` Aldborough, Boroughbridge, Dunsforths, Minskip, Roecliffe April 2021 £1 www.boroughbridgechurches.uk WHO’S WHO READER John Francis Moss 07515 825198 VICAR Johnfrancismoss @icloud.com Rev Karen Gardiner The Vicarage, Church Lane, MAGAZINE EDITORS Boroughbridge YO51 9BA David Bellwood 324276 01423 326518 Paul Farrelly 504913 karen.gardiner @leeds.anglican.org Email: link @boroughbridgechurches.uk PARISH ADMINISTRATOR Mrs Caroline Punter Please note that copy for inclusion in admin@ boroughbridgechurches.uk any one month should be sent to the th Editors by the 12 of the previous CHURCHWARDENS month. ALDBOROUGH Mrs Liz Vose 203503 Local Village Contacts: Mr J Lawson-Tancred 326162 ALDBOROUGH: Irene McCandlish BOROUGHBRIDGE Tel: 326240 iapm @btinternet.com Mr P Farrelly 504913 BOROUGHBRIDGE: Mr P Farrelly Mrs K Ambrose 322070 Tel: 504913 paul @farrellys.co.uk DUNSFORTH Mrs F. Merchie 322526 DUNSFORTH: Mrs P Denny Mrs P. Denny 322901 Tel: 322901 penelopedenny @tiscali.co.uk MINSKIP Mr R Beaumont 322365 MINSKIP: Mrs D Wilson Tel: 322712 ROECLIFFE wilsondorothy @hotmail.co.uk Mr J. Bolland 325091 Mr S. Jarvis 322026 ROECLIFFE: Mr J. Bolland Tel: 325091 j.bolland @hotmail.com In these difficult times, do remember that your Church community is here for you. If you, or anyone you know, would like to talk to someone, or if we can help in any way, please do get in touch with Karen, John or one of our Wardens, whose details are all in this magazine. You can also contact us through our website www.boroughbridgechurches.uk and through Facebook - @boroughbridgechurches 3 From the Vicarage…… New Life Dear friends, In the past month or two we have done Spring is most definitely here! I’m our best to make sure that all our writing this midway through March in regular members have had the the middle of a lovely sunny week, and opportunity to fill in a questionnaire regardless of the weather when you helping us to reflect on the past year at read this, the clocks will have changed, Church. This has gone out to over 120 the evenings will be lighter, and nature people in our worshipping community. will be coming back to life after a long People have been asked: what have you and cold winter. missed about Church? What have you discovered you can be flexible about? If all goes to plan, by the time you read Are there any positives we would like to this, Church rotas will have moved on hold on to from this time? What could too, and we’ll be having “mix-economy we change for the better? What do we services”, with most of our Churches need to re-establish? Replies are still open for worship, combined with some coming in, but the results are worship online for those for whom that encouraging and hopeful for a Church works best. We have a plan which we and a world that needs to be adaptable. will work to up until the end of June, by which time the situation in the country The vast majority of people who at large will, we hope, have moved on responded said that they have felt as if significantly too. they are now more part of the wider parish and that they would welcome Of course, coming to life after a long more United Parish services, which is winter (whether in nature or in the wonderful news and a mark of a healthy Church) involves change, and it isn’t Church. The vast majority have also said always as easy as you might think. that they would be happy to be flexible Coming out of lockdown is a challenge about times of services and different as we try to offer support to one kinds of services in order to help more another, and try to move forward in a people find ways of belonging. People positive way. I think it is fair to say that have welcomed the opportunity to be we will never be quite the same again – part of a Parish wide email group and and that is ok. Some things – and most everyone thinks it should continue post tragically of course, some people, we lockdown (if you are not part of the St have lost, but we have also, perhaps Raphael group and would like to be – surprisingly, had some gains. please get in touch!), and people have 4 added their own thoughts too, about don’t just pack it away after the Bank growth and possible ways forward. Holiday weekend. We continue to When asked what they most missed celebrate and reflect; and marvel at the about Church, the top three answers promise of new life that God holds out were singing, taking communion, and to the whole of creation. socialising after the service. So you can see how all this will help us to move Therefore I pray that this season will be forward and prioritise our worship in one where we can renew our faith, the future. hope, and love together. These three, as St Paul says, last forever, and on these By the time you read this, we will have three God will build his Church. celebrated Easter, but we remain in the Easter season for several weeks. The Every blessing, promise of new life is so important we Karen 5 Roecliffe News ROECLIFFE RACKET CLUB MARCH DRAW As we have walked during February what changes we have seen in the countryside! 1st Prize £20 (56) Richard & Lisa Daniell The spring flowers have been magnificent 2nd Prize £10 (123) John & Susan Ind with superb displays of snowdrops and some 3rd= Prize £5 (122) Peter Benson beautiful crocus (witness the photograph 3rd= Prize £5 (4) Paul & Jo Dale seen on local news recently), and now the 3rd =Prize £5 (110) Jim & Jill Bolland daffodils take over. In the fields we have the lambs with their mothers to create some The April draw will take place by Zoom on noise, where up until now there has been Tuesday, April 6th between 6.30 and quiet. 7.00pm. The other beauty of walking has been the Looking Forward……. hope that one might meet someone to have a chat to, and to look forward to the time Thomas Hardy wrote a poem ‘I Watched a when we can meet up again and have a Blackbird’ which is one Easter Day drink outside at the pub. encounter in poetry. So not only is this spring a time of new leaves on trees and lovely blossom in the I watched a blackbird on a budding sycamore gardens, but also to the slow unlocking of the One Easter Day, when sap was stirring twigs to lockdown, hopefully never to return. the core; I saw his tongue, and crocus-coloured bill Jim Bolland Parting and closing as he turned his trill; Then he flew down, seized on a stem of hay, Crown Inn to Reopen And upped to where his building scheme was under way, The Crown Inn, our beautiful 16th century As if so sure a nest were never shaped on spray. coaching inn, is re-opening on April 12, as the lockdown finally eases. The Crown will As we put the clocks forward and daylight be welcoming old friends and new from lengthens in the evening, we are truly across the parish and beyond for drinks and moving forward and looking forward to meals outside in accordance with Easter. We are fortunate to be able to have Government guidelines. a service in St. Mary’s Church on Easter Day, albeit at 9.00am. It will be our first Chris Hannon, the managing director of service in church since March 2020 but we Coastal & Country Inns, the owners of The will have to ensure that we social distance Crown, commented: “We are absolutely and have a limited congregation. delighted to be opening again. This has been 6 a devastating year for so many people and normal, or as near normal as things can be we are fervently hoping that the easing of after such a challenging 15 months. I lockdown this month is the beginning of the suspect that date may well be in your diaries end of this nightmare. We cannot wait to now,” said Chris. become the beating heart of Roecliffe again. It seems wrong that a tight-knit community He revealed that he has been heartened by such as ours hasn’t had a pub open since all the messages of support the Crown had Christmas. received during lockdown – and by the fact that a number of weddings have already been booked there from June onwards. “It has been immensely reassuring to have had the support of the community during these challenging times, whilst the bookings for weddings have reinforced the Crown’s excellent reputation for being one of North Yorkshire’s most popular marriage venues. Our first wedding is in late June – and it will be a spectacular celebration. “We suspect that a number of weddings “First and foremost, I want to reassure have been postponed because of Covid-19 everyone that we are going to be and we are more than happy and ready to exceptionally safe and Covid-secure. The host any re-arranged marriages and ensure Government guidelines are clear – we can they are very special and memorable serve people outdoors only, but, crucially, occasions.” this time round you can just meet for a drink. No-one has to eat. There is also no curfew, At the same time, Chris is looking to but you must order, eat and drink at your reinforce the Crown’s reputation for table. excellent food and drink in relaxed and informal surroundings, making it a “If all goes well, and we are praying that it destination location for food lovers across does, the lockdown is eased ever further on the county.