Hillside Parishes Magazine

October 2000 - A New Start

Liz and I would like to thank the parish for all their support and generous present for our Wedding on September 10th. It was good to see so many of you at Cherry Burton, and we shall keep the local cabinet makers busy for a few months! Liz will continue as Rector of Cherry Burton for the immediate future until something closer to here turns up, or demand for her skills as historian and (Celtic) spirituality adviser lead to full time work.

We enjoyed the service on the 10th and were pleased that so many others did. It was a chance to put it across a little differently but still celebrate marriage. Indeed I think the belief in marriage was at the forefront of the occasion, and all the clergy involved would certainly hope that remarriage in church for others is easier in the future. On this particular aspect, there have been some questions. Remarriage in church is at the discretion of the priest, which is not an easy decision. Also it can only be by banns which means that one party has to be resident. I know in the past that some couples have not specifically asked but assumed that I or the church would not perform such a ceremony. Others have not fulfilled residential requirements which are obviously tighter under the circumstances. Some have also cited that others have only had a service of blessing but are ignorant of the circumstances and requests of the couples concerned. In the event it is the individual circumstances that dictate the way forward, along with their preparedness and how they have laid the previous relationships to rest - which must hinge on forgiveness. These considerations are private and vary from individual to individual and between couple and couple. Therefore there are neither hard and fast rules nor a carte blanche relaxation of them. What is important is what is right for the couple concerned and how they stand before God now and in the future. Sadly, to many an outsider it appears there is one rule for us (those who go to church) and another for them (those on the fringe). If, within the understanding of a covenant, the previous relationship is a curse and still a millstone, then things do not auger well for the future.

One of the changes I have noticed recently is that the opening up of licenced places for civil weddings has removed from the church scene those who just want the setting for an endless photo call. It is much easier now that to those who seek a church wedding, whether for first or another time, it really means something. A further irony is that those who are remarried in church are often more aware of their need of God and their need to be before God on such an occasion. It is similar to those who criticise churchgoers as being no better than themselves: those who go to church are aware of their wrongs and can share some of their burdens with God. Their load in life is lightened.

Liz and I were most heartened when one of the guests wrote that, having approached the church and the occasion with sadness, there was relief, reward and joy to find that we had obviously made our peace with God. Our thanks again for all your support and generous presents which have taken a week to unwrap! May you all enjoy the peace that passes all understanding.

TH

Baptism

Sunday 27th August. Holy Trinity, Boltby. Nicholas Joe Walker, infant son of Simon and Sally (nee Hogg), of Borrowby.
A word of congratulation to Nigel Chapman, on his appointment to Adviser in Children's and Youth Work, York Archdeaconry!

The United Nations has proclaimed this millenium year as The Year of the Culture of Peace. Thirsk Meeting of the Society of Friends wholeheartedly supports this campaign and, with the backing of Churches Together in Thirsk, is holding three public discussion group meetings, from 7.30 - 9.00 p.m. at The Friends Meeting House in Kirkgate. There is a concluding meeting in St Mary’s Church.

It must be stressed that these four meetings are not primarily religious. We welcome members of all faiths and denominations, and also of NONE, for we recognise that the churches have no monopoly of virtue, wisdom or enlightenment. We would like to include in our speakers two or three senior pupils of Thirsk School in the hope that their generation will make a better job of peacekeeping than ours has.

John Simpson, Assistant Clerk to Thirsk Quakers (01845 597465)

SNAPSHOTS - 6. "I remember, I remember ..... The house where I was born ........."

Not of great significance in itself, for in the area there were many like it. But it comes back to me as the place where I watched my elder brothers assembling a peculiar gadget. This gadget was at first on its own, then with earphones on the end of wires, later attached to a wire that ran round the picture rail and, later still, through a hole in the window frame to a wire held aloft on a piece of tree-trunk at the end of the garden. This latter routing, from the front door, was not very straightforward ......... !! All this to receive, at first, a signal that was sent out by 2LO every evening at 6 p.m. At its heart seemed to be a curious crystal. It wasn't easy to tune - in fact it could be whimsically erratic. And, with two elder brothers, my hands were not often on the earphones. I have been trying to recall what length of time elapsed between "London calling, London calling, 2LO" and the preparation, at the request of broadcasting management to Dorothy Sayers, for a serial for Lent. This was to retail in simple form the story of the Life of Jesus - "The Greatest Drama Ever Staged" - and which was later published in book form. Cathedrals revived old traditions and T.S.Eliot wrote "Murder in the Cathedral" for Canterbury. I believe it was Winchester Cathedral that recalled the drama of an earlier building on its present site: "The Zeal of Thy House" (see September H.P.M.!) We were on the verge of the great age of films, but, living where we did - in the house where I was born! - I had access to the dramatic heritage of us all. These were Shakespeare productions that involved the greats: Gielgud, Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Sybil Thorndyke. The last two played in the Beaumont & Fletcher comedy "The Knight of the Burning Pestle". And (as also recounted in the September H.P.M.) because my scientifically very able elder brother saw my delight in Shakespeare productions - even if he was rather illiterate in such matters! - he invited me to go with him to see John Gielgud and Lawrence Olivier in "Romeo & Juliet". He of course came up with the inevitable remark of a newcomer: "I didn't realise Shakespeare contained so many quotations"! MIRIAM HANSON 

(The above article was prepared while Miriam was awaiting eye cataract operation - highly successful! We wish her well while she awaits another operation, on her left eye, in November.)

Harvest 2000 

The Rev. Richard Rowling, who is the Archbishop of Cleveland's Adviser for Rural Affairs (tel. 01642 - 723947 or rfrowling@aol.com) has sent a "Harvest Briefing" which it is hoped to include in the next magazine. If parishioners can support the work of the following, through harvest giving or beyond, please contact the persons named:

 i) The Farm Crisis Network (see May H.P.M. (back cover)) - is there to help farming families when things get tough, and can put farmers in contact with sympathetic and competent professionals. FCN, c/o ACF, 38 De Montfort Street, LEICESTER, LE1 7GP (tel.07002 326326).

ii) The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.) provides financial assistance to the families of farmers and agricultural workers, to help meet household bills and living expenses (it does not rescue insol-vent businesses). Mrs Christine Andrews, Rose Cottage, Rainton, THIRSK, Y07 3PH. (Tel. 01845 577326).

For some Harvest prayers, produced by Arthur Rank Centre, look at http://www.ruralnet.org.uk/~arc/.

A Look Back in Time, and Forward! 
Now that "Year Nought" of the second millennium is drawing to a close, we provide these offerings. 

A Look at the past:

1. Some notes from 1839: Lawton's Collections of York Diocese.

(a) Cleveland Deanery Leake: an ancient Rectory under the patronage of the Bishop of Durham until 1330. Vicarage ordained 17th July 1344. Nether Silton: appropriated to Guisborough Priory.

(b) Bulmer Deanery Felixkirk: on 16th May 1279, given to Hospital of St.John of Jerusalem in England. Glebe House unfit for residence in 1834. Sutton: belonged to Mount Grace Priory - given to the Knights as well. Chapel demolished before 1691. Boltby: Chapel founded 1409, demolished before 1691. Faculty to rebuild 23rd October 1802. End of weaving trade in village reduced population: Odo de Boltby gave lands to Rievaulx Abbey. Mount St John: until the dissolution of Order, possessed Thirlby, Bagby, Boltby, Kirby Knowle and Marderby. (Marderby Grange be-longed to Byland Abbey, given to Knights as well.) Mount St John was founded by William Percy. Robert Lord Ros gave manor. Roger de Mowbray, Adam Essard, Sir William Cantlow, Alice Gaunt, Odo de Boltby gave lands, along with Baldwin Wake who gave Kirby Manor and the soke of Easingwold (Osyngwold). 

T.H.

2. Some notes from papers relating to Richard Sevier, of Leake (1733 to 1795). (His gravestone is on the right as you walk up the church path at St Mary's.) He lived at Borrowby, a market and fair town with a local flax growing industry and several linen weaving mills employing more than 200 persons. The Northallerton Manor Rolls list Richard Sevier, yeoman, between 1774-1781. He held one messuage, one garth and one orchard. On April 25th 1778 he was admitted to two closes of common land, late in the occupation of John Tyreman. On May 26th 1842, his grandson, Richard Sevier, deeded his interest in the Borrowby property to Benjamin Kirk. (These papers came from someone in Penzance! Ed.) (The book Richmondshire and the Vale of Mowbray, by Edmund Bogg (1982 reprint, G.H.Smith, Easingwold) and the e-mail from Richard Thexton (August H.P.M.) may provoke further thought!).

(P.S. And, by the way, take a look at our website if you really want to mug up on the history!) 

3. From the Visitors Book, Leake St Mary. 

22nd August. B.R.Deighton (Northants) - ancestors resident in the Leake area between 1484 and 1703. 

23rd August. Leonard Edwards, from Perth, Western Australia. 

2nd September. Andrew Gough, Wiesbaden, Germany. Descended from HUTTON family of Knayton (18th-19th Century) and (possibly) PINKNEY family of Nether Silton (18th Century).

And, peering into the future! 

1. "Technology may be the driver, but it is far from being the total solu-tion. It is transforming business processes ....... re-inventing customer and supplier relationships. Business directors and senior management need to realise the opportunities and to respond to the threats by employing the concept of IT Governance to deliver effective solutions in the emerging connected real-time digital economy." From a computer advertisement extolling the benefits of E-commerce.

2. A certain computer technology company claims that its "extensive peering, cold-potato routing and low network utilisation" network provided "leading performance and low latency for internet connections". 

Q: "What is a cold potato route?" A: "We are an American company".

That explains it - a cold potato route is a network which holds data it is sent, unlike a hot potato, which drops it immediately. 

From Daily Telegraph, September 15th.

Afghanistan
The following summarises the August 2000 Newsletter. Carolyn Ayres (020 7523 2349 or cayres@christian-aid.org) is now part-time communications officer, replacing Ramani Leathard.

i) the political situation has remained tense; the Taliban have launched an offensive along the frontline in the north-east. Although this is well removed from Herat, where Christian Aid is based, the draining effects of the war effort are felt across the whole of the country.
ii) the drought, caused by poor rainfall in 1998 and 1999, has resulted in critical water shortages in the west and south of Afghanistan. Christian Aid is working to help those affected, particularly in Ghor province.

On the programme supported by Tim's Fund (set up in memory of Tim Goggs, who was confirmed at Over Silton), there are reports from field staff: 

(i) drinking water project. 

(ii) mine awareness programme - support to this has been discontinued because of internal political problems. 

(iii) solar cookers - particularly successful! 

(iv) orphanage project

 There are other ongoing projects this year, including five small irrigation projects in West Afghanistan. 

To raise funds, there is to be another Ball at The Hurlingham Club on October 7th; those attending can look forward to a fantastic evening! Tickets are £80, from 24, Longbeach Road, LONDON, SW11 5ST