From the Registers

Funerals

28th November. Felixkirk, and Darlington Crematorium. Bill Mitchell, 85, of Thirlby. Peacefully, at home after a struggle against recent illness. Clerk of the Works to Felixkirk Restoration works in ’84. Engineer, and mastermind behind “Easy Mow”. Our best wishes to Doris.

29th November. Felixkirk, and Darlington Crematorium. Janet Burton, 94, of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe. In every sense a local lass who was born up the road at Aspen Grove. A stalwart supporter of Felixkirk and Boltby. Our best wishes to Ruth Mitchell.

12th December. St Mary, Leake, and Thirsk Cemetery. Lily Dalton, 86, mother of Ann Dalton of Knayton. Confined to home the last few years.

Baptism

1st December (Advent). Cowesby. Cosmo John Alexander Adair, infant son of Robert and Lucy of Cowesby Hall

January 2003 - Christmas Messages (continued!)

As I write it’s still Advent. People ask if I’m ready for Christmas. I say: “No, it’s still Advent and I want to use Advent.” You’ll be reading this during Christmas and Epiphany, and that is the period I work towards through Advent. Parish Magazine is first: get a message of encouragement down on paper then turn to the Christmas Card list. Now, there’s many folk I’ve not seen, or only glimpsed early in the year, or missed through other commitments. It’s good to recollect old times together, and remember conversation, or doing things. It’s good to pray for them. Then it’s on to another and another …. It’s no five-minute job. Then there’s our news, or news in pictures, and what the girls are up to. Some people hate the news supplements but I do like a quick update to see how people have moved on or where to. Then there are their cards! One year a friend was too busy to sign his printed cards: it seemed he had lost touch somehow, or was on another planet.

It’s the same with the presents too. They need to just happen. They might derive from anywhere at anytime, but I suppose mostly it stems from having time to think of the recipient. Sometimes there’s consultation. The wise men must have consulted about their gifts for ages. They certainly set a young man up. They were early Godfathers but of a non-Mafia type! Mind you, once you’ve focused on someone, or something for someone, it’s quite straightforward to get it when you know where to find it. Piles of junk mail during the year are not always very useful. We have a new green bin for those, and those Mediterranean cruises which you win with no tickets to the embarking point or from the destination point. If their paper wasn’t so thin and glossy, it would go in the other pile of parish magazines for horse bedding.

One year when the Christmas Card list was very long, I cut out those who I had seen since the last Christmas - but I regretted it. I now let nature control it, in the face of it getting longer. I suppose Advent Sunday is my New Year. After Christmas there are the year-end accounts to do, because the church and the parish (for me) and the studio run on the Calendar Year. I can’t see the Inland Revenue giving me a big Epiphany parcel but that is not what it is about! Perhaps our accounts tell us how well things were manifest in the past year, or where we spent (investment) in the hope of future profit/reward/improvement. So, too, the spiritual year goes through Advent to a light dawning at Christmas and greater manifestation throughout the year that follows.  I’m not too worried if some cards actually arrive after Christmas Day, though I like to get them in by the last post. Boxing Day is good to use according to its’ title, too. I wish we could make more of all those Saints Days that follow hot foot after Christmas, but by then we’re flaked out and overfed. And of course the new era of Rowan rule (not Atkinson!) also starts as Epiphany fades. He should throw some light on the shadowy areas. Do not lose sight of Christmas and may that light shine on in you - indeed, let the Word take on your flesh nourished through Communion. Best wishes,

PS The people I “take my hat off to” are those who prepare an A4 sheet of family news, to go with their Christmas card! Instead of a quickly scribbled note such as “Our three are still footloose and fancy free”!! Ed.

Look Ahead to Lent - “Food for Thought”

We have three speakers during Lent (all meetings start 7.30 p.m.):

Clarissa Dickson-Wright Wednesday 12th March Borrowby V.H.

Abbot of Ampleforth Wednesday 26th March Knayton V.H.

Judge Harry Walker Wednesday 9th April Upsall V.H.

Proper tickets are required - we are aiming to seat 80 people each evening, so please book early! Tickets, at £10 per person per evening, available from The Vicarage by Wednesday 5th March (Ash Wednesday). The price includes a simple wholesome meal, to precede the talk - please bring your own liquid refreshment!

New Postcards of Nether Silton (i) picture of Nativity - should be available for Christmas (ii) picture of Scaife Memorial Window (a reprint of Over Silton with bluebells) 20p. each available at Leake church etc.