News from the Church of England between the Humber and the Tees December 2011 World Record for Carol Singing? On the 18th December 2011 at 7pm churches and individuals up and down the country will take part in an attempt to smash the current World Record for the largest number of people singing carols together across multiple locations. This World Record attempt is being organised by ChurchAds, music lead the singing, provide Biblelands and Premier Christian the carols sheets which will be Radio. It’s a great opportunity to supplied by BibleLands, have invite people into your church nominated witnesses to confirm and get into the Guinness Book the attempt and send back some of Records! substantiating evidence. Full rules and guidelines can be found We need 15,000 people to join in here. for 15-mins of carolling, to include Silent Night, O Come All To find out how to get involved, Ye Faithful , O little Town of visit www.christmasstarts.com, Bethlehem, Away in a Manger and please tell the Diocesan and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Communications Officer, Eleanor But before we can get 15,000 Course, on 01904 699530 or people taking part we need [email protected]. churches to get involved. The attempt at the World Record is a great news story, and a In essence, all a church needs to wonderful way to share what do is commit to be open at that Christmas is all about. time, have musicians or recorded 1 Christmas starts with Christ As millions of people rush to the shops to do their Christmas shopping, it is important to slow down and remember what Christmas is all about. Maybe you have seen this year’s ChurchAds posters, which have been displayed at bus stops across the region? The image on the poster is a modern take on the well known nativity scene. The shepherds are represented by a cycle courier and a plasterer. The Wise men are shown as three rather than buying expensive successful entrepreneurs and gifts. For my brothers and sisters, their gifts are iconic ‘treasures’ and myself, it was sheer bliss. of modern culture: a Swarovski crystal perfume bottle, a Faberge We all need to value the egg and a replica Damian Hirst importance of relationships – to diamond skull. enjoy listening and spending time with our loved ones. Whilst much of the scene is unfamiliar, one thing is Recently, I was privileged to unchanged. Jesus is the clear attend the National Christian focus. We should not forget that, Youth Work Awards which my behind all the trappings and Youth Trust sponsored. One of traditions, Christmas starts with the winners, Rebecca Hamer, the Christ. Youth Worker of the Year, explained the project where she Society’s increasing obsession works is a ‘listening and with consumerism has a harmful signposting’ service for affect on many, but arguably vulnerable young girls. none more than our young people. The project receives referrals from schools, GP Practises, When I was growing up we didn’t Sexual Health Nurses and girls have much money but we knew also come to the project that we were loved. Our parents themselves as they feel they have spent time with us reading stories nowhere else to go. 2 The teenagers coming to the Rather than looking at how project aren’t given advice, they things seem on the surface we are not told what to do. Rebecca need to look deep underneath. is simply trained to listen. We need to listen to each other and show love and compassion. The most precious thing that we Rebecca said: “Listening is about have is ourselves and each other. believing that young people have the ability and resources within Let me challenge you to see themselves to resolve their yourselves as God sees you – a situations. It isn’t always enough, wonderfully and fearfully created but there is a realization that person, made in the image and likeness of God, and redeemed in God loves them just as they are Christ. Let us be good news and a and more importantly that they joy to the world! have a choice”. Amen! Christmas starts with Christ. As a society, we put too much Hallelujah! emphasis on material worth. All +Sentamu Ebor this does is create a feeling of disaffection deep within us as we look at all the things we cannot afford. Christmas ChurchAds Campaign If your church wants to take part in the ChurchAds ‘Christmas Starts with Christ’ advertising campaign referred to by Archbishop Sentamu, visit their website at www.churchads.net. You can donate towards the national advertising campaign, buy advertising space in a bus stop near you, or simply download the posters for use in your own town or village. ChurchAds research shows that 85% of people agree with the statement that "Christmas should be called Christmas because we are still a Christian country". But it also shows that only 12% of adults know the details of the Christmas story. 3 1811-2011 and beyond… October 14th saw a major grandeur of the Abbey. national marking of the Church school bicentenary in a service at At 6am on the day of the service Westminster Abbey. Andrew we boarded the London train and Crisp, assistant headteacher at began a wonderful adventure that Manor CE School in York, all of us will long remember. describes how he and his students Vivid moments included the look came to be involved. on the students’ faces as they saw the interior of the Abbey, their “Back in the middle of June, a teacher’s fears that the vast call came through to my school distances of the central knave asking if we’d like to be involved and lantern would unnerve them, in an important event at the joy on the faces of the Westminster Abbey on October hundreds of young people who 14th: A service of thanksgiving to took part, the talent of the choir celebrate the Bicentenary of the as well as the young dancers and National Society. ‘Of course the utter relief when ‘The Road to we’d love to be involved’ said the Emmaus’ was travelled smoothly head teacher, before promptly and well received. passing all responsibility to me! A wonderful event which was a A piece of original drama privilege and a joy to be involved inspired by St Luke’s account of in.” seeing the resurrected Jesus on ‘The Road to Emmaus’ was the request. The more I read the story, the more I grew concerned. There is such simplicity in the events: Three men travelling; two suddenly become aware they are in the presence of the risen Lord and rush back to tell others in Jerusalem. The only answer seemed to be to trust in the power of the text and show the action very plainly. Three Year 10 narrators to read the story and three Year 11 actors to recreate the journey, two removing masks to symbolise the moment of enlightenment. Rehearsals progressed smoothly within school but none of us could picture the scale and Tickton School’s banner, which was carried at the service. 4 The Year of the Environment our land holdings and offset some of the carbon emissions that we generate as a church. Highlights of the Year of the Environment have included the bird box sent to every church and church school, the Lent Course, the Big Environment Celebration in York Minster in May, and the art exhibition which toured churches throughout the Diocese. Also in the diocese there have been a number of local events organised within deaneries. We hope that the initiatives and projects from this year will have inspired and equipped you to make changes in your lives and in the life of your church, to care for our world, God's creation. Thank you to all who have taken Archbishop Sentamu plants a Virginian part. Maple at Bishopthorpe Palace to mark Graham Andrews, Archbishop’s the Year of the Environment Advisor for the Environment In 2011, we have been focussing on the Environment, and we're ending the year with a legacy for the future. Through December and January we're planting 400 trees on diocesan glebe land. These trees will increase the biodiversity of Fellowship of Clergy Wives There is a Fellowship of Clergy Wives Retreat from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 March 2012 at Wydale Hall, with Guest Speaker Bridget Plass. The Retreat will cost £122 (before subsidy). Please send £15 deposit (cheque payable to “Clergy Wives Fellowship”) to secure a place to: Mrs Diana Pearce, Sutherland Bridge, Cropton, YO18 8EU or call 01751 417420. Please book before the end of December 2011. 5 Over Silton to Santiago de Compostella "The heat was a surprise. I had deliberately chosen a September start to avoid Spain’s summer heat. What happens to the best-laid plans of mice and men? And pilgrims? Humming “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” helped, as did the realisation that, since I was always walking due west, I only needed sunblock on one side. "All the pilgrim refuges (albergues) were clean and mostly well maintained, although I took a long time to get used to mixed bunks Joanne Aston, Churchwarden of St (triple decker bunks in Viana), not Mary’s Church, Over Silton, near to mention mixed bathrooms. One Northallerton, walked to Santiago de learned to be grateful for lower Compostela, in northern Spain, to bunks and graceful for upper ones. raise money for her church. Here's One also learned the Spanish for her account of her pilgrimage. bedbugs (cinchas) and fleas (polgos), as well as the workings of the "The Camino Frances is just one of unofficial drug exchange (“I have the pilgrim routes in France, Spain immodium, who has and Portugal that lead to the antihistamine?”).