From the Registers

Confirmands, 29th February 2004

Joanne Frith, second daughter of David and ‘Tricia of Borrowby.

Angela Holt of Knayton, married to Andy, with 3 children (Sophie, Rebecca and Oliver).

Claire Blenkinsopp of Over Silton, engaged to Ian Ellison.

Charlie Kingdon, younger son of Roger and Gaynor of Borrowby: about to marry Renee and work in Australia.

Andrew Crouch, barrister, of Thornton-le-Moor (previously Cowesby) Married to Melanie, with 3 girls (Frederika, Amelia and Louisa).

Please pray for them all on this new leg of their spiritual journey.

Burial

Leake St Mary. Ashes interred of Elfrida Fenwick, 99, daughter of the late Head Teacher of Knayton School, and a teacher herself in N.Leeds.

Easter 2004

It has been good to have confirmations complete before Easter, for a change. Easter is exhausting as well as refreshing. When confirmations were held around Ascension - 40 days later - maintaining the momentum, from Easter, was somewhat draining. Having confirmations at the present time of year has made for a pleasant bridge between last Christmas and Easter itself. Our best wishes go to those 5 who were confirmed - may they continue to grow and swell our ranks.

Hopefully the summer months ahead will be used to generate and hold other activities, through which the local churches may appear relevant (part of this Century's vitality), realistic (inviting us to reflect on God's creativity in our lives, and to learn from the lessons of history) and religious (a faith that makes sense despite a tendency to synchronise religions into a sort of new age feel good factor). The wave of terrorism, e.g. in Madrid, in response to American action in Iraq and Afghanistan should concentrate our minds to look at our common roots as Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Old Testament. There is no doubt that some of the anti-American feeling is anti-semitic because of their unbridled support, indeed, indulgence, of Israel. Also, despite all those years of "Letter from America" from Alasdair Cooke, Americans do not present themselves in a good light or sympathetic to the rest of the world. A more even-handed approach to the Middle East would go a long way, and I hope Tony Blair has not blown the British cutting edge of trust by being too shoulder to shoulder with George Bush.

I think these waves of terrorism are a challenge to the Western world to rekindle and genuinely express once more our Christian faith. They are an assault on our way of life, not an attack on our faith. However, they do highlight our lack of faith, and its expression nationally. The feel good factor from therapies and lifestyle gurus does not compensate for, nor can it replace, faith that puts us at ease with ourselves, our neighbours, and God. In short, we need to be the Easter people once more! God has done it for us so we have added impetus in life to live for others.

For all its marketing of religion, America falls into its own divide of having the biggest porn industry alongside being a country where a greater % go to Church. I'm all for robustness, and the Bible can be gutsy as the Jews can be raunchy or the Muslims can be prudish. A lot of it boils down to simple self-control. Yet that self-control we should be fostering for the better seems to be lacking when it is needed to propel us to Church of a Sunday - so that we can express our faith more openly, effectively and with greater reward. In fact, if we put nothing into being Easter people we will get nowt out and remain nothing. May you rise to life, amen

Hillside Parishes APCMs 

We are obviously maintaining an interest for people in our churches as Christians, and Easter numbers last year stood up to expectations. Harvest Festivals brought in a good attendance - there is improvement in our joint efforts. It is an effort to keep the interest up - but it is worth it! My thanks go to Tony Davies for editing the Parish Magazine and to Alphagraphics for the printing* - but would that more people take note of and remember the activities offered! Liz has developed more on Godly Play so that is a resource to be used.

Our Hillside Parishes Meetings have had better attendance and support - and therefore a better response. New initiatives, which begin to bear fruit - from videos to fresh approaches to joint services - have been taken. We are looking forward to The Archbishop of York in October at Boltby, Motoring Sunday in August at Leake and a joint WhitSunday service May 30th at Kirby Knowle. This latter will coincide with the Youth Camp, when John Young will preach and the Bishop of Whitby will celebrate.

One aspect of parish life that does concern me is the lack of people to fill all the traditional posts of PCCs for 5 parishes. It indicates a need to seriously rethink and adapt. The obvious move is to pool resources. Ideally we should have a central combined PCC that still retains 2 churchwardens per church but which shares other posts like Synod Reps, combines some Treasurers and still makes space for new appointments for the groups that modern life demands - Tourist Officer, Child Protection Rep., Gift Aid Coordinator, etc. Individual churches will still need to have fabric committees with their own budgets - but if we are not careful all the individual PCCs will become marginalised into mere fabric committees without the manpower to do other things. The parishes need to organise the activities. It is the organising of wider reaching activities that demands closer links and greater co-operation between the individual 5 parishes.

Heartfelt thanks go to all the churchwardens and other officers and regulars who do and contribute so much, not least the gift of their time and skills. Thanks, too, to the unseen army of cleaners, flower arrangers and others who contribute their skills, whether singing or serving coffee.

Meanwhile other initiatives make gentle headway, so when the weather improves we should be beginning our series of worship videos. Speakers for Food for Thought for Lent 2005 are being approached. Cowesby has completed a gift aid request scheme prior to launching a steeple appeal later in the year. At the time of going to press our first attempt at debate - disestablishment - is imminent! Terence, as ever, has plans for music/singing at the Boltby end of the parish. Mission Action Plans slowly emerge in response to the diocesan concept of us being a Mission Shaped Church. (England was at its most churched in the 1880s, and crime then was at its lowest.) “Encouraging attendance, Engaging with people, Exploring our faith and possibilities, Extending friendship” is our watchword. T.H.

Martin House Hospice for Children (covering all Yorkshire)

Thank you to all who supported our fund-raising in 2003 - this was our first year of working for Martin House. We achieved our aim of upgrading the Water Therapy Room at a cost of £3,400. Our 2004 project is to purchase Mobile Sensory Units for the Home Care Team to use when visiting children in their own homes. This is to give their Carer a much-needed break. The Unit will either soothe or stimulate depending on each individual case - the cost is £3,000 and we have purchased one already this year.

The Rt.Hon. Miss Ann Widdecombe MP will be the Guest Speaker at York Racecourse on Wednesday 8th September 2004. A three-course lunch will be served at 12.15 p.m. for 12.45 p.m. Tickets are £20 from Mrs R.Woods, Rayon Bank, COXWOLD, YO61 4AF (tel.01347 868738) The closing date for ordering tickets is 1st July (to meet catering reqs.) Organised by the Coxwold Ladies’ Group on behalf of Martin House.

Christian Aid Meeting - Sowerby Methodist Church, Monday April 19th, 7.30 p.m. The interesting speaker wil be the Rev.Tjarda Murray, who is a previous North Eastern Coordinator for Christian Aid. Please also see article on “Living Life to the Full”