Issue Number 433 December 2016/January 2017 The gift that keeps giving A newly married couple approach their first Christmas. They have no OUR MISSION money to spend on expensive gifts. The husband sells his one A community seeking to live well with God, treasure, a gold watch, in order to buy some elegant tortoiseshell gathered around Jesus Christ in prayer and fellowship, combs he knows his wife secretly wants for her beautiful long hair. and committed to welcome, worship and witness. The wife sells her beautiful long hair, her one treasure, in order to The Church Office buy the fob chain she knows her husband secretly wants for his gold Bolton Abbey, Skipton BD23 6AL watch. They exchange presents, and quickly realise that they have 01756 710238 [email protected] both given up what was most precious to them in order to show their The Rector love. It is this love that is their real gift to one another. The Rectory, Bolton Abbey, Skipton BD23 6AL That short story by O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi, captures a truth 01756 710326 about the meaning of the Good News that Christians celebrate each [email protected] Curate Christmas: gifts are more than mere commodities to be exchanged 07495 151987 and soon forgotten about, and the value of a gift is not to be assessed [email protected] by how much it costs. As one writer has put it, ‘a genuine gift involves Website a giving of the very substance of who we are. It involves some sort of www.boltonpriory.church dying on our part’. SUNDAY The pattern for such giving and such dying is to be found in the story 08.00 Holy Communion of Jesus Christ. God comes among us, becomes one of us, and dies 09.15 Liquid Family Worship First Sunday of month for us so that, in the resonant words of an ancient hymn, ‘God might 10.30 Sung Eucharist give us humans his divinity in abundance’. As we exchange our gifts this Christmas we give thanks for what that same hymn calls this 18.30 Evening Prayer (said) April to September admirable commercium, this ‘wonderful exchange’, in which the 16.30 Evening Prayer (said) October to March eternity of God’s love meets us, embraces us, and transforms us for WEDNESDAY his glory. 10.00 Holy Communion Anne joins me in wishing you all a blessed Christmas and peaceful New Year. 18.45 Choir Practice All regular services are according to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), except for the Family service, an informal service for young and old. WEDDINGS and BAPTISMS: By arrangement via the Church Office. RECTOR’S NOTES PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL 25 October 2016 Visiting preacher: At the Sung Eucharist on Sunday 11 December the Our euphoria from the success of the lighting scheme has been preacher will be the Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Wakefield. deflated, but not entirely extinguished, by the failure to procure a Christmas: Anne and I will once again be holding an open house grant for our scheme for an extension. However, the Rector and before Christmas. We’ll be serving tea, coffee, and mince pies on Jonathan Cain have had a meeting with the officers of the Heritage Saturday 17 December between 10.00 and 12.30. All are very Lottery Fund to get some pointers as to how we could do better next welcome. time. Because we are determined that there will be a next time. We now know that we must focus much more on heritage. Magazine insert: The Priory Christmas services are listed in full elsewhere in the magazine, and on the magazine insert. The insert is And so to happier things. The Finance Committee was pleasantly an ideal means to communicate to friends and neighbours the good surprised that the closure of the church for three months for the news about what the Priory is up to at Christmas. I am delighted that lighting work did not have such a dire effect on our finances as we this year we are cooperating with our friends from the Bolton Abbey had anticipated. Credit for this goes partly to Margaret Cody, whose Estate in a live ‘promenade’ nativity play, complete with brass band. idea of putting a sales table in the tower, laden with the most popular Details of the Christmas services are already on our website and will items, was extremely successful. Credit also goes to those who also feature as regular Facebook posts. organised our Stewardship Campaign as this resulted in increased giving. However, we mustn’t think that we can rest on our laurels …… The New Year: We will celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany at the Those of you who came to the lambing services will know what Priory on Sunday 08 January, and Candlemas (which marks the end joyous and popular events they were, bringing together people from of the Christmas and Epiphany season) on Sunday 29 January. all our congregations. Well now we are promised another event The Flowers: Christmas is a time when the skills of our flower team which is sure to be just as popular. On Tuesday 20 December at 12.00 are particularly evident, but the end of the calendar year gives me and 14.00 there will be a Live Nativity. This is a joint venture between the opportunity, on behalf of all who worship at and visit the Priory, the Priory and the Estate with the Estate arranging to provide some to thank the team, under Lorna Freegard’s enabling leadership, for animals and the Priory, with the help of Jo Craven, giving a narration their dedication throughout the year. of the nativity story, complete with characters in Our Musicians: We owe our Director of Music, Tim Raymond, and costume. A brass ensemble will play carols. This is our dedicated choir a huge debt of gratitude for the immense obviously an event that mustn’t be missed! contribution they make to our worship and witness. Their support of Liz Higgins, PCC Secretary. our worship through every week of the year is a significant part of LENT QUIET DAY – SAVE THE DATE our witness as a living community of Christians. We have arranged a Quiet Day on March 7 at Parcevall Hall. Please Congratulations: Tony Cantlow, who has served faithfully as our save the date and watch out for further information in the February verger for the last few years, has recently been awarded a magazine. Foundation Degree in Theology and Ministry from York St PRIORY MAGAZINE DEADLINE– FEBRUARY MAGAZINE John University. We congratulate Tony on this achievement, Please may we have any copy by 15 January sent either to the Editor which is just reward for several years of committed study. or the Church Office. MINCE PIE BAZAAR SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS SUNDAY DECEMBER 18 AT 16.30 – CHILDREN’S CHOIR This year the Following the very successful introduction of a children’s choir into the Priory Craft Service of Lessons and Carols in 2015, Rosemary Murgatroyd and Sally Group ran the Thompson from the Priory Choir will once again lead the children this stall at the year. bazaar. Thank There will be three ‘rehearsals’ in preparation for the candlelit service you to which will take place on the Sunday before Christmas. These will be fun everyone who sessions involving singing, percussion and Mars Bar Cake! contributed Rehearsals will be held in the Boyle Room on the following Saturdays: cakes, biscuits, preserves and November 26, 14.00 to 15.30; other items for December 10, 10.30 to 12.00; sale. This helped us to December 17, 14.00 to 15.30. realise £275.05 Please let me know if your for the Priory funds . Thank you also to the Bolton Abbey WI who children want to be involved supplied home made soup, sandwiches, cakes, mince pies and a and I’ll pass their names on to constant supply of tea and coffee throughout the afternoon. The to Rosemary and Sally. eighteen charities present raised over £2,000. The Revd Jonathan Cain PRIORY CRAFT GROUP CHRISTMAS SALE [email protected] There will be a stall in the Boule Room on Sunday 11 December after the morning service. Please come and support us if you can. PRIORY CHRISTMAS CARD 2016 The 2016 Christmas card has just arrived. The cost is £4 for a packet THE WEDNESDAY NIGHTERS containing ten cards. They are available in church or from the Church Wednesdays Bolton Abbey Village Hall Office. There are also some lovely Christmas items and Advent December-19.00 for 19.30 Calendars on the sales table. Please have a look and make your If you haven’t joined us before do come to the Christmas Dinner on 07 December and purchases soon before they sell out!! enjoy the friendliness and camaraderie. OCTOBER FIGURES The average weekly attendance at all Sunday services in October was Tickets cost £12 and are available from Barbara Pickersgill 01756 710630. 149. There were 32 attendees at the October monthly Liquid Service. The average weekly receipts to the Priory in October were £1,748 and 12,331 visitors were recorded this month. TO CERTAIN POOR SHEPHERDS .......... WHO’S WHO IN THE BIBLE—ST JOHN Yan nith’rin’ neight i’ t’ slack o’ t’ year John the Apostle was the son of Zebedee and (according to an early Mi neighbour com’ to t’ dooar. Christian tradition) Salome. He was also known as John the “Tha knaws yon yowes o’ thine up theer Evangelist, John of Patmos and the Beloved Disciple.