May Bank Holiday 4th May 10 00am till 1 00pm In aid of Mission Partners This event will also be held on Spring Bank Holiday 25th May PIANO RECITAL WITH JILL CROSSLAND St. Andrew’s Church Saturday May 9th 7.30pm Jill will play music from Mozart, Chopin, Schumann Tickets £10 Contact John & Joan Foster 01969 663368 or the benefice office 663097 AN EVENING WITH JAMES YEADON and the DALES MASSED BRASS BAND Sunday 10th May 7.30 pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Players from Leyburn, Hawes, Reeth and Muker Brass Bands give an amazing one off evening of both traditional and modern brass band music, with everything from marches to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. Featuring Stan Roocroft, George Lundberg and Duncan Bythell as guest conductors. Tickets available on the door or preferably reserved by phone James Yeadon: 01969 663 505 £5 adults £2 for under 22s (Including refreshments) Car parking available at the Falls Car Park, concession of £1 Proceeds to go to both The Wensleydale school trip to the Indian Orphanage, ‘Amala’, and to buy musical instruments for the pupils in India. Aysgarth Church & the Upper Dale Chapels ECUMENICAL LAMBING SERVICE 3:00pm Sunday 17th May 2009 St Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth featuring The Hawes Silver Band Guest Speaker Bob Baker (Rural development Officer of the Churches Regional Commission) Bring and share Eucharistic Meal, bring something savoury or sweet and share with others, tea/coffee and soft drinks provided All are welcome – donations in aid of Farm Crisis Network please note that food will not be labelled- those with allergies or food intolerance are advised against sharing Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter.* If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Dear friends, April is going to be an amazing month. For Christians throughout the world this is the highlight of the year. The 5th April is Palm Sunday and we begin a journey in which we walk alongside Jesus to the Cross. Lent ends at dusk on Holy (Maundy) Thursday and we enter the solemn Easter Triduum, the days from the evening of Maundy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday. It is an emotional and spiritual roller coaster of an event and it is important that we see it as one event. Maundy Thursday services symbolise the washing of the disciple’s feet by Jesus, showing us that He came not to be served, but to serve us. Good Friday plunges us into the despair and sorrow of the crucifixion and if we stay there we will be lost in the pain and guilt of sin. But faith teaches us that it is precisely to free us of that pain and guilt that Jesus gave up his life for us. If we turn to Him and stay with Him on the journey, by sunset on Holy Saturday we may begin to celebrate the resurrection, because we know that come dawn, a new light will shine in the world. For on Easter Sunday morning, we will stand alongside Mary Magdalene as we realise that God lives on in our lives, his Spirit is always with us and through the resurrection of Christ we have the promise of eternal life with Him. Easter is the whole ‘Paschal Mystery’, the dying and the rising of Christ. Let the bells ring out, the candles shine forth, the chocolate eggs be cracked open. We have HOPE. The Easter Gospel story shows us too that this is not the end of a journey but a new beginning. The risen Jesus tells Mary to go and tell others what she has seen. He gives her a mission. She has received and she should give. ‘Receiving and Giving’ is our message this month from Toolkit for Mission and we, like Magdalene, are challenged by Jesus to share our hope. April this year will bring for me another amazing sign of God’s hope as the small charity I work with (The Edith Jackson Trust) will open the first phase of our new school in Rokon, Southern Sudan. When we started three years ago it seemed an impossible task, asking a group of priests and ordinands, each of whom had apparently little to give, to raise such large sums of money. But through our energy and the generosity of all those who gave whatever they could, whether it was 50p or £50, whether they baked cakes or packed supermarket bags or got bruised and bashed playing rugby against the University First 15, we have completed the first phase of the school. We did it because we have hope and now the children are enrolled, the teachers are recruited, and the first two classrooms are complete. Through our hope there is hope for this community torn apart by the ravages of war. We received hope and we have given it to others. Toolkit for Mission challenges each of us, challenges us to find ways in which we can receive and give. This Easter may you know the hope and the love of the Risen Lord. May you receive God’s bountiful blessing, and may you pass it on! Judith (To find out more about the work of The Edith Jackson Trust visit www.edithjacksontrust.org.uk or request to be linked to our newsletter via enquiries@edithjacksontrust.org.uk) RIPON CATHEDRAL ST WILFRID’S LECTURES 2009 Thursday 23rd April 7.00pm Professor David Jasper, Glasgow University - The Church and the Arts Tickets will be required and are available from the Cathedral Office, Liberty Courthouse, Minster Road, Ripon HG4 1QS Tel: 01765 603462; email: judithbustard@riponcathedral.org.uk. Full details will be on the website www.riponcathedral.org.uk. Given the caliber and experience of each of the speakers, we need to make these events known as widely as possible so as to fill the Cathedral on each occasion The Lectures are free but a plate for voluntary donations will be at the back of the Cathedral. Everyone welcome. VACO ORCHESTRA CONCERT Saturday 18th April 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth TOOLKIT FOR MISSION – RECEIVING AND GIVING In the fourth section of Toolkit for Mission we are asked to reflect on some well known Bible passages as a basis for ‘Receiving and Giving’. A widow’s coins, an alabaster jar of perfume and a boy’s picnic of loaves and fishes all have qualities in common. Their owners gave these possessions willingly and lovingly. The gifts were made available for God to use and in gratitude and love for Jesus. They were given at a cost and could have been all they owned. What has God given us? Does our giving adequately reflect the generosity of God to us? The widow, the woman and the boy gave sacrificially, do we? Jesus said that the value of giving is measured by the attitude of the giver, not necessarily by the amount given. That is both an encouragement and a challenge to us. How do we share what we have been given with others; not just money but what about offering our time and talents as well. Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and said that we should also wash one another’s feet. Foot washing feet is a very menial task, yet this is what Jesus did and asks us to do the same. Whose life would benefit from receiving that kind of ‘foot-washing’ care in our church and local community? Freely you have received freely give ANNUAL LENT LUNCH 3rd April noon - 1.30pm Thoralby Village Hall Money raised will be sent to CHRISTIAN AID. SHARE THE LIGHT BIBLE STUDY Tuesday 7th April 2:00 Gordon Lodge, Redmire (followed by afternoon tea) ‘Receiving and Giving’: Passages for reflection Mark 12:41-end; Mark 14:1-9; John 6:1-13; John 13: 1-17 Appreciating and celebrating – Supporting and sharing - Discerning and valuing WITNESS OF THE CROSS The Benefice Mission Group welcomes anyone who wants to join them on part or all the journey as well as to join in the witness in your own village. (See enclosed Easter Card for times & venues). SONRISE SERVICE ON PENN HILL Easter Day 6.30am UNITED SERVICE BRING & SHARE MEAL Thursday 23rd April 6.30pm The Methodist Church Hall, Leyburn SALE OF PLANTS AND CAKES WITH REFRESHMENTS Castle Bolton Church Easter Monday 13th April 10 00am till 1 00pm Gifts of baking gratefully received by Margie Hall. Dale View Castle Bolton 01969 623012. In aid of Church Funds & Mission Partners WENSLEY CAR BOOT SALE Easter Monday 13th April Refreshments in the Village Hall CMS APPEAL The Soup & Sweet Lunch raised £193 in response to Bob and Rosalind Arnold’s appeal to their work in Bungokhu Rural Development Centre in Uganda. Thanks to all who came and supported the event and particularly to those who contributed and helped physically. Everyone who came seemed to enjoy the soup and sweet! Eileen Barraclough. AN EVENING WITH JAMES YEADON and the DALES MASSED BRASS BAND Sunday 10th May 7.30 pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Players from Leyburn, Hawes, Reeth and Muker Brass Bands give an amazing one off evening of both traditional and modern brass band music, with everything from marches to ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. Featuring Stan Roocroft, George Lundberg and Duncan Bythell as guest conductors. Tickets available on the door or preferably reserved by phone James Yeadon: 01969 663 505 £5 adults £2 for under 22s (Including refreshments) Car parking available at the Falls Car Park, concession of £1 Proceeds to go to both The Wensleydale school trip to the Indian Orphanage, ‘Amala’, and to buy musical instruments for the pupils in India. APCM Everyone is invited to attend the annual church meeting for their particular church. Parish Date Time Venue Aysgarth Wed 1st April 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church Bolton-c-Redmire Thurs 2nd April 7pm St. Oswald’s Church, Castle Bolton Preston with Wensley Sun 26th April 11am Preston Village Hall West Witton Sun 19th April After the 9.30am service, St. Bartholomew’s Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk PENHILL NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009 Dear Friends, As I write this the snow is still on the hills and the roads are still icy, hopefully by the time this drops through your letterboxes the snow will have gone and there will be signs of spring all around us. Inevitably as the longer days and better weather arrive (hopefully) those of us with gardens begin to turn our focus towards the next growing season, preparation of the soil and pots are the first step to ensure that any seedlings we may plant have a good start that is as long as we protect them from the frost as well. Gardening programmes and books such as ‘The complete vegetable gardener’ are apparently as popular as ever and are, surprisingly, returning to the ‘top ten’ list of hobbies for people to spend their free time on. Community allotments are also on the increase after Hugh Fearnley –Whittingstall’s popular series last year set on wasteland in the busy city of Bristol when the locals developed a profitable ‘small holding’ including pigs, hens and locally grown produce. I suppose it is not surprising that people want to ensure that they know where and how the foods that they eat are grown, and what better way of doing that than by growing your own. But what is a surprise is that gardening is no ‘quick fix’ and in a world where our attention span, apparently, now stands at only 3 minutes gardening goes against this current trend. To grow anything takes time and commitment, continual weeding and watering ensures that crops are protected from those garden pests such as slugs, and digging can be back breaking work but at the end of all this remains the joy that is experienced, as you the gardener, eat those deliciously fresh vegetables nurtured by your own hand. In this month’s look at The Church of England’s ‘Tool-kit for Mission’; ‘Growing and Developing’ it reflects on the reality that unless we spend time nurturing and ensuring that we as Christians have our roots firmly embedded in God, the fruits that we bear as humans will not be very productive. God wants us to develop our gifts so that we can share them with our neighbours, friends and those to whom we come into contact with on a regular basis or even perhaps as a one off encounter. Many of us know that this is not a quick fix, a fruitful faith can takes years to develop and nurture but as God, the ultimate gardener, knows it is well worth the commitment and the time that is invested. So as we go about our gardens this spring, preparing for the new season, let us remember that the more time and care that is invested the more abundant our fruits will be. And who knows you may want to join a ‘community allotment project’ as a way of getting to know some new people and growing your own vegetables, apparently there is one starting up at the Wensleydale School this spring. With God’s love and blessing, Penny (Curate) FUND RAISING COFFEE MORNING In aid of Bolton-cum-Redmire Church Funds and The Children’s Society’ Wednesday 4th March 10:am to 12noon Overdale, Redmire, (Margaret Moore) Raffle….. Cakestall …Guess the weight of a ‘Mystery Parcel’!…plus more! THESE THREE…FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE A lent programme with refreshments for everyone in the benefice 7.30pm to 9.00pm in West Witton Village Hall. 3rd March Faith into love 17th March The greatest of These 31st March All shall be well further details and course booklets are available from Graham Dear (623960) and John Webster (622491) or as you attend. Please, come for as many of these Tuesday evenings as you are able. SHARE THE LIGHT BIBLE STUDY Tuesday 17th March 2:00 Gordon Lodge, Redmire (followed by afternoon tea) ‘Growing and Developing’ the Church, locally, globally’ Passages for reflection –John 15:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:1-16 STATIONS OF THE CROSS SERVICE Sycamore Hall Friday 6th March at 6 for 6.30pm – coffee and biscuits first. A Churches Together event–Methodist, Anglican,Roman Catholic & Quaker. ‘CHRISTIANS IN THE DALES’ Spring Meeting on Thursday 26th March 10:00 for 10:30-2:30 “A City of Gold” with Rev Jennifer Lunn The Methodist Church Hall, Middleham, Leyburn. Please bring your packed lunch. Coffees, teas and biscuits provided. Charge for the day £4. (Pay on the day). Further details from: Anne Day (624171), Margaret Hall or Joan Sirman (624582) 'LOOKING AT THE DIOCESAN BOOKLET TOOLKIT FOR MISSION' 27Parkview Leyburn. Refreshments will be served. All details and booklet from John Webster 622491. Thurs 26th March 2.30pm - 4.30pm 'Moving on' All are welcome, please get in touch. TOOLKIT FOR MISSION – GROWING AND DEVELOPING This section of the Toolkit is challenging and probing. It refers to a passage in St Johns Gospel (chapter 15 v 1-17) where Jesus describes the relationship of his disciples as branches of a vine tree, which is him and God the father as the gardener. (v.1). A wonderful visual age, immediately relevant to the Jews of that time, surrounded as they were with succulent vines. It immediately emphasises the need to ‘abide’ keep closely in touch with the main vine from which we absorb the nurturing sap, which produces the ‘fruit’ for others to enjoy and grow thereby. He emphasises the ‘dip’ side that the gardener is constantly pruning and removing non-productive branches, which Jesus states ‘wither’ and are ‘thrown into the fire’ (v6). Paul, in his letter to the Christian church, picks up on this as he talks, in chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians of the fact we have ‘spiritual gifts’ (v1). However he stresses there are many different gifts. We each of us have to explore which gift or gifts God has given or is developing in each of us. His ‘visual aid’ likens them to the different parts of the body, and how the body ‘relies’ on each member to do its part, however humble or seemingly unworthy. They are all to be used for God’s glory and ‘common good’ i.e. the church v7. This gives us the ‘unity’, which is dealt with in more detail in the third passage, Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus (chapter 4). The many thought provoking questions that follow in this section of the Toolkit, explore the whole question of working together as a church. We each need every other member and the solidarity should be demonstrated in the community in which we live. Read it and be inspired! CMS APPEAL SOUP & SWEET SATURDAY, 14 MARCH 2009 12-2PM In the November 2008 Newsletter, our CMS Church linked partners, Bob & Rosalind Arnold, appealed to us for help to raise funds for their African project in Uganda, as they are facing financial crises to carry on the work for Bungokok Rural Development Centre as well as their living expenses there. In response to their call, St. Bartholomew is having a ‘Soup & Sweet’ event in West Witton Village Hall on Saturday 14th March from 12noon to 2pm, in the hope of raising some money. There will be a charge of £3 per person. We do welcome your coming on this occasion, as what we raise will greatly help their work in helping the needy in Africa. At Easter Day, again we will be having our annual CMS Appeal whereby church members return their CMS Collection Boxes they so kindly keep throughout the year for small coins for contribution to this cause. There will also be CMS Gift Aid envelopes available if anyone wishes to contribute. All givings are gratefully received. Eileen Barraclough. The Annual Lent Lunches will take place on the following days. 6th March noon - 1.30pm Redmire Village Hall 13th March noon - 1.30pm Carperby Institute 20th March noon - 1.30pm West Burton Village Hall 27th March noon - 1.30pm Aysgarth Institute 3rd April noon - 1.30pm Thoralby Village Hall Money raised will be sent to CHRISTIAN AID.* APCM Everyone is invited to attend the annual church meeting for their particular church. Parish Aysgarth Wed 1st April 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church Bolton-cum-Redmire Thurs 2nd April 7pm St. Oswald’s Church, Castle Bolton Preston with Wensley Sun 26th April 11am Preston Village Hall West Witton Sun 19th April After the 9.30am service, St. Bartholomew’s Church TAIZE SERVICE Hawes Methodist Chapel at 6.30pm on Monday 16th March This is a very calm, reflective service and it will be ecumenical. Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk February 2009 Dear friends, For many of us the beginning of February may well mark the end of any attempt to keep those New Year resolutions that we made with such high hopes a month ago. Hopefully, there will be some of us who are still going strong and who during this year will be able to incorporate some important resolutions firmly into their lives and being. Resolutions highlight a constant search in us to improve ourselves and who we are. Whatever our age we are all on the road to becoming the people we are fulfilling the God-given potential in us. The writer of the Book of Genesis understood that we are each made in the image of God. Jesus taught that we are each valued by God and accepted by Him as we are. These thoughts give us a secure foundation from which we can grow into being our true selves. There is a story about Michelangelo chipping away at a piece of marble. When asked what he was doing he replied, “I’m releasing the angel in this piece of stone.” There is an angel not only in each of us individually, but also with each of our village communities and each of our church communities. As you will see this month’s reflection on the Diocesan publication ‘Toolkit for Mission’ is about ‘Being & Becoming’. In the Michelangelo story it is noticeable that the angel cannot be revealed without the help of the sculptor. The prayer that has been set daily for the Epiphany season also recognises this – that we can only change and become who we are with God’s help – Almighty God,; In Christ you make all things new Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, And in the renewal of our lives Make known your heavenly glory: Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. With God’s love & blessing Sue (Vicar) “PRAY AS YOU GO” This website provides daily reflections for Monday-Friday. It has been primarily devised for people to use with their MP3 players as they travel to work. But it also offers 10-13 minutes quiet and helpful reflection to those of us praying at home. Each day the programme opens with music for meditation; a Bible Reading and questions and thoughts for reflection; the reading is read again and pointers for prayer are given, with space for the listener’s own prayer. For those who like to have a quiet space at the beginning of the day it is certainly worth trying. READING THE BIBLE AND WORDLIVE Nothing can take the place of reading the Bible daily and making use of one of the Bible reading schemes. However in this day and age why not make use of the computer and the internet and use Word Live? The website was created over a year ago by the Scripture Union and gives you a variety of Bible reading experiences and can deepen your relationship with God. Each day when you log on you will be prompted to pray and then read the Bible. Using the revolving carousel that sits underneath each day’s Bible passage, you can watch a video, listen to the Bible passage, dig deeper into further Bible study, dip into creative prayer suggestions and explore other activities. It is provided free of charge simply log onto www.scriptureunion.org.uk/wordlive/ and register. Be warned, you can spend time on this activity but it will be time well spent! 'LOOKING AT THE DIOCESAN BOOKLET TOOLKIT FOR MISSION' at 27Parkview Leyburn. Thurs 12th Feb 2.30pm - 4.30pm 'Being and Becoming' Thurs 26th Feb 'Growing and Developing' Refreshments will be served. All details and booklet from John Webster 622491. All are welcome, please get in touch. REFLECTION ON TOOLKIT FOR MISSON Our Diocese recently issued a booklet, ‘Toolkit for Mission’ - copies can be got from each church, or from members of the Benefice¹s Mission group. It is easy and worthwhile to study, more difficult to follow in our lives. Last newsletter Judith introduced the first section, ‘Mission.’ This month it is, ‘Being and Becoming.’ and ‘Look! Look! God has moved into the neighbourhood, making his home with men and women’ Revelations 21:3, The Message, a contemporary translation, 2002) - perhaps you are more familiar with, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them’ (RV, 1611)? What does that mean to us, and how do different translations help our understandings? How does God living alongside us and within us affect what we are, and what should become? To be and become in God we must trust and follow Him - as with Abraham – ‘So Abram left just as God said,’ (Message). We don’t know our way but, as with Moses, ‘I will be with thee’(AV). So God promises to be with us. We don¹t know the way ahead, we don¹t know what to do or say - we must learn to trust and follow God, as Jesus came to show us how. He will reveal when He wants us to know - then our trust really will be tested! We need to become and will have to become ‘missionaries’ in all we are, and all we do, and in all we say, to all we meet Next month, ‘Growing and Developing.’ THESE THREE…FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE You are warmly invited to join us in sharing this year’s York Course. A lent programme with refreshments for everyone in the benefice from 7.30pm to 9.00pm in West Witton Village Hall. Speakers include Bishop Tom Wright, Anne Atkins, Abbot Christopher Jamison & Frances Young (via the CD!). 3rd February Believing and Trusting 17th February The Peace of God 3rd March Faith into love 17th March The greatest of These 31st March All shall be well further details and course booklets are available from Graham Dear (623960) and John Webster (622491) or as you attend. Please, come for as many of these Tuesday evenings as you are able. RIPON CATHEDRAL ST WILFRID’S LECTURES 2009 Thursday 19th February 7.00pm The Most Revd & Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu Archbishop of York Rethinking Mission: The Role of the Church in Contemporary Society The Lectures are free but a plate for voluntary donations will be at the back of the Cathedral BENEFICE CHOIR Anyone interested – not a weekly commitment Stainer’s Crucifixion before Easter For more information please contact 663368/663097 A GRAND TABLE TOP SALE Carperby Village Institute Saturday 21st February 9.30am-2pm NEW & NEARLY NEW items!!!! Cake stall,Tombola and children's games. Soup/rolls, tea, biscuits cakes will be served. FUN FOR ALL! Tables are £10.00 if pre-booked or £12.50 on the day (subject to availability) (Church groups no charge) Entry: £1 (children 50p) (For St.Andrew’s Church Funds) We would like cakes for the cake stall. If you have anything you would like to donate please contact 663368 or 663097 The Annual Lent Lunches will take place on the following days. 27th Feb noon - 1.30pm Thornton Rust Village Hall 6th March noon - 1.30pm Redmire Village Hall 13th March noon - 1.30pm Carperby Institute 20th March noon - 1.30pm West Burton Village Hall 27th March noon - 1.30pm Aysgarth Institute 3rd April noon - 1.30pm Thoralby Village Hall Money raised will be sent to CHRISTIAN AID. BIG SING An ecumenical opportunity to learn new music for the season from the Iona Community and modern Roman Catholic tradition. For all who sing in worship or just for fun! Ideal for choirs and singing groups! Friday 13th February Holy Trinity Ripon HG4 2EY 7.30pm – 10.00pm (Bar/refreshments available till 10.30pm) Cost £3 per person. Any profits will go to support the work of Sue Ryder Care in Albania There is no need to book – but please call Kath Hinchcliffe on 0113 200 0547 (2pm-5pm) to give us an idea of numbers. FUND RAISING COFFEE MORNING Wednesday 4th March 10:am to 12noon In aid of Bolton-cum-Redmire Church Funds and The Children’s Society’ Overdale, Redmire, (Margaret Moore) Raffle….. Cakestall …Guess the weight of a ‘Mystery Parcel’!…plus more! Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gardc/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk _ PENHILL NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2008 Dear friends, One thing we may rely on the Church calendar to do is to remind us of the passage of time. It has been a brief and busy interlude since I sat down to write the harvest newsletter and here I am at the end of the Church year reflecting on what has gone and what is to come. Sometimes how quickly these things come around feels like a cruel reminder of how short my time is and how little I have achieved in its passing. But I am reminded of my late mother’s words every time I neglect the beauty of the passing of the seasons. When my family lived in Kenya, we often missed things of home; obviously the cliché of the English cup of tea was one. But odd things like the lack of availability of Bovril or Heinz baked beans were a regular source of grumbling – very odd, particularly as we almost never ate them when at home. But one thing that was genuinely missed was the rhythm and passage of the seasons, so when I moan about the extra five minutes it takes me to get going on a morning because I have to scrape the frost from the car, I will hear my mother’s words as she flung open the curtains on another African day – ‘O not another lovely day.’ Her consternation was genuine. Christmas day turkey at a tropical beach barbeque may sound romantic, but it’s just not the same. It’s so easy for us to take the gifts we have around us for granted. Last month Penny reflected on Advent as a time of anticipation of Christmas, and as a time to refresh and restore ourselves. This newsletter takes us through Advent, Christmas and into not only a new Church year but into 2009. Marking this shift in the seasons and the years sees a time not only to refresh and restore but to take stock. Many of you will be familiar with one of the latest self-development buzzes, the idea of being a ‘reflective practitioner’. As buzzy ideas go this is not a bad one – in essence its about not simply relying on others to tell or show us what to do to improve our lives but taking time to reflect on those areas where we know we have fallen short and on our successes. In doing so we acknowledge our weaknesses but do not overlook or take for granted the things we do well. It’s good practice to do this as individuals, it’s even better practice to do this as Church. Reflecting on this year’s ‘practice’ of the Church does not seem comfortable or comforting. Scanning recent headlines tell us of the ‘sacking’ of the ‘swinging’, drunken, bike riding vicar; the worsening splits and very bitter public rows in the Anglican Communion; the rows in the academic world between fundamentalists and atheistic scientists. The public face of Church and faith often does an excellent job of hiding all the hard work and dedication to the service of Christ and His people that goes on week in and week out in parishes, schools, hospitals, prisons and homes up and down our nation. Perhaps the most shameful recent headline grabbing incident was the unholy punch up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. In early November monks and priests of two Christian denominations (Armenian and Greek Orthodox) came to blows during worship. Israeli riot police had to arrest men of God in the very place where Christ is supposed to have been buried. To these two Christian groups charged with shared responsibility for this most holy of places breaking the complex rules governing the tomb are a matter of great import. To us, as the Revd Giles Fraser put it ‘…it seemed as inconsequential as the wrong monk being in the wrong procession…the scenes of chaos were shaming to all.’ (Thought for the Day, BBC Radio 4, 12 Nov. 08) As we reflect on the year now passing we would do well to note that all of these things speak of a Church obsessed with looking defensively inward, and as we look forward to celebrating the incarnation and we reflect on Christ among us, to remember that He said that only those who are prepared to lose their life will find it. This counter intuitive logic says that the more you give the more you have. As Giles Fraser states ‘The more your focus in life is outside of yourself, the more your own soul will flourish.’ What is true of the individual is true of Church too. A Church that focuses on introverted piety and churchiness, as we so often appear to do, is a betrayal of the core message to the Church, of Jesus. As we focus on Jesus’ mission to us, we the Church must re-focus on our mission, looking outward to God’s purpose in the world. As an outcome of the Church’s initiative to be more Mission shaped, the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds has issued a ‘Toolkit for Mission’ – short, easy to read guidance for each Parish on how to be more Mission focussed. It is a means of reflecting on where we are now and where we would like to be as the people of God in this place. Like all good reflection it looks at both what we do well and what we could do better. This will help us to acknowledge all that is good instead of hearing only the depressing headlines and to begin to see where we can adjust our focus. Toolkit may be a small booklet, but like all real reflection it demands a great deal and to help us the Penhill Mission Group will make contributions in the next four newsletters on its four core themes Being and becoming Growing and developing Receiving and giving and Moving on Each of these themes will be supported by local study group meetings where there will be open discussion of how we can build on what we do and take forward God’s work in Penhill. You are most welcome to join in. At Christmas we celebrate God’s willingness to give everything for us; Jesus came among us and literally gave us His life that we may know life. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. So at this end and new beginning for us, let us resolve to give more to one another; more time, more care, more love, more consolation, more life, and to give more to God in prayer and praise and worship, so that we each gain more of the real meaning of life and that each of our souls will flourish as God intended. Lord help us to remember that though we are failing and fallible human creatures through whom even your Church may sometimes lose her way, You are always with us; beside, behind, in front and within each and every one of us, guiding us to a deeper understanding of You. In the knowledge of His eternal presence may you each know the Peace and Love of Christ this Christmas and be willing to share it with one another. Joyful blessings, Judith CHURCH COFFEE CLUB (Dec & Jan) Wednesday 3rd December 10:30am to 12 noon The Old Police House, Redmire, Jill and Paul Adamson (625503) Wednesday 7th January 2008 10:30am (plus a new year drink!) Gordon Lodge, Redmire, Anne and Anthony Day (624171) AYSGARTH ‘SHARE THE LIGHT’ GROUP This Tuesday (2nd December) 7.30 pm in The Falls Café, Aysgarth ’The Christian Life and why it makes sense’ DVD material, Bible Study and open discussion. ‘Why Church is Great’. Come and join in! (Last in the series: rescheduled for 9th Dec.) For further details phone Margaret Ferguson (01969 650685) ‘TALENTS TABLE’ A sales table will be in St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth at service time on Sunday 14th December. Any items you have made and wish to sell will be welcome. CAROL SINGING AT CASTLE BOLTON December 22nd at 7 .00pm Carol singing round the village followed by mulled wine and mince pies at Dale View Take time out from the busyness of your Christmas preparations. Go for a walk or sit quietly for a few minutes, to give yourself space to be alone with God. ROMANIAN CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT of Aurel Viaicu University, Arad Thursday 18th December at 7.30pm Tickets £5 (concessions) Refreshments This choir is justly famous for their excellence in Western Romania. They are presenting a programme of Romanian Orthodox music as well as English carols. Solos, candlelight processions etc. All proceeds from the concert go to the maintenance of Aysgarth Church. Just over 12 months ago, Keith was told that he was terminally ill. Our comfortable, happy retirement was soon to come to an end and we felt very lost, frightened and isolated. We soon discovered that these thoughts were very far from the truth as a great support network suddenly embraced us. Amongst all these wonderful people were the Marie Curie Nurses who appeared faithfully at 10 o’clock at night and sent me to bed, often with a goodnight kiss to help me on my way! I knew that unless Keith’s condition deteriorated, I would be able to have several hours of much needed rest. All of his needs would be met with great tenderness and care, sometimes with a large dose of good humour. This support helped me, our family and friends, through this dreadfully sad time, and helped us all build our courage for what lay ahead. I have now found that there is a way in which I can help to give practical thanks for this care and that is by becoming involved in a local support group. I know that there are hundreds of other families and friends of former patients out there in Richmondshire who have had similar experiences. If you feel you would be interested in being part of this new group, please come along at 2.30 p.m., Monday, 1st December, to: Calderstones, Park View Leyburn DL8 5SF Tracy Calcraft from the York office of Marie Curie, and Lorna Clarkson, Marie Curie Nurse will be coming along to explain how a local support group works. Perhaps you would pass on the details to anyone else whom you feel would be interested even if you don't feel you can spare the time to be directly involved yourself. With thanks, Margaret Knight If anyone wants directions to "Calderstones" please contact: 01969 622 373. WEDNESDAY CLUB in Redmire Village Hall At 2:00pm Afternoon Tea; all are welcome to join us 10th & 17th December (Christmas Party) and 14th January 2009 Further details from Jayne Foster (622331) or Anne Day (624171) BIBLE STUDY Tuesday 16th December 2:00 at Gordon Lodge, Redmire Bible Study; ‘Christmas!’ followed by afternoon tea Please bring – 1 A ‘gift’ to share with the group, which is something special to you a story / reading from the Bible and an object which has special significance for you at Christmas or a poem or a piece of music. 2 A prayer for a person or situation outside the group, written on a gift tag or Christmas card which can be hung on a ‘Christmas tree’. COFFEE MORNING Saturday January 31st Carperby Institute Proceeds for Diabetic Research & St. Andrew’s Church Note: As from 7th January 2009 the Holy Communion Service on Wednesdays at 9.15am will be held at the Vicarage, Carperby. ADVENT REFLECTIONS Saturday December 6th 10am – 12noon Thornton Rust Mission Room & Institute Do come along and take out a few hours in the rush of Christmas preparations to think about the deeper meaning of what Christmas is about. Refreshments will be served. All Welcome ADVENT WREATH It’s now time that we all start thinking about putting the Advent wreath in Church. So here’s a little reminder of what it all means. There is a variety of tradition but usually in Church of England Churches this is the pattern followed: Colour Symbolism Prayer Outer ring of four candles: Advent 1 Purple The Patriarchs Hope Advent 2 Purple The Prophets Peace Advent 3 Purple John the Baptist or the Magi Love Advent 4 Pink or purple Mary mother of Jesus Joy Central candle: Christmas White The Christ Light THERE ARE OPTIONS: Some churches don’t use the pink candle instead having all four outer candles purple Some put the pink candle on the Sunday of Advent 3 (going back to the older link to Gaudete Sunday) in which case the prayer and symbolism also move from week 4 to week 3 More unusually, some replace the purple and pink candles with blue. Red and green candles shouldn’t be used in Church as they are considered to be secular colours The wreath is usually decorated with evergreens, holly, ivy etc (symbolising the eternal presence of Christ) but not with baubles and tinsel until the Church is decorated for Christmas Have fun and enjoy! OPEN UP GOD’S WORD WITH S.U. BIBLE NOTES Order your Scripture Union daily Bible Reading Notes now for January to March, 2009. If you are not already a regular subscriber phone Margaret Ferguson (650685) before Monday, 8th December to receive three months readings, with reflective comments, at discount prices. The following daily notes are available: Closer to God: hearing God’s voice in today’s world. Daily Bread: relating the Bible to everyday life. Encounter with God: a more in depth approach, relating Biblical truth to contemporary issues. There are also notes for children and teenagers. WENSLEYDALE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERT Monday 15th December at 7.30pm St. Andrew's Church, Aysgarth £4 for adults £2 for students Available from the school Office on 622244 or The Yeadon family on 663505. ALL WELCOME! PRAYER FELLOWSHIP Mon 15th December 6.00pm (note change of time to fit in with above concert) The Vicarage, Carperby Think of someone who will find Christmas a difficult time – give them a call, visit or e-mail PENHILL NEWSLETTER November 2008 Dear Friends, As I write this newsletter the words of WH Davies’ poem entitled ‘Leisure’ comes to mind; “What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows…” People’s lives are often so busy that there is no time to pause and reflect on where we are, on what we are doing or the people that we have met. Looking out of our back window we often see the weather moving across the dale, the clouds being moved along by the wind and the animals such as sheep or cows going about their lives with unhurried pace and gentle curiosity, the natural rhythms of their day give them ample time to chew things over. In a world where time seems to have got even faster we could do worse than stand around like the cows giving time to just be still. If we allow ourselves this space, be it 5 minutes only, we do not have to look for anything, just look, we do not have to listen for anything specific, just listen, we do not have to accomplish anything, just be and in the looking and the listening and the being we just might find God. At the end of this month the church starts the new liturgical year with the season of Advent a time of expectation and preparation as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ. The anticipation of Christmas under the commercial pressure that surrounds this time of year, and perhaps this year more than in recent years because of the financial pressure that many of us will face is hard to sustain. Yet the fundamental Advent prayer remains ‘Maranatha’ - ‘Our Lord, come’ 1 Corinthians 16:22. The season of Advent is an ideal time to allow ourselves time and space to just stand and stare to allow God the space to come to us in the silence, to refresh and restore. As WH Davies would say - “A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.” I look forward to seeing many of you at our advent services over the coming season, as we, as individuals and community, await with expectation the coming of Christ. With every blessing, yours in Christ, Penny WRITING GREETING CARDS TO PRISONERS OF CONCIENCE using addresses from Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Monday 3rd November 2008 at 7.00pm Gordon Lodge, Redmire AYSGARTH ‘SHARE THE LIGHT’ GROUP Tuesday (4th November) 7.30 pm in The Falls Cafe, Aysgarth 'The Christian Life and why it makes sense' DVD material, Bible Study and open discussion. This week: 'Why Jesus is so special' Come and join in! (Future dates 25th Nov. 2nd Dec.) For further details phone Margaret Ferguson (01969 650 685) ‘TALENTS TABLE’ 30th November and 14th December. A sales table will be in St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth at service time on the following dates: Sunday 9th November, 23rd November, Any items you have made and wish to sell will be welcome. ‘FORUM’ MEETING Thursday 13th November at 6.30 pm the Methodist Church Hall in Leyburn A Bring and Share supper and discussion to let everyone who wishes have their say about the format and running of the United Church Service. All are welcome to attend YORKSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST. SPONSORED RIDE & STRIDE. 2008 This year, the six people who “rode, strode and church sat” for this Event visited churches in Wensleydale, Stockton on Tees and South West France. I didn’t count the number of Sponsors, who so generously supported us and who are vital for us all to achieve our main aim of the day - raising funds for the YHCT. Thank you to all of you. Together we raised £510.00. I gather that Penhill Benefice is becoming known amongst YHCT Officers as one that consistently raises a significant amount for the Trust. Well done to all. Next year the Event will be on Saturday 12th September. I would love to see members of all the churches in the Benefice taking part in this Event. Half of the monies we each raise goes to the Historic Churches Trust, which then assists those churches that require financial help – the other half comes to the church/chapel of your choice. I will have posters & sponsorship forms for the 2009 Event around June/July. Please contact me if you would like to share in the Event. It would be great to see more people involved. Kristin Whalley. 01969 663885. A CONCERT BY AYSGARTH SINGERS Friday 14th November at 7.30pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Conducted by Stan Roocroft Tickets: £5 (or pay at the door) Proceeds to be divided between church & choir ‘LISTENING SKILLS’ Susanne Jukes from the Acorn Trust will lead the evening on Wednesday, 19th November 7.30pm in Thoralby Village Hall. This is an open meeting initiated by the Aysgarth Church Pastoral Group. A unique opportunity. Keep the date free. Come and join in. COFFEE MORNING High Green House, Thoralby Saturday 22nd November 10am-12noon Bring & Buy Cake & Produce Stall £2.50 entry coffee & mince pies In aid of St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth Note for your diary: Thursday 18th December A Romanian Choir will be visiting St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth. More details next month THE CHURCHES RURAL COMMISSION IS SEEKING NEW WAYS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER FARMERS IN THE DALES. As part of this initiative Bob Baker the Rural Development Officer is organising training on ‘how to deal with the bank manager’ – this will be a small, informal evening session over a pie and a drink in Reeth in late November. If you are or you know a farmer who might benefit and be interested in attending please let Judith (the curate) know on 01969 663171 or by e-mail on ‘walker.hutchinson@virgin.net’ and then she will let you know when she has more details.’ SAMARITANS PURSE CHRISTMAS SHOE BOX APPEAL 2008 BRING HOPE AND A SMILE WITH A GIFT OF LOVE Items Needed Shoe Box - Wrapped Gifts for boy or girl age 2-4yrs, 5-9yrs, 10-14yrs Toys - cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, musical instruments, yo-yo, skipping rope, etch a sketch, rattle etc. School Supplies - pen, pencil, sharpener, rubber, crayons writing pad/paper, solar calculator, stamps/inkpad, colouring books, chalk' pencil case, stickers etc. Hygiene Items - toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap in wrapping, comb/brush, face cloth Other Items - hard candy, lolipops, mints, gum, t-shirt, socks, cap hat, gloves, scarf, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewellery Personal Note - in a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or family (if you include your name and address the child may write back) Place a rubber band around the finished shoebox and include £2.50 towards the postage. Closing date is the weekend 12th November. Leaflets are available in church or contact Jayne Foster 622331 for further information Last year many worshippers at St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth decided to give one Christmas card to their friends in church and to donate the money that they would have spent on other cards to the Salvation Army. This year the P.C.C. has decided that the charity will be St. George’s Crypt at Leeds. Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk PENHILL NEWSLETTER October 2008 Dear Friends, I am writing this entry for our October newsletter in the latter part of September. The news this morning is of another bank in crisis as HBoS is taken over by Lloyds. This follows the takeover of Merrill Lynch, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the fall of AIG. Seven years ago in September the world watched in horror as the Twin Towers which some saw as the symbol of capitalism were literally blown apart. This September we are watching as the towers of capitalism fall metaphorically with Babel-like proportions. Now, as then, it is the innocent who pay the price. Many of you will know that my background is in finance, but even for me the current crisis is almost impossible to comprehend. We may all feel like instant media-fed experts but in reality financial systems have been made deliberately complex in order that the few can control the many. When I managed huge sums of money my underpinning motivation, like that of my fellow public service professionals, was to make the most we could with the least we needed to demand from people. It was about providing a service - and in so doing making the lives of our fellow human beings better or easier. It was driven by human relationship. But the financial markets have had at their heart for too long a completely different motive. In one of his characteristically insightful moments my husband remarked of the current ‘crisis’ that it is as though traders have seen a market in bricks and are tearing down their own houses to profit from it. Where it will end or how much more damage will have been done by the time you read this I do not know. But I know that when the aim became purely that of making money and the system incentivised the accumulation of vast wealth for the very few, the writing was already on the wall. When that writing on the wall first appeared to King Belshazzar (Chapter 5 of the Book of Daniel) it was to remind him that whilst he feasted and celebrated his great wealth he had forgotten his reliance on God and to warn him that on the day of judgement he would be found wanting. He had lost his faith in God and placed it somewhere else. In the news reports this week I was struck by the fact that the symbol of the toppled financial giant Merrill Lynch was a huge golden bull. When the people of Israel wandered in the desert during the Exodus their faith was tested in many ways and when Moses left them to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, they lost faith. They asked Aaron, Moses’ brother, to build another god as they could no longer see the God Moses had promised. What they built was a false god - in the form of a golden calf. When Moses came down from the mountain he saw the calf and said ‘Alas these people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold.’ The people of Israel had put faith in things before faith in human relationship, their relationship with Moses and with God. The golden bull of Merrill Lynch has turned out to be just as insubstantial as the golden calf of the Israelites at Sinai and just as false as all ‘gods of gold.’ I do not know by quite how much the greed of the speculators has pushed up oil prices or interfered with the grain markets, but I do know that it has and that the impact on us as consumers and on our farmers is real and is causing real hardship. Again the human relationship and the human cost have been forgotten. Jesus taught us that all God’s law could be summed up in two commandments – love the Lord your God and love your neighbour as yourself. This harvest time my message is that we must not forget to give thanks for God’s creation and for those he has given us to steward it on our behalf. Harvest is a human relationship upon which we all depend, not a commodity to be traded. Yours in Christ, Judith NSPCC Thursday 2nd Oct 3-5pm Redmire and Castle Bolton NSPCC cream teas & Stalls in Redmire village hall ARC – ADDINGTON FUND Churches in the Penhill Benefice are raising funds for this vital and effective source of support for the rural community at a time of continuing need and hardship amongst our farmers.’ The Arthur Rank Centre set up the ARC-Addington Fund in March 2001, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, as the Churches' response to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. The Fund continues to enable the charity to make emergency grants in cases of need such as flooding and foot and mouth. Since its inception the Fund has distributed over £10.3m at an administrative cost of less than 1.5%. You can contact them or make donations via the following: Address : ARC-Addington Fund, The Red Stable Block, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ Tel: 02476 690587 Fax: 02476 696274 Email: enquiries@arc-addingtonfund.org.uk Other useful contacts: The farming help charities emergency number (Farm crisis network, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Society & ARC-Addington Fund) 0845 367 9990 Rural stress helpline 024 7641 2916 Please contact 01969 663097 or e-mail penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk if you or anyone you know needs support from the clergy team AYSGARTH ‘SHARE THE LIGHT’ GROUP 6 Tuesday Evening Sessions this Autumn at 7.30 pm 'The Christian Life and why it makes sense' DVD material, Bible Study and open discussion. The series begins on the 7th October. For further details see the church notice board or phone Margaret Ferguson (01969 650685) ‘LISTENING SKILLS’ Susanne Jukes from the Acorn Trust will lead the evening on Wednesday, 19th November at 7.30 pm in Thoralby Village Hall. This is an open meeting initiated by the Aysgarth Church Pastoral Group. A unique opportunity. Keep the date free. Come and join in. TODDLERS SERVICE Wednesday 29th October 2pm St. Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth RINGING A PEAL In October, St. Andrew’s will be visited by a band of bellringers from York who are planning to ring a peal on our bells. You’ll be able to tell the difference, we reckon, between the rather homespun and humble efforts of the home team, and the work of these professionals. A peal is a skilful and demanding piece of ringing. We’re used to hearing the bells ringing in order from the treble (the highest and littlest) to the tenor (the lowest and biggest): 123456. Bellringers call this ‘rounds’. But a bell might change places with its neighbour so they ring in a different order: 214356, perhaps. In a peal, changes like this happen 5040 times! What’s more, the ringers need to know by heart exactly what changes to make. The leader in the tower will give instructions as the peal progresses, but bellringing has a language all of its own, and he’ll call something like ‘bob’ and each ringer must know exactly what this means and what to do. And pauses for thought are absolutely not allowed: all this must happen without any hesitation, so that the bells continue to sound regularly and evenly. Ringers call this ‘good striking’. A peal on six bells takes nearly three hours of hard work and concentration. If the bells stumble to a jangling halt before this, the peal has been ‘lost’; later in the pub there’ll be a gloomy discussion about what went wrong. But if you hear the bells come back into rounds, and then a breathless moment of triumphant silence - that’s an achievement to celebrate! METHODIST & ANGLICAN COVENANT SERVICE Sunday 19th October 10.30am St. Bartholomew’s Church, West Witton A service to celebrate the anniversary of the Methodist Chapel joining with St. Bartholomew’s Church CHURCH COFFEE CLUB COMBINED WITH ANNUAL GIFT DAY FOR BOLTON-CUM-REDMIRE 10.30am – 12noon Wednesday 1st October Dale View, Castle Bolton Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk PENHILL NEWSLETTER September 2008 Dear Friends, As summer draws to a close and we head into autumn there will memories for all of us to share and recall as the evenings draw in. These may be of the holidays that we have been on, new places visited, or friends that we have met up with, or they may be memories of our children enjoying ice-creams and playing on the beach or in the countryside, what ever they are they form part of the stories that make us who we are. Stories are so much part of our lives that their significance is easily overlooked: often the impact of stories remains invisible and unacknowledged. A story gives a sense of distinctive identity to the teller, a story can travel round the world and a story can travel across time. Stories can bridge gaps that separate individuals, races, genders, generations and the myriad of other differences that render us unique. I recently read a story that tells of a grandmother who had her granddaughter staying with her for half term. Together they went to a nearby street market. In addition to bumping into neighbours and friends they were also stopped by three men sitting on a bench, with cans of special brew at their feet. They called the grandmother by name, and she introduced her granddaughter to them, introducing each of them by name to her. The grandmother asked about their health and where they were living and they in turn asked about her, and whether the community hall would be opening again during the winter. On entering the café an unkempt figure with a cup of tea was seated by the door and as they entered his face lit up and he shouted a fulsome hello to the grandmother, which she happily returned. As the two drank their tea, the granddaughter ventured to ask how her grandmother knew all these alcoholics and mad men. The grandmother told her about the all-night shelter that she helped at and how she sat with the unkempt man in the corner whilst he completed The Times crossword in less than twenty minutes. As the grandmother shared her story of both the hope and struggle, of being alongside those whom others disparaged, the impact of her story would stay with the young woman influencing the choices that she would make in the future. The bible is full of stories about how encountering God can have a huge impact on the lives of everyday people. Jesus recalls stories of how he reaches out to meet those on the edges of the community in which he engages with and their stories also encourage us to challenge how we encounter others of different race, gender or generation. The stories that we are surrounded by will influence our vision of what is possible, as well as the choices we make in our lives. So in this story-thin age let us encourage one another to create story rich lives by discovering each other’s stories, sharing the experiences that have shaped us and reaching out to those who perhaps have no one to share their stories with. With God’s love and blessing Penny (Curate) OPEN UP GOD’S WORD WITH S.U. BIBLE NOTES Order your Scripture Union daily Bible Reading Notes now for October to December. If you are not already a regular subscriber phone Margaret Ferguson (650685) before Monday, 15th September to receive three months readings, with reflective comments, at discount prices. The following daily notes are available: Closer to God: hearing God’s voice in today’s world. Daily Bread: relating the Bible to everyday life. Encounter with God: a more in depth approach, relating Biblical truth to contemporary issues. There are also notes for children and teenagers. NSPCC Thursday 2nd Oct 3-5pm Redmire and Castle Bolton Nspcc cream teas & Stalls in Redmire village hall NEEDWOOD SINGERS 20th September 2008 at 7.30pm St. Andrew's Church, Aysgarth Return of the Needwood Singers, from Staffordshire. Director Margaret Langford. Guest soloist - James Yeadon, Trumpet, with John Foster, piano. Tickets £7.00 and £3.00 (school age) Proceeds for the church funds. If anyone can offer accommodation for the choir members for the Saturday night please contact 663363/663368 or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk You will get a free ticket! YORKSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES TRUST SPONSORED RIDE AND STRIDE SATURDAY 13th SEPTEMBER 2008 10.00am to 6pm In Penhill Benefice we still need more sponsors, and ideally riders/or visitors by whatever transport. Half the funds raised go to the Trust for grant-aiding Churches and Chapels, the other half goes to a Church or Chapel of your choice. The Trust was established in 1988 and makes grants towards the repairs of Churches Chapels of Christian denominations in Yorkshire. Your contributions by way of sponsorship monies raised on the Ride and Stride day will allow us to help more of these buildings. Please Gift Aid your sponsor money. BIBLE STUDY Tuesday 16th September 2:00 at Gordon Lodge, Redmire Book of Ruth: Harvest Thanksgiving: Caring, Providing, Hope and Harvesting Followed by afternoon tea REMINDER Reunion Dinner to celebrate 20 years of King's Club. Friday 26th September 7pm for 7.45pm Wensleydale Creamery. If you are 18 - 30 years old or over and attended King's Club, do get your ticket for this event. See old friends and remember some of the good times you had together ! Tickets are available from Jenny Ingleby, 01969 622075 jennifer@ingleby.net or from Mike Hirst, Robridding House, Rose Cottages, Hawes, DL8 3RF mikehirst@tiscali.co.uk Dear friends, There are few better demonstrations of the fact that we are all God’s children than when we come together as different Churches, united by our common bonds of faith in the risen Lord Jesus. One such example many of you will recall with affection is our Ecumenical Harvest Festival Service. As ministers together we have reflected on the best time and opportunity to have our main joint gathering to celebrate the beauty, productivity and deep sense of community in this Dale. Although the Harvest festival has been successful and much loved, we do feel that it comes at a time when there is so much other activity in our individual churches and chapels that the significance of our shared worship may be somewhat overshadowed. We are therefore planning an alternative joint celebration at lambing time and have set a provisional time and date of 3.00pm 17 May 2009. At Eastertide what better symbol could there be of the resurrection hope, the hope of a Church united as Christ wished. It is also an opportunity to support and give thanks for the work of ‘Farm Crisis Network’ a vital support network for our farming community. We will give further details of the service nearer the time in the meantime please put the date in your diary and we hope you will support what will be a significant symbol of our genuine covenant commitment to each other. Yours in Christ, Revd. Judith Walker Revd. Henry Dubois (August 2008) HARVEST SUPPER Monday 22nd September 6:30 for 7:00 p.m. Redmire Village Hall In aid of ARC Addington Fund (Christian charity supporting rural communities in the UK) Menu: Shepherd’s Pie, Mixed Vegetables, fruit pies and crumbles, coffee Squashes available or bring your own bottle of wine Tickets cost adults £5, school age £2 and are available from Jayne Foster, Anne Day, (Redmire) and Robert Hall, (Castle Bolton) Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk PENHILL NEWSLETTER July 2008 Dear Friends, We have now come to the double summer issue of the newsletter. End of term activities are already upon us and soon we shall be into the school summer holidays. Whether or not our lives are governed by a school routine there is always a more relaxed feel to August – time and opportunity perhaps to do something different or at least to let up a little on the rigours of our normal routine. In the rhythm of our lives there does need to be space for renewal and refreshment. In the Autumn I shall be fortunate enough to have an extended period of sabbatical leave from mid-August to the end of November. This will be a time of rest, prayer, reflection and study. I have various courses and activities planned to give some structure to the time away. The theme is “presenting the Gospel in different ways”. To begin with I shall spend a week in Taize – an ecumenical community founded after the Second World War by Brother Roger. Initially it was intended as a focus of reconciliation between France and Germany but its influence as a place of worship and learning has grown to be worldwide. Church services there have a very distinctive form. The building, with an enormous tent extension to accommodate all the summer visitors, is always lit by candles and the services are based around chants, some of which we either sing or hear in various churches in the benefice. I shall spend two separate weeks at St. Deiniol’s Library near Chester. This is a conference house built by the Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone to accommodate his theological library, which he left to the Church. (Some of you will remember that some time ago Peter Jagger went from being vicar of Bolton-cum-Redmire to be Warden at St. Deiniol’s). There I shall follow courses on “Faith in Film” and the “Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and the Celtic Saints.” I shall also have a week on Iona with John Bell (whom some of you may know from hearing him on “Thought for the Day”) leading sessions on “Re-Opening the Bible” when we shall look at fresh ways of presenting biblical material. In between the courses I shall be reading, watching films and preparing material so that I can share with you some of the new insights that I have gained. Penny and Judith will run the benefice during this period, supported by our Readers and retired clergy. I am very grateful to them for making my study leave possible. I know that you will appreciate that they will have an extra workload and will not be able to come to all events in the parishes. But if there is an emergency or someone is very ill please do let them know whatever. It is quite distressing for a priest not to be told something important because people thought that they were already too busy. I am very much looking forward to this opportunity to reflect and take stock. And, I shall enjoy coming back refreshed and with new ideas for us all to work with. Meantime I hope that you all are able to take some time out this summer whether at home or away. With God’s love and blessing Sue (Vicar) CHRISTIAN AID We should like to thank everyone who supported our events this year. To date £3966 plus £472 gift aid extra is being forwarded to Christian Aid from the Wensleydale area which stretches from Thornton Steward to Thornton Rust. The envelope collections from the Penhill Benefice are as follows: Aysgarth £57 Carperby £105 Castle Bolton £38 Newbiggin £124 Preston-under-Scar £66 Redmire £151 Wensley £132 Thorably £121 Thornton Rust £155 West Witton £48 West Burton £212 £200 was given by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and the Penhill and East Witton lunches raised £1317. Very many thanks to all concerned for the work involved. Noel Ashworth (Hon Treas.) Helen Brown (Hon Organiser) GALA PIANO RECITAL By International Concert Pianist MARTIN ROSCOE at St. Andrew’s Aysgarth on 5th July 2008 at 7.30pm Tickets £15.00 (£5 for 16’s and under) (for church funds) For more information contact John & Joan Foster 01969 663368; Tickets also available from Leyburn Tourist Information Centre 01748 828747 (Cash or cheque only) Tickets available on the evening at the door. SUMMER FAYRE Saturday July 12th 2pm – 5pm The Vicarage, Carperby (Village Hall if wet weather) A social event has been organised at the Vicarage with each church in the benefice taking part. Lots of stalls - Plated teas, ice cream, cakes, auction of promises, bran tub, Tombola, bric a brac, books, face painting , treasure hunt, pin the tail on the donkey, splat the rat! Do come along and join in the fun! PET SERVICE Sunday 13th July 3pm Redmire Village Green Come & give thanks for Gods creations and our own special pets. You are responsible for your own animals! (No snakes!) Tea served in the village hall afterwards EVERYONE & PETS WELCOME! Preston-with-Wensley PCC Invite you to a SONGS OF PRAISE with special guests The Margaret Westwood Singers In celebration of Saint Margaret of Antioch and the women Saints of the Church’ (AKA: Let’s hear it for the girls!) St. Margaret’s Church, Preston-under-Scar 6.00pm Sunday 20th July 2008 All are welcome to ioin in song, thanksgiving and community Join in and be part of the service by completing a request form available in St. Margaret’s Church or from the Benefice Office. 01969 663097 or e-mail penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk before 13th July 2008 FLOWER FESTIVAL WEEKEND Holy Trinity Church, Wensley August 8th – 10th Theme – The World of Children’s Books Friday August 8th 7pm Preview in church Ticket only inc. wine & canapés Sat 9th & Sun 10th Flower Festival Display in church. Contact 01969 623674 OPEN GARDENS BOLTON HALL, WENSLEY Sunday August 10th from 2pm – 5pm Stalls & Teas Entrance: Adults £2.50 Children free (accompanied with an adult) THORNTON RUST COUNTRY SHOW CRICKET MATCH Swinithwaite v West Witton Sunday 10th August at 2pm West Witton Playing Fields £3 to include tea & cakes proceeds towards St. Bartholomew's Church, West Witton ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S FLOWER FESTIVAL West Witton August 22nd – 24th Friday Aug 22nd 7pm Preview in church Ticket only £5 inc. wine & canapés Sat 23rd &Sun 24th Flower Festival Display in church. Contact:625276/622576 GIFT AID THANKYOU A big thank you to all those who have signed gift aid forms for any monies they give to the churches. For St Andrew’s enough money has been raised through gift aid repayments from the government to cover two months of the diocesan share. This has made a big difference at a time when it is costing £100 a day to maintain St Andrew’s. Anyone in the community who wants to make a donation to their local church can make it go a bit further by registering for gift aid if they are paying tax on any part of their income. That includes pensions and savings. For more information about gift aid contact the Penhill Benefice office (see back of newsletter). For those who are interested there are regular ways of donating money to their church, either through planned giving using weekly envelopes or by a bank standing order. VILLAGE LUNCH at Swinithwaite House, Swinithwaite Sunday August 31st 12.30pm An enjoyable social afternoon & a splendid lunch! Contributions to St. Bartholomew’s Church (Bring gift aid envelope) Contact 663206 or email c.tberry@btinternet.com to reserve a place No later than August 22nd Musicality Singers We are a small ladies group who have a wide repertoire to suit all occasions and venues, and we also consider concerts for charities and churches. Our repertoire ranges from songs by classical composers such as Handel and Mozart to the modern composers such as Gershwin and Lennon and McCartney, songs from stage and film and also sacred songs. We often include humorous monologues. We can provide daytime as well as evening concerts. www.musicalitysingers.co.uk or tel: 01969 663097 for more info. Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk June 2008 Friends, In the Church’s year we are now in the period of “Ordinary Time” – six months of Sundays after Trinity with no major festival. And, after all the emotional upheaval of Lent and Holy Week and the excitement of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, it is good to stand back and take stock of all that we have experienced of God during the preceding months. There has been the wonder of God in the birth of Jesus—‘God-with-us’ come to share our earthly life so that whatever happens to us we know that he will understand and share our feelings, sufferings and joys. Good Friday reminds us each year of the depth of God’s love for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus - a love and forgiveness that surrounds us here and now - daily giving us the opportunity to leave the regrets and shames of the past behind us and start again. And, through the Resurrection we have the hope that this love will sustain and support us through the process of dying into the fullness of new life when we shall become the whole people God intends us to be. The excitement of the Holy Spirit coming to the first disciples speaks of the presence of God in the world today equipping and empowering us to work for the completion of His kingdom on earth. The colour of Ordinary Time is green – the colour of growth. Reading through God’s gifts to us in the great festivals that we celebrate in the first half of the year I am struck by how much support and encouragement we are given to live our lives in the perspective of God’s Kingdom. And, encouragement is one of the most important gifts that we can give to and accept from each other by way of gratitude for all that God does for us. We all know the wonders that a word of encouragement can achieve in what we try to do and conversely how destructive constant criticism can be both to individuals and to communities. I recently attended a course where we were told that in training other people the supervisor should highlight FIVE positive instances of progress to every word of constructive criticism. My immediate thought was how often we fail to do this in our present society both in church and state. Politicians and Bishops are regarded as fair game for our constant carping. We are much slower to confer any praise or gratitude for what they are doing for our benefit. And quite often we blame them for the ills of the world when we ourselves are not prepared to make the effort to play any positive part in furthering the development of community life. And, encouragement does not just apply to big concerns. Think how different –how nearer to God’s vision for the world we would be –if we all endeavoured to accept God’s encouragement in our own lives and brought that encouragement to our families, communities, churches and nation. It is something for us to try in the next six months of Ordinary Time. Remember every time you criticise someone, openly to them or about them to someone else, that warrants five instances of praise or appreciation from you about them. If we all did this I reckon that our communities, churches and nation would change, grow and develop. A daunting prospect, perhaps. But we do have God’s presence in his Holy Spirit to strengthen us for the task. With the blessing of God on our lives and endeavours for the world, Sue (Vicar) SHARE THE LIGHT 'Share the Light' Bible Study "Patience" including how does 'The Parable of the Sower'(Luke 8) illustrate that patience is an important part of spiritual growth. Tuesday 3rd June 2:00p.m. Gordon Lodge, Redmire; followed by afternoon tea “OPEN SPACE” Saturday 7th June 10am to 4pm Harmby Village Hall An opportunity for people to meet and talk about issues that concern us as Christians. Hot & cold drinks are available (free) throughout the day. Please bring your own packed lunch. For more info contact:Geoff Phillips - 01969-650117 geoff.phillips@talktalk.net) CHURCH COFFEE CLUB Wednesday 4th June 10:30am to 12 noon Polly Miller’s Cottage, Redmire (624604) All are welcome from across the Benefice CREAM TEAS & OPEN GARDENS Sunday 8th June 2 – 5pm Castle Bolton PRESTON-UNDER-SCAR STUDY GROUP 5th June at 2.30pm at Joyce's house, Cruachan - tea and biscuits afterwards 19th June at 2.30pm Iris Milnes house 27 Park View LEYBURN ( lift via John Webster if required) PRAYER MEETING FOR THE UNITED CHURCH The Prayer Meeting is now at 1.30 PM on the last Monday in each month. INTERCESSION WORKSHOP Saturday 21st June 10am-12noon Redmire Village Hall For all those who lead intercessions (or would like to) BIBLE STUDY 'For discussion of The Acts of the Apostles led by Rev Graham Dear 10th June 7.30pm Thistlebout West Witton 24th June 7.30pm West Witton Village Hall LIFEPATH AT JERVAULX The circular recruiting volunteers for Lifepath at Jervaulx Tuesday 1st to Friday 4th July run by Piers and Fran Lane (Scripture Union, -our Mission Partners)has arrived. So now is the time for people who would like to be involved to make up their minds. If anyone would like to discuss it with someone who has done it before both Margaret Ferguson (2004&6) and myself (2006) will be delighted to help, and also with applications forms; but volunteering needs to be done with enough advance time to deal with the tedious and necessary CRB clearances. TABLE TOP SALE SATURDAY 28th June 10am until 2pm Carperby Village Hall If you would like to sell a private table will be £10 church tables are free. Refreshments available. Entrance £1 More details from Joan Foster 663368 ORDINATIONS TUESDAY 1ST JULY 7.30PM ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH, AYSGARTH Revd Judith Walker-Hutchinson will be ordained Priest SUNDAY 6th JULY 10.30AM BENEFICE SERVICE ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH, WEST WITTON Revd Judith Walker-Hutchinson will take her first service as a priest Followed with a Bring & share lunch We do hope you will come to both services Rev. Sylvia Earle will be ordained priest on Wednesday 2nd July at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Whitkirk. Contact churchwardens if you would like to attend and require a lift. Please hold Judith & Sylvia in your prayers. GALA PIANO RECITAL By International Concert Pianist MARTIN ROSCOE St. Andrew’s Aysgarth on 5th July 2008 at 7.30pm (BRING A CUSHION FOR COMFORT!) “Roscoe is a pianist who both thinks and offers full-blooded playing of breadth and depth.In this country, he is an uncommon creature.” Daily Telegraph Tickets £15.00 (£5 for 16’s and under) (for church funds) For more information contact John & Joan Foster 01969 663368 Tickets also available from Leyburn Tourist Information Centre 01969 623069 (Cash or cheque only) TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE EVENING AT THE DOOR PENHILL BENEFICE READINGS FOR JUNE 1st Deuteronomy 11: 18-21, 26,28 Matthew 7: 21-end 8th Hosea 5: 15-6:6 Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26 15th Romans 5: 1-8 Matthew 9: 35-10:8 22nd Romans 6: 1b-11 Matthew 10: 24-39 29th Acts 12: 1-11 Matthew 16: 13-19 Reminder! The next newsletter will be a double issue July/August. Please submit details by Monday 23rd June. Thank you. Why not visit www.thedales.org.uk for extra info and electronic newsletter. If you would like further information about anything in this newsletter please contact Christine Gard c/o The Vicarage, Carperby, Leyburn DL8 4DQ. Tel: 663097or email penhill.benefice@tiscali.co.uk Pages that link to this page: Christmas Events In Wensleydale-2008 / Dales Diary / Dales Diary-Events / Dates For Your Diary / Prayer List With Bible Readings / St Andrews Parish Church Aysgarth Email: info / webmaster
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