St Helen's, Bilton-In-Ainsty St John the Baptist, Healaugh St John The

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

St Helen’s, Bilton-in-Ainsty St John the Baptist, Healaugh St John the Baptist, Hessay All Saints, Moor Monkton All Saints, Wighill

Readings and Psalms for March Year C These are the readings taken from the Church Lectionary and are suggested as read on the following Sundays. They may be changed depending on the theme of the service.

Sunday 3rd March Exodus 34:29-35 • Psalm 99 • 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 • Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Sunday 10th March Deuteronomy 26:1-11 • Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 • Romans 10:8b-13 • Luke 4:1-13

Sunday 17th March Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 • Psalm 27 • Philippians 3:17-4:1 • Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Sunday 24th March Isaiah 55:1-9 • Psalm 63:1-8 • 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 • Luke 13:1-9

Sunday 31st March Joshua 5:9-12 • Psalm 32 • 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 • Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

CONTENTS Parish Letter 3 Communion at Home 5 Prayer Requests 6 2019 Confirmations 7 40 Acts: Do Lent Generously 9 Home Group News 10 What’s on in the Parish 11 From the Registers 12 RAYC 13 Pancake Parties 13 News from around the Parish 14 Supporting the Bishops Mission Order 18 A Church Near You 18 Reading Our Churches 19 Cluster 23 York Minster Parish Pass 2019 23 Gift Aid 24 Recipe – Free-from Pancakes 25 St Mary’s Primary school report 26 Brownies 28 Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association 29 Film review of ‘Elvis’ 30 Classified advertisements 31 Parish contacts 35 Church Rotas 36

PARISH LETTER Giving Up, Giving In, Giving Over Lent starts on the 6th March, Ash Wednesday. In the Parish this is marked by an Ash Wednesday service, which this year will be at All Saints, Wighill starting at 7.30pm. Lent is an important time in our Christian calendar. It is a time for Giving Up, Giving In, Giving Over. Giving Up "For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart." Matthew 6:21 Many people at Lent ‘Give Up’ a variety of things, with Sweets, Fizzy Drinks, Alcohol or Chocolate being the obvious. But the motives behind what we ‘give up’ are worth challenging. Do we give up things to prove to ourselves we can? Do we give things up because we want to benefit, may be through losing a bit of weight or saving a bit of money? Lent is about giving up those things that we are placing too much value on. It’s about rebalancing our relationships with God, other people and ourselves. It’s about asking the question ‘Am I putting the things I am giving up ahead of the love I have for God and other people? The things we treasure in this life is where we place our heart and our love. Lent is a time to get the balance right between what we should love and what we actually love. This isn’t about the physical things we can give up. We may want to address particular habits or a state of our mind that is getting in the way. In 2017 the Daily Telegraph listed the most popular things to give up for Lent. As well as the obvious things they also listed ‘complaining’ and ‘sarcasm’. Habits that can and do generate a less than loving attitude and state of mind for God and other people. What to give up at Lent takes thought and prayer. The benefits of this are something to be truly valued as we realign our relationships with God, other people and ourselves.

Giving In Discerning what we should give up at Lent involves ‘Giving In’. As we put down things that get in the way of the love we have for God and other people we naturally ‘give in’ and accept that we are not the centre of our universe. We ‘give in’ and put God first. God the source of love is to be relied upon. Another way to look at this is to think about the changes we want to make in our lives during Lent. If we think we can make these changes under our own strength, then I would question whether we are making the right changes. All of us have things (or sins) that we know shouldn’t be there. If you are like me, we tend to satisfy ourselves by getting rid of the things where we know it will be relatively easy to do so. We go for the ‘low hanging fruit’ and avoid the really big things ‘the elephant in the room’ (apologies for the clichés). We tend only to tackle the things we know we can handle. We fail to give in and recognise how we need to rely on God’s strength to give up those things we cannot tackle under our own strength. Giving Over Lent doesn’t stop at ‘giving up’ or with ‘giving in’. To truly re-establish right relationships during Lent the natural thing is then to ‘give over’. A true relationship with God and others is about not putting ourselves first. We may think this, but it is also about living this way of life. Do we use our time and talents we have been given for the benefit of others? Do we recognise that the material things we have in our lives are not just for the benefit of ourselves but for other people? This is about living out the gospel, the good news in our lives. When we take this final step of ‘giving over’ we also find that we are equally rewarded and through knowing and living right relationships with God and other people we live life in abundance. This Lent may your life be enriched through giving up, giving in and giving over. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John10:10 In Christ, Richard

COMMUNION AT HOME The 'Communion' we share in Church on a Sunday morning, is a visible symbol of the Community of God, that we are in, by sharing the bread and wine and remembering the sacrifice of Jesus. When we take Communion in Church on a Sunday we are, amongst other things, affirming our Community. I know that for many reasons some people are not able to come to Church on a Sunday. This doesn't mean that Communion cannot be received at another time through the week. Our Community is not wholly defined by who is at Church on a Sunday morning. Church can come to you! If you wish to receive Home Communion on a regular basis (or as a one off) you are more than welcome to do so. Myself, Kath McBride or Rev Lucy Brencher will happily visit. Please don't think that it is too much trouble to ask, this is certainly not the case. All you need to do to start receiving Home Communion is to contact me or one of the Churchwardens and we can visit, by arrangement, to suit you. It is also a pleasure to sit and chat for a while, after Communion is shared. Also, if you know someone who you think will benefit from Home Communion please let us know. Richard

PRAYER REQUESTS There are times when we feel we, or someone we know would benefit from prayers said specifically for them. This can bring great comfort. If you would like a prayer said for you or someone you know please get in touch with Richard, Lucy, Kath or one of the Churchwardens who will be able to help you. Similarly if you would like yourself, or people to be specifically prayed for in our services please also ask, ensuring that the person for whom prayers will be said is comfortable with the happening.

2019 CONFIRMATIONS This year’s confirmation service is currently scheduled for the 31st March, Mothering Sunday. However, as you may have heard, the Bishop of Selby is not well, so we may need to reschedule our confirmation service. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t start talking about what confirmation means. So here are a few things that people regularly ask about confirmation … What is confirmation? Confirmation is a special church service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptised. If you were baptised at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made these promises on your behalf. As a young person or adult, you may be ready to affirm these promises for yourself and commit your life to following Jesus Christ. At a confirmation service, you make these promises for yourself. Your friends and family, as well as the local Christian community, will be there to promise to support and pray for you. At the service the local bishop will lay their hands on your head and ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you the strength and commitment, to live God’s way for the rest of your life. For those who were baptised as an adult, confirmation is affirming those baptism vows and confirming their membership of the global church, it is the next and natural step to take. What is the service like? Confirmation usually takes place in a special service in a church in the Parish. There will be hymns, readings and sometimes those being confirmed talk about their faith. After the Bishop has laid hands on each person’s head there will be special prayers – then there will be often some celebratory refreshments to follow! Do I need Godparent? At a christening, godparents stand alongside the parents to make promises on behalf of the child being baptised. At confirmation, there are no godparents

because you make the promises for yourself, but you may be asked if you would like a sponsor to stand with you as a supporting friend in your journey of faith. Usually this is someone who has previously been confirmed. It may be one of the people who has prepared you for confirmation, or it may be a youth worker, a good friend, a relative, or a godparent. What do I do next? If you feel strongly for yourself that confirmation is right for you at this point in your life, it’s likely that it is. Pray about this and ask others in your church to pray for you. Talk to me also, and even if you are unsure about being confirmed, you may wish to participate in a confirmation course to help you think about it. For more general information go to … https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/confirmations I will also keep you updated about our 2019 confirmation service and the date that this is likely to be. Blessings Richard

40 Acts: Do Lent Generously

40 days, 40 reflections, 40 challenges to make a difference. 40acts is the generosity challenge for Lent, created by UK Christian charity, Stewardship. For eight years, 40acts has asked a question: what if Lent could be about more than just giving stuff up? What if it could be a time of radical generosity as well as spiritual discipline? The words above come from the 40Acts website to explain something about their aims and actions, but I thought it would also be useful to give you more of a personal perspective. I’ve taken part in 40Acts for the last few years, and found it challenging, rewarding, encouraging and humbling - but also fun! The idea is to sign up (either as a school, family, group, or individual, and we’ve signed up as a church) and then each day to spend time in reflection with help from a Christian writer and then to do a generous act to share God’s generosity with the world. For individuals, you can receive this as an email each day, with traffic-light options for your giving - something like a social media post, giving socks to a homeless charity or writing a letter to an MP. For families, there’s a wall chart with simple activities that anyone can do - collect one from our churches soon. There’s also material for small groups to get together to read the Bible and pray. The point of all this is to develop in our spiritual lives, to take seriously the things we read in the Bible about serving and sacrifice, community and spiritual devotion. If you can’t manage some of the tasks, don’t beat yourself up about it, but try to pick it up again the next day - we’re not trying to prove anything to God or earn His love, we’re trying to love others better. You can find out more at www.40acts.org.uk or look for 40Acts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram PS. You get Sundays off!!!

Examples from the Family wallchart

HOME GROUP NEWS Come and join our fellowship and Bible study small group...... We run a weekly group which meets on a Wednesday from 7.30 - 9pm in Bickerton to chat, get to know each other, study the Bible and pray over a cuppa. Everyone is welcome from across the parish and you don’t need to commit to every week. Over the past couple of terms, we’ve been learning about God’s character, Fruits of the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit. This term we are using study materials from Holy Trinity Brompton to look at how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Prophecies about Him (“The Jesus Manifesto”) and to relate these to the practicalities of how we should be living and enjoying a full life. This term’s programme: 06/03 The Jesus Manifesto VI 13/03 The Jesus Manifesto VII 20/03 No meeting 27/03 The Jesus Manifesto VIII 03/04 Lent Meditation 10/04 End of term meal

If you would like to join us or would like further information, then contact Karen and Simon Flood: [email protected]

WHAT’S ON IN THE PARISH IN MARCH

Sunday 3rd March 3.30pm Parish Pancake Parties- Healaugh Memorial Hall and Moor Monkton Old School Rooms Wednesday 6th March 12.15pm Community Lunch, Wighill

Saturday 9th March 10.00am – 11.45am Coffee Morning, Hessay

Saturday 16th March 10.00am – 12.00pm Community Café, Healaugh Memorial Hall Friday 22nd March 10.30am-12.00am Community Café, School Rooms, Moor Monkton 7.30pm-9.00pm ‘Yorkshire Shepherdess’ Amanda Owen, St Helen’s Bilton in Ainsty Saturday 23rd March 10.30am-12.00pm Bilton Coffee Morning. St Helen’s Church, Bilton-in-Ainsty

Wednesday 27th March 2.00pm- 4.00pm Open Afternoon, 56 Long Ridge Lane, Poppleton Home of Joyce Woods. All welcome Thursday 28st March 11.00am to 1.00pm Community Coffee Morning, in the annexe to Tanfield House

Space Youth Group is for those over the age of 14, school year 10, meeting on Mondays in term time from 7pm -9pm at the Hayloft, Healaugh. RAYC (Rural Ainsty Youth Club) will be meeting every other Sunday in February, between from 4.30pm to 6pm at the Hayloft, Old Hall, Healaugh.

Tots Groups Tuesday 9.30am-11.30am Hessay Tots: Hessay Methodist Chapel Thursday 10.00am-11.30am The Old Schoolroom, Moor Monkton

For more details on any of the above activities please email [email protected] or call Revd Richard

FROM THE REGISTERS

Baptism of Archie Neil Michael Furze At All Saints, Wighill On Sunday 20th January 2019

Baptism of Harry Clarke At St Helen’s, Bilton-in-Ainsty On Saturday 23rd February 2019

Funeral of Frances Gray At St Helen’s Bilton-in-Ainsty On Monday 18th February 2019

RAYC Our RAYC (Rural Ainsty Youth Club) meets again on 17th March at 4pm, finishing at 5.30pm at the Hayloft, Healaugh. We will then be meeting every fortnight after that up to Easter. As you may be aware, we moved the meeting times last year, so I am really keen to hear if these times suit the majority of those who come. RAYC is for young people seven years old and upwards. We have great fun enjoying treasure hunts, BBQs, games evening, films, crafts, food …. and many more things. We are always looking to grow in numbers so if you know of any young people who would like to come along send them our way! We also share round the enjoyable task of imagining different things to do and organising our afternoons together, so if you would like to contribute please do contact me. We put safeguarding our children at the centre of what we do so DBS checks will need to be made for those involved. Many Thanks Richard PANCAKE PARTIES – COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU!!!! Don't miss the following, our 'Great Pancake Challenge Bake Off' and Community Fun afternoon. Join us for what will be a fun, chaotic afternoon in both Moor Monkton and Healaugh for everyone!!!! Memorial Hall, Healaugh and The Old School Room, Moor Monkton. Both events are at 3.30pm … keep the date free for pancaketastic fun and a flippin’ good time!!!

NEWS FROM AROUND THE PARISH NEWS FROM BILTON WITH BICKERTON

COFFEE MORNING The return of Bilton Coffee morning. 10.30am -12.00pm. We look forward to seeing you at St Helen’s Church.

AMANDA OWEN, SHEPHERDESS OF THE DALES

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the event above has sold out. This visit to our Parish from star of Television and published writer, sold out quickly. Watch out for future community events. We look forward to seeing those of you who are fortunate enough to have got a ticket.

NEWS FROM HEALAUGH AND CATTERTON By now, if you live in either Healaugh or Catterton, you will have received a letter inviting you to be on the church rota. The new rotas are being drawn up and will be circulated soon. If you would still like to be on the roat for any of the following jobs: key; cleaning; flowers; grass; coffee or sidesperson, please contact Lisa or Priscillla. Details at the back of this magazine. 14

Healaugh Community Café is open on the 3rd Saturday of each month in the Memorial Hall. At the end of this year profit from the café will be shared between, Yorkshire Cancer Research, Parkinson's Uk, British Heart Foundation and Martin House. If you need transport or would like to volunteer please contact either Lindy on 01937 831873 or Sue on 01937 834559. Everyone is most welcome to pop in for a friendly chat, a cuppa and maybe a bacon buttie or slice of cake! Open from 10.00 a.m. to 12 noon.

NEWS FROM HESSAY AND MOOR MONKTON

The LEP coffee morning will be held on Saturday 9 March 2019, 10.00am – 11.45am at Hessay Chapel. There will be a cake stall, produce and preserves, Bric a brac, books and crafts. All Welcome. The LEP Coffee Morning is held on the second Saturday of every month for the benefit of the three churches in the Hessay and Moor Monkton LEP. Thank you to everyone who supports this event. The coffee morning in February raised £200 to support the work of the Church within the community. Open Afternoon – Wednesday 27 March from 2pm to 4pm at 56 Longridge Lane Upper Poppleton the home of Joyce Woods with a cup of tea and good conversation. All welcome. Sunday 3 March at 9-30am Rev Ian Hill will lead the service at Hessay Chapel.

NEWS FROM WIGHILL Rest in Peace Michael Vasey Sadly, Michael died on 14th February 2019 in Diana Princess of Wales hospital Grimsby. Michael previously lived in Wighill for nearly 25yrs. Please keep his daughter, Michelle, husband Les, and the rest of the family in your prayers. Les and Michelle were married last August. They are grateful that whilst Michael couldn't get to their wedding, due to ill health, he did manage to spend time with them looking at their wedding photographs.

Save the Date – Sunday 28th April – 6.30pm SING for SPRING Although in March we could still have some more winter to come already we are looking forward to Spring! We are planning to have a musical event to celebrate in April. The Ainsty Churches Choir will lead us in singing our favourite Easter Hymns, we will be asking you to name your favourites and maybe tell us why you love them. We are planning a full programme of spring themed words and music, and the choir will contribute some choral favourites. The entertainment will be followed by refreshments, wine and soft drinks, and lots of canapés. We are not planning to sell tickets, but we hope a retiring collection will raise some money towards the repair of our east window. Please make a note of the date, full details next month.

White Swan Wednesdays Wednesday 6th March at 12.15 pm White Swan Wednesday falls on 6th March this year; the first day of Lent. This is the last chance to enjoy the Autumn Menu – the new Spring Menu will be published towards the end of March. For those who wish to share the fellowship and fun of our meal together, please let Val have your food order by Tuesday March 5th at the latest. Val will send out menus and requests for food orders on Friday March 1st (White Rabbits!). Community Coffee Morning Thursday 28th March. 11am-1pm.In the annexe to Tanfield House, do come along for coffee, tea and conversation. NB the 4th Thursday this month not the third.,

Rotas for all the churches can be found on the back page

For services please see centrefold

A CHURCH NEAR YOU You can access information about services and events in our Parish on A Church Near You website, www.achurchnearyou.com In the last year our churches received 4205 visits through the website. Through the website not only can you find out about services and events, but you can also download the Weekly God Thoughts and current issues of our Parish magazine.

SUPPORTING THE BISHOPS MISSION ORDER

We have a unique situation in our Parish with a full-time vicar and a curate and a trainee vicar on placement affording us the most wonderful input and resources to build our worshiping community and care for us pastorally. This is made possible by the generosity of those who like to give specifically for this purpose, the PCCs and the backing of the Diocese of York. If you personally would like to support the work of the BMO in the parish of Rural Ainsty you can set up a standing order or give a one-off donation to

York Diocesan Board of Finance · Bank: Barclays Bank plc · Sort Code: 20-99-56 · Account Number: 30985759

As the donations are restricted to supporting Richard’s ministry, it is really important that they are clearly referenced as such – so all donors should use the reference RURAL AINSTY 603031 when making a transfer. The diocese will be contacting individual donors to ensure Gift Aid can be collected.

Priscilla Smith

Rural Ainsty Parish is now using Cluster. Cluster will make it possible to create a private group where we hope to share moments through photos and videos with the people we care about, of events and special times we have shared as a parish. Cluster gives us a private space to share photos and memories with the people we choose, away from social media. You must be invited to be part of our Cluster group. You can access Cluster online, thorough a computer or download the app onto a tablet or mobile phone. If you receive our weekly ‘God Thoughts’, you will be sent a link so that you can join our group. If you do not receive our weekly ‘God Thoughts’ and would like to be join the group, then please email [email protected].

YORK MINSTER PARISH PASS 2019

Did you know parishioners from across the Diocese of York are welcome to visit York Minster free of charge? Each year, York Minster posts 10 free passes to each Church; this year they have been sent to each PCC Secretary (or Churchwarden where there is a PCC vacancy). These passes can be borrowed if you would like to visit the Minster, and then given back so that other parishioners can use the cards. The passes for 2019 have been be sent to PCC Secretaries during December, and these will replace the Parish Pass 2018 (also any Diocesan entry passes still in circulation). If you would like to borrow our Parish passes, please get in touch with your Churchwarden, alternatively email or call Lisa Brookman. Contact details can be found on page 32.

income is below £11,000, you won’t be able GIFT AID to claim Gift Aid on eligible donations. WHAT IS GIFT AID? It’s worth noting that you can’t claim Gift Gift Aid gives you an extra 25p for every Aid on donations on behalf of someone else £1 you donate or a company.

Gift Aid is an income tax relief designed to WHAT IF I’M A HIGHER RATE TAXPAYER? benefit charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs). If you’re a UK If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, you can taxpayer, Gift Aid increases the value of claim additional benefits for the donations your charity donations by 25%, because the you make to charity, which you can keep or charity can reclaim the basic rate of tax on pass on to a charitable organisation. Simply your gift – at no extra cost to you. indicate how much you’ve donated when you complete your self-assessment form.

HOW WE COLLECT GIFT AID

Our gift aid donations are collected in our weekly offering envelopes that you often find in our pews. Please, if you are a UK tax payer, fill in the envelope and make your valued donation to our mission even more. IS MY DONATION ELIGIBLE FOR GIFT AID? Thank you.

For a charity to claim Gift Aid on your Source: CAF, CAF Online [online] donation, you must have paid UK Income or Charities Aid Foundation © 2019 Capital Gains Tax that financial year. The As at 18/01/2019 tax you pay must be equivalent to the www.cafonline.org/my-personal-giving/plan-your- giving/individual-giving-account/how-does-it- amount of Gift Aid the charity will reclaim work/gift-aid on your donation that tax year (and will be claimed by other charities and CASCs). VAT and Council Tax don’t meet these criteria.

From April 2016 the income tax personal allowance has increased to £11,000 for individuals born after 5 April 1948. If your

‘FREE-FROM’ PANCAKES

This easy recipe is one to be enjoyed by everyone! 125g Gluten free plain flour 1 tsp Gluten Free Baking Powder 1 egg (or chickpea flour and water) 150ml milk (or vegan milk) 1 banana oil agave, maple or golden syrup

1. Put the flour and baking powder into a large bowl or jug and stir to combine. 2. Beat in the egg (or chickpea flour + water) and milk to make a smooth batter. 3. Chop the banana into 6mm/¼” cubes and stir it into the batter. 4. Put a little oil into a frying pan, roll it around to cover the surface and heat until nice and hot. 5. Pour batter into the pan to make 8cm/3” circles and cook on medium heat. 6. When bubbles appear on the surface and the base is golden turn the pancake over and cook the other side. 7. Repeat until the batter is used. 8. Serve warm with syrup of your choice.

St. Mary’s Church of England

Primary School

At St. Mary’s we aim to provide an environment for all members of our school community where positive attitudes to learning and creativity are promoted and valued within the context of Christian belief and practice.

Core Christian Values: Compassion, Friendship, Koinonia and Trust

Christian Values: Endurance This half term we are continuing to focus on endurance as our Christian value. ‘For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.’ Psalm 100:5

Friends of St. Mary’s (FOSM) The annual Ceilidh at Askham Bryan College was greatly enjoyed, and the evening managed to raise over £321 for school. Thank you again to all our Friends who put in the hard work in organising this event and for those of you who were able to join in the fun and games and contribute further money to support your child’s education.

World Thinking Day We are proud to be supporting World Thinking Day again this year, which falls on Friday 22nd February. World Thinking Day is a day of international friendship and an opportunity to speak out on issues that affect young women. On the day, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are welcome to come to school in their uniform and they will have the opportunity to talk to their class and the school about the day.

Class 2’s Visitor This term we have had a special visitor…an alien called Zoigle. He landed outside in the playing field and he is from the planet Greb. He has sent us letters asking all about humans and the different materials that we have on earth. He comes back to collect our answers every couple of weeks. We have done work in science so we can give him lots of information. We are going to ask him some questions about what life is like on his planet. We hope that you like our picture. Jessica, Lola and Cerys

1st Askham Bryan Brownies are looking for new members! We are a friendly and active unit who welcome girls between the ages of 7 and 10 from Askham Bryan and surrounding villages. We currently have girls that live in Askham Bryan, Healaugh, Catterton, Bilbrough, Long Marston, Rufforth and Appleton Roebuck. In the past year we have; been on a chocolate treasure hunt, learnt about the history of the parliament and votes for women, made Christmas stockings for local children, been on a Safari themed weekend away, raised money at events, discovered the uses of tools and made our own wind farms. We have a waiting list for girls not yet 7 and spaces for those aged 7–10 years. To find out more and register interest, please contact Rebecca Kramm on 07894663336 or [email protected]

LONG MARSTON YORKSHIRE COUNTRYWOMEN'S ASSOCIATION Our new Chairperson, Mo Woolley, opened the proceedings on a warm February afternoon. The West Riding lunch will be held on Tuesday, 2nd April in the Methodist Church, Wetherby: tickets £12 and Tockwith Show will be held, as usual, early in August – details to follow. A request was made for the return of lunch boxes taken home after the AGM in December; our Christmas lunch at Askham Grange was mentioned especially in relation to the size of the portions – well done ladies! Sue read a brief treasurer's report and accounts were available for inspection. A list of speakers for the coming year was also available. Requests for the YCA monthly magazine should addressed to Doreen. Our speaker, John Visser, was introduced and we enjoyed a most interesting talk about the 47 years of his life he spent with children with behavioural difficulties, starting as a teacher and finishing life as a professor. He worked in Africa, America and the Far East but spoke about three particular children to outline how his work could have made a difference. He made us think about how the world is perceived from another's perspective and set us a quiz which was possibly set to look at things in a different way – was I the only one who got everything wrong? It would have been easy to carry on listening to John, but we had to stop for tea and, of course, a good old natter. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 13th March at 2.00pm in the Village Hall and will include a talk by John Molyneux entitled, 'York Against Cancer'. If you would like to come along and join us, please contact Sue Lewis on 01904 738 658 or Mo Woolley on 738 458 for more details. Alternatively, just come along; we'd love to see you there.

ELVIS PRESLEY: THE SEARCHER Stephen Brown reviews a spiritual enquiry

Still rock ‘n’ roll’s enduring icon but as he himself says in Elvis Presley: The Searcher (Cert. 12) “It’s very hard to live up to an image”. This DVD and Blu-ray documentary manages more successfully than ever before to explore his spiritual and musical aspirations. Director Thom Zimny, relying more on photographs and film footage than talking heads, interviews a variety of influences on Presley - Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, music producer Jon Landau, Elvis’ guitarist, Scotty Moore and Priscilla. There’s an ongoing sense of loss. In the song ‘Milky White Way’ he tells the Lord that one of these days he’ll be shaking hands with his mother again. Elvis also battled with the prospect of having gained the whole world but in danger of losing his soul. Everyone wants a piece of him. He takes refuge in Gospel music, recording numbers like Take my Hand, Precious Lord on his 1957 Elvis’ Christmas Album. For him, there wasn’t really any distinction between his songs and his faith. “It’s a combination of country music, Gospel and Rhythm and Blues”. Specifically, religious compilations Peace in the Valley, His Hand in Mine and How Great Thou Art go alongside the hit single Crying in the Chapel. He’d been brought up in a strong Christian environment and that faith never really left him. Elvis regularly asked people if they were still staying close to the Lord. He could just as well be posing that question to himself. Musician Warren Zanes says, “He was searching for something he can’t find”. By the time the film gets to Presley’s final 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions, the man looks washed up. Prescription drugs, obesity, a broken marriage overshadowed his ongoing popularity with the public. Ultimately, though, the music says it all. With Elvis Presley there’s the strongest sense that he who sings is praying twice. Desperately. © Stephen Brown

 Dry Seasoned Firewood in Bulk or Nets for Stoves and Open Fires (moisture tested)  Kiln dried logs also available  Kindling  Wood Briquettes (wood shavings hydraulically compressed for use on Open Fires, Stoves & Chimineas)  Trade/ Retail/Domestic/Pubs/Hotels/Farm Shops/Garden Centres/pet stores etc. (Bulk or small orders)  Delivered direct to you  Reliable Friendly Service  Competitive Prices Contact Guy Pears on 01937 830700/07931 566811

email: [email protected] www.acgwoodfuels.co.uk www.facebook.com/acgwoodfuelsuk/

Moor Monkton’s own Pop up Pub ‘The Merry Monk’ is open for business on the last Friday of each month in the Old Schoolroom.

Doors open at 7pm, there is draft beer from The Yorkshire Heart Brewery on tap, fine wines, lagers, soft drinks, snacks and a fish and chip supper. Or simply bring your own favourite tipple if you prefer. Usual pub games to amuse and entertain and any profits go to village charities.

Why not come along and catch up with the neighbours you hardly ever see? E-mail [email protected] or look on www.moormonkton.com for more details.

PARISH OF RURAL AINSTY Priest: The Revd Richard Battersby The Vicarage, Main Street, Healaugh LS24 8DB Tel: 01937 830933 Email: [email protected] Richard is always easily contactable but does usually try to keep each Monday as his day off, so please bear that in mind. Curate: The Revd Lucy Brencher 07940 514492 Email: [email protected] Ordinand: Mrs Kath McBride 07977 169136 Email: [email protected] Reader: Mrs Charlotte Bromet 01937 833243 Methodist Minister Moor Monkton and Hessay The Revd Ian Hill. 98 Main Street, Upper Poppleton Tel: 01904 788033

Church Wardens Bilton in Ainsty with Bickerton Mr John Pick 01423 358681 Healaugh Mrs Priscilla Smith 01937 833248 Mr Jon Brookman 07884 232935 Moor Monkton and Hessay Mrs Kathryn Wright 01904 738498 Wighill Mrs Charlotte Bromet 01937 833243 Mrs Janice Quinn 01937 530652

Parish Administrator Mrs Lisa Brookman 07979 505067 [email protected] Rural Ainsty Parish News Please keep your contributions coming in! The deadline for items to be included in the March issue is Friday 15th March email to [email protected] Handwritten items can also be accepted, please ring Lisa Brookman, on 07979 505067. 3 Abbey Lane, Healaugh. LS24 8DF For advertising in the magazine, please contact Lisa as above

CHURCH ROTAS Week beginning 3rd March Healaugh Sidesperson Rachel Brammar Coffee Lisa Brookman Key Brookman family Cleaning Jim and Melanie Bryce Flowers No flowers in Lent Grass Matthew Cattle Hessay and Moor Monkton (Methodist Chapel)

Cleaning/Flowers K Wright Sidesperson K Wright

Wighill Sidesperson Mrs M Pairman Reader Mr G Tait Intercessions Dr M Denyer

(For February) Cleaning Mrs Morrell Flowers No flowers in Lent Week beginning 10th March Healaugh Sidesperson Oliver Smith Coffee Priscilla Smith Key Christine and Alan Barber Grass Jeremy Richardson and Chris Lister Hessay and Moor Monkton (St John’s Hessay) Cleaning/Flowers K Wright Sidesperson Z Barratt Week beginning 17th March Healaugh Sidesperson Lisa Brookman Coffee Rachel Brammar Key Rob and Donna Taylor Cleaning Carol Walmsley and Tanith Hornsby Flowers No flowers in Lent Grass Robert Walmsley Hessay and Moor Monkton (All Saints, Moor Monkton) Cleaning/Flowers T Harrison Sidesperson K Wright Week beginning 24th March Healaugh

Sidesperson Lisa Brookman Coffee Fionna Haigh Key Haigh Family Grass Richard Haigh Hessay and Moor Monkton (All Saints, Moor Monkton) Cleaning/Flowers K Wright Sidesperson M Wilson