News from the Church of England between the Humber and the Tees December 2012 New Bishop of Whitby The Reverend Philip North, Team Rector of the Parish of Old St Pancras, London, has been appointed by the Queen as the Suffragan Bishop of Whitby, in succession to the Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner. The Revd Philip North (pictured right at Thirsk Auction Mart) said, “I am excited and humbled to have been appointed as Bishop of Whitby and will do my best to serve the people of the Cleveland Archdeaconry and the Diocese of York. The North East of England is very dear to my heart, having rural life, from market towns to been a vicar there for many years, fishing villages. As a keen walker and it’s great to be coming back. and cyclist I look forward to I’m looking forward to meeting being close to the Cleveland Hills people and helping churches and North York Moors. I also make the Gospel known in their used to play cricket for the communities. Diocese of Durham and was often on the wrong end of a hefty “Whilst I will be sad to leave thumping from the Diocese of Parish life behind, I relish the York. It would be good to think opportunity to return to the that I might have the opportunity north of England and to the to be on the winning side!” diversity of the Cleveland Archdeaconry, from inner city to 1 Aidan, Cuthbert and Hilda at Advent At Diocesan Synod earlier this year, I spoke about the joy of having a venturesome faith, about Generous Churches Making and Nurturing Disciples and spreading the Good News of the Gospel. As disciples we are called to follow Christ and to be the Good News of the Gospel. We aspire to follow his teachings and, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we seek to become more like him day by day. But it’s not easy! Life can be tough. Loving our Growing the Body of Christ is not a neighbour as ourselves is one of the task that we should add to a New hardest tasks. We are called to be salt Year’s resolution list or something and light to the whole world, that is left to one side until a quieter preserving what is good; and moment comes our way. This reflecting God’s light into dark Christmas, go and be the Good News corners and thereby bringing of the Gospel and take with you the transformation by the power of the words Jesus in the Gospel of Gospel. Matthew: Advent is such a wonderful time to And Jesus came and said to them, be reminded of Aidan, Cuthbert and ‘All authority in heaven and on earth Hilda. These three missionaries has been given to me. Go therefore worked diligently to build and make disciples of all nations, communities of prayer, worship and baptizing them in the name of the hospitality. They weren’t prepared to Father and of the Son and of the stay safely in those communities. Holy Spirit, and teaching them to Their overriding purpose was to go obey everything that I have out and tell others about Jesus and to commanded you. And remember, I see their society transformed- and am with you always, to the end of they didn’t take no for an answer! If the age.’ we all do this, building up the body of Christ in our churches and then Do not be afraid. Go out and become go out to tell others, we will see what a new generation of Aidans, God did in the lives of Aidan, Cuthberts and Hildas in your own Cuthbert and Hilda happening in community! our own generation! +Sentamu Ebor 2 Together Middlesbrough On Advent Sunday 2nd December, something where Churches and Christians from across Christian projects can work together Middlesbrough and surrounding to tackle poverty in the areas will be gathering with the Middlesbrough area. Since then, the Archbishop of York to celebrate the Bridging the Gap group has been launch of a significant new venture, working hard in response to this called Together Middlesbrough. feedback and we are delighted to be launching Together Middlesbrough, a In February 2012, over 100 people Joint Venture project supported by from local churches and Christian the Church Urban Fund. The project organisations came together for a will provide support and resources to conference called Bridging the Gap Churches and Christians from the to share their concern about poverty whole spectrum of church traditions, in the Middlesbrough area. The sad seeking to address poverty in reality is that 15 out of the 19 Middlesbrough and surrounding Church of England parishes in areas where deprivation is a pressing Middlesbrough deanery are ranked in concern. the bottom 10% most deprived areas of Britain. In these communities up Christ calls us to respond to the to 59% of children are living in needs of our neighbours, to feed the poverty, up to 53% of families are hungry, to clothe the poor, to headed by lone parents and in some befriend the lonely, to visit the parishes male life expectancy is as prisoner, to care for the sick: in low as 68 years — 20 years less than serving others we are serving him. in the most affluent communities in Together Middlesbrough is a practical England. These are not the small, Christian response to local need. By localised pockets of deprivation coming together, we can support, found within nearly all parishes, but resource and encourage one another rather whole communities blighted to make a significant difference in by the interrelated problems of our communities. income poverty, poor health, low skills and family breakdown. The launch service will take place at 2pm, at St Barnabas’ Church, These statistics can feel Linthorpe. At the service there will overwhelming, and yet we know be more details about how Together there are Christians actively Middlesbrough will work. Everyone responding to meet some of these is welcome. needs. Those attending the Bridging the Gap event were inspired by Heather Black coming together, and asked for the conference to be the beginning of 3 Safe Families for Children Has your heart ever been warmed are experiencing very difficult when you have heard someone situations and feeling alone. talk about an act of kindness that they have witnessed? I recently SFFC, founded in Chicago ten heard about a young mum years ago, has facilitated thousands of miles away from her Christian people in helping tens family, ready to give birth to her of thousands of families second child, anxious about who throughout fifteen states in the could care for her toddler. Being USA. What has worked in the part of a church community USA is being thoughtfully meant the need was quickly met adapted to be consistent with the by people she knew and trusted laws and procedures here in the who looked after her child whilst UK. The Local Authority in she stayed in hospital. What Middlesbrough has agreed that a could have been a crisis became three year pilot of SFFC can take an opportunity for the love of place here in Middlesbrough and Christ to be lived out. Sir Peter Vardy has brought together a team to make this The situation I’ve described might happen by setting up a new UK sound familiar within your Safe Families for Children church, but what about Lisa, a charity. single mum living a few streets away, struggling with depression, What we need to get this desperately isolated and unable to initiative under way are cope with her fourteen month volunteers, people like you who old baby who doesn’t sleep too can make a difference in our well. If you knew about Lisa communities. Volunteer Host would you want to help? Families, Family Friends, Case Coaches and Resource Friends are Many families today find all vital roles within Safe Families themselves with no one to turn for Children. There is something to when a crisis arises. Wouldn’t that each of us can do and it be great if the Church could contribute. step in and do what an extended family does! Well, let me Please don’t hesitate to contact introduce to you ‘Safe Families me if you would like to know for Children’ (SFFC) which offers more, on 07506703429 or a fantastic opportunity for [email protected] churches of all denominations to extend support and care for Trevor Birtle, Churchwarden for families in our communities who All Saints Church, Low Worsall 4 The Orb York Minster’s Great East The Acting Dean of York, Canon Window has been described as Glyn Webster said, "It is too easy the English equivalent of the for us to take for granted the Sistine Chapel, and you can now amazing architecture and see some of the newly conserved painting of the Great East panels up close in The Orb - a Window. It is almost impossible new contemporary gallery in the to imagine the effect of this Minster’s East End. astonishing wall of glass must have had when it was first The Orb is a metallic 10 metre unveiled to the medieval public. wide, 3 metre tall dome that has It is my hope that the superb been installed in the Lady restoration of the glass, Chapel, directly below the Great undertaken by the York Glaziers East Window. Visitors will walk Trust, will reveal anew the inside The Orb to see displays of marvels of the window, designed five newly-conserved panels and painted between 1405 and taken from the Great East 1408 by John Thornton of Window – four permanently on Coventry.” display and one which will change each month during the Entry into The Orb is included in Orb’s three year tenancy of the admission to York Minster: for space.