News from the Church of England between the Humber and the Tees
December 2012
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. more information, please visit www.yorkminster.org.
5 Hawking, Dawkins and GOD York Courses have produced a CD John Young was formerly York featuring John Polkinghorne Diocesan Evangelist. He is a gifted in conversation with John Young. evangelist, gentle but persuasive, and The Bishop of Hull, the Rt Revd superb at drawing the best out of Richard Frith reviews this CD. those to whom he is talking.
This CD is brilliant! If you are one The CD is a wide-ranging review of of the many Christians who view John Polkinghorne's life and faith, science with fear rather than with particular reference to his confidence in it being a gift from response to the New Atheism. He God, it is for you. speaks of Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens If, like me, you are pretty clueless respectfully but critically. about science but want reassurance that being a Christian doesn't About Richard Dawkins he says, require intellectual suicide in relation "He's very polemical. He's trying to to science, listen to it. win an argument rather than see the truth.... and in doing that he likes to If it bothers you that research set up straw men." "The God indicates that a large majority of Delusion" has more assertion than sixteen-year-olds - particularly boys - argument in it. believe that science has disproved religion, it is for you too. John Polkinghorne knows Stephen Hawking well and has great respect If you are a seeker after truth who for him, admiring his courage and would love to see science and religion persistence in living with motor as friends and not enemies, it will set neurone disease. But he describes you thinking. Hawking as naive in matters of theology. If you would feel encouraged to hear a conversation between two There are, says Polkinghorne, a warm-hearted, humble but significant number of practising confident, outstanding Christian scientists who hold the Christian communicators, you will find this faith. John Young quotes Howard CD to be excellent value. Jacobson, who said: "The fact that so many of mankind's best thinkers, John Polkinghorne (pictured) is a artists and even scientists have former Professer of Mathematical believed in God is not itself a reason Physics at Cambridge University. He to believe. But it should prevent our is also an Anglican priest. thinking that God is for the uneducated and gullible.
6 world in which there is suffering?" He describes it as the most challenging question to religious belief. He admits there is no simple, one line answer that removes all the difficulties.
At the heart of his faith, is his focus on Jesus. ".... in the cross of Christ we see God himself, having lived a human life, stretching out his arms to embrace the suffering of the world."
The conversation also touches on the possibility of life on other planets. "If there are little green men who are in need of redemption, then the divine Word will take little green flesh for their redemption, as we “And it certainly can't be that we believe the divine Word took our were all fools until Richard Dawkins flesh for our redemption." But John came along." Polkinghorne says that Polkinghorne returns to his own he thinks science purchases great faith in Christ, expressed in a way success by the modesty of its that is humble but passionate, ambition. "It isn't trying to ask and intelligible but profound, reassuring answer every question. It tells you but challenging. how things happen, but it doesn't say whether something's going on in This CD will be as well spent an hour what is happening - is there meaning as you can have. or purpose or value going on?" +Richard Frith, Bishop of Hull In talking of his own faith, John Polkinghorne acknowledges the seriousness of the question, "Why a
7 Celebrate Christingle and support families in crisis
Help The Children’s Society celebrate years in a cycle of fear and Christingle and join us as we pray for frustration, Courtney was extremely some of the most disadvantaged vulnerable and in desperate need of children in our society. As we support. The Children’s Society remember the story of Christ’s birth, provided her with a dedicated mentor and the Holy Family facing crisis who helped Courtney to take positive then, we hold in our prayers families steps to change her life. in crisis today. The Children’s Society exists to help Last year the support from the and support young people like Diocese of York was exceptional. Courtney and their families. Over 181 services were held raising Children may need someone to talk more than £34,000 to help to after running away from an disadvantaged children. abusive family home, or they may need some permanence, stability and A family can be in crisis for different security when living in care. reasons and the impact on children can be devastating. They can find With over 6000 Christingle events themselves running away from home taking place across the country, these and facing increasingly dangerous are a magical way for children in situations, sometimes turning to churches, youth groups and schools alcohol or drugs. to remember other children in often very difficult situations. Courtney ended up being taken into care after years of running away Find out more and download from the problems at home. Having resources at www.christingle.org. spent the majority of her teenage
8 Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment - Autumn 2012 update
Making sure that children, young As for other people involved in the people and vulnerable adults are safe Church’s work, the Government uses within the life of the Church is a key comparison with the level of contact priority. The honour and value that between children and a shopkeeper is given to all people — including as a yardstick — if an adult has a role those who are in any sense that involves more significant vulnerable — reflects faith in God contact than that with children, and who loves and values everyone he has if (s)he is not within sight of a made. At the same time, we need supervisor at all times, then an practical common-sense ways of enhanced CRB is likely to be working, and we are required to appropriate. That would include operate within the terms of the law youth and family workers, and those who teach and train children (e.g., Earlier this year, the Protection of where applicable, bell ringing Freedoms Act was passed. Among instructors, head servers and other things, it re-defines the kinds musicians). Leaders of parent and of work for which people may be toddler groups only require a CRB checked. The Church’s national disclosure if the children are cared advisers are in discussion with for away from their parents at any Government in order to settle some stage. points where it is not entirely clear how the law will be applied in detail: There are some circumstances in so they have issued some interim which a CRB disclosure issued by guidance, for use until the final another organisation may be guidelines are issued, probably in accepted by the Church (so-called 2013. portability) — but only if a set of conditions is fully met. It is not Whether someone needs a CRB enough for someone simply to disclosure depends on the work they produce a CRB disclosure document. are doing. It does not depend on See Section 6 of the national their status, or on whether they are guidance. paid or volunteer workers. For more on these interim The general principles in the guidelines, visit diocesan policy on Safer Recruitment www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/your- still apply, and you are encouraged to church/safeguarding/autumn-2012- refer to them. update.
All candidates for public ministry, Please ask your archdeacon or the serving clergy and Readers, and other CRB unit at Bishopthorpe if you have recognised lay ministers must still any queries or concerns about have a current CRB disclosure issued Safeguarding issues and procedures. through the Archbishop’s office.
9 What’s On Sat 1 Dec - Installation of the Dean Sat 8 Dec - Christmas Brass & of York, 3pm, York Minster. Voices, Bridlington Priory, 7pm Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band Sat 1 - Sun 9 Dec - Christmas and Bridlington Priory Choir in Wonderland Exhibition, St Mary's concert. Contact 01262 403244 for Thirsk details.
Sun 2 Dec - Launch of Together Sat 15 Dec - “Praying with Middlesbrough, St Barnabas Church, Landscape” at The Endsleigh Mercy Linthorpe (see page 3.) Centre, Hull. A day exploring the connections between spirituality and Sun 2 Dec - William Temple location. Contact 01482 342779 or Association, York St John University, visit www.endsleighcentre.org.uk. 7.30pm. Benjamin Rowland, will give a talk on 'Making Money Morally: Sat 15 Dec - 'Only 80 Miles to What Makes Commerce Good'. Christmas!' St Andrew's Church, More details from Huntington, 2pm. Riding Light's [email protected] or new Christmas play - for details call 01904 411535. 01904 768006 or visit www.ridinglights.org. Mon 3 Dec - Lunchtime Organ Recital, Saint Mary's Church Thirsk, Sat 15 - Sun 16 Dec - Crib Festival at 12.15pm. By the Ven Paul Ferguson, All Saints Hutton Rudby Archdeacon of Cleveland. Sat 15 Dec - 'This Wondrous Night', Thurs 6 - Sat 8 Dec - Gifts for the St John the Evangelist Church Manger at Holy Rood House. An Welburn, 7.30pm. The Stamford Epiphany Retreat for People Bridge Singers present a joyous Preparing for Ministry. Contact celebration of the religious and 01845 522580 or secular side of Christmas. Contact [email protected]. 01904 643238, or visit www.stamfordbridgesingers.btck.co.uk Fri 7 Dec - 'O Come O Come Emmanuel' by Stamford Bridge Sat 22 - Thurs 27 Dec - Christmas Singers, Bar Convent, York, 7.30pm. House Party, at Holy Rood House. An evening of Readings and Music Contact 01845 522580 or Contact 01904 643238 or visit [email protected]. www.stamfordbridgesingers.btck.co.uk Sat 29 Dec - Weds 2 Jan - New Year Sat 8 Dec - Jesus, Light of the World House Party, at Holy Rood House. - Celebration by In the Father's Contact 01845 522580 or Hand at Paul's, Holgate, 2pm. This [email protected]. event is suitable for - but not limited to - adults with learning disabilities and/or complex needs.
10 On the move The Archbishop has appointed the The Revd Ivan Howitt, Vicar of the Revd Jeremy James Fletcher, Vicar of Benefice of Harton, is retiring with the Benefice of Beverley Minster, to effect from 1st January 2013. be Rural Dean of Beverley for a period of five years. The Revd Dr Sue Nightingale, SSM Assistant Curate of the Benefice of The Revd Anne Borthwick, NSM the Forest of Galtres, has retired and Assistant Curate of the Benefice of the Archbishop has granted her Rural East York, has additionally Permission to Officiate in the been appointed Sessional Chaplain Diocese of York. to York District Hospital. The Archbishop has granted The Revd Elizabeth (Liz) Hassall, Permission to Officiate to the Assistant Curate of the Benefice of following: Bempton with Flamborough, The Revd John Argyle Wardle of Reighton with Speeton, has been Bridlington appointed Rector of the Benefice of The Revd Allan Paul Hughes of York Coxwold and Husthwaite and of the Benefice of Crayke with Brandsby and Yearsley.
The Revd Dr Alastair Ferguson, Vicar of the Benefice of Lastingham with Appleton-Le-Moors, Rosedale and Cropton, has retired.
Organist wanted St Wilfrid's Church, Monk Fryston, needs an organist to cover Sunday services on three Sundays of the month at 11am (two of these with the choir and one without) and also two choir practices per month (Thursday evenings between 7.30-9pm). Honorarium for these services to be discussed with any potential candidates.
In addition to the above all funerals and weddings – fee presently at £65 for these services (approx 7 funerals per year and 10 weddings).
Please contact Revd John Hetherington on 01977 680788 or at [email protected] for further details.
11 Get Knitted!
People from St Olave's Church, York, which provides warm clothing for (pictured above with Bishop Martin) children affected by AIDS in have knitted a new roof after lead southern Africa - meaning that even thefts which caused £50K damage to more people will benefit from the the chancel and organ. Churchgoers campaign. were sponsored to knit enough squares to cover the roof. "Thanks to the generosity and kindness of the people of York, Priest in Charge of St Olave's, the enough money has now been raised Revd Jane Nattrass said, "Over 2,000 to repair the organ and replace the knitted squares have been made - roof - we look forward to welcoming enough to cover the chancel roof! people from far and wide to visit the Many of the squares have been sewn church and hear the organ in the into beautiful blankets which will be run up to Christmas." donated to the Knit-A-Square project
Diocese of York News December 2012 Editor: Eleanor Course, Diocesan Communications Officer, Diocesan House, Aviator Court, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4WJ. Tel 01904 699530, Email [email protected]
Deadline to include items in the Jan/Feb issue is Mon 2 Dec 2012. The Diocese of York News may be copied for use in Parish Magazines etc, and may be downloaded as a pdf file from www.dioceseofyork.org.uk. Contact Eleanor Course as above to receive an e-mailed download link for each new issue.
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