Happy New Year!
It is not an unusual occurrence to feel that the turn of the year makes very little difference in our daily lives, and that it is essentially, “just another day”. For me though, the turn of this new year has given me new sparks of hope.
Perhaps it is the ever so slightly lengthening days that make all the difference, or perhaps the knowledge that I am no long in strange place of being within six months of changing post, as I was last year – for half the year I was the curate coming to the end of curacy, and the second half I had only just begun as Priest in Charge.
Perhaps it is also the renewed encouragement that Christmas brings, sharing the Good News of the Incarnation with all people that God truly is with and for us in all of the mess and challenges that our earthly human lives bring.
For our shared lives together, 2022 marks an opportunity to shape the future of our church communities, to envision together the path before us. I am enthusiastic to see what God has in store for us and where the Spirit will lead us, and I am keen to see each of our communities flourish. With the knowledge that God is with and for us, leading us into flourishing and bringing us through the refining fire, I have faith that we will prevail. As we say during the baptismal commission: “With the help of God, we will.”
Services Diary
With it being a new year, please see below the diary for the next month:
<div align="center"> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Date
</td> <td>Time
</td> <td>Church
</td> <td>Service / Event
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>11<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>9.30am
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>Little Lights toddler group
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
7pm
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>PCC meeting
(Parish of Kirkburton)
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>12<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>10am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
7.30pm
</td> <td>Denby Dale
(Zion Chapel)
</td> <td>Churches Together in Denby Dale meeting
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>16<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>9am
</td> <td>Denby
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Informal Worship
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
4pm
</td> <td>Cumberworth
</td> <td>Kids Praise
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>19<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>10am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
7.30pm
</td> <td>Cumberworth
</td> <td>PCC Meeting
(Parish of Cumberworth, Denby & Denby Dale)
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>23<sup>rd</sup>
</td> <td>10.30am
</td> <td>Denby
</td> <td>Churches Together in Denby Dale Christian Unity Service
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
3pm
</td> <td>Shepley
(70 Jenkyn Lane)
</td> <td>Worship planning meeting
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>26<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>10am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>30<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>10.30am
</td> <td>Denby
</td> <td>Joint Worship on the Feast of Candlemas
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1<sup>st</sup> Feb
</td> <td>9.30am
</td> <td>Shepley
(Church Hall)
</td> <td>Two by Two Baby and Toddler Group
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2<sup>nd</sup>
</td> <td>10am
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3<sup>rd</sup>
</td> <td>6pm
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>PCC Meeting
(Parish of Shepley)
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>6<sup>th</sup>
</td> <td>9am
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> <td>Worship for All with Highburton First School
</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>
11am
</td> <td>Cumberworth
</td> <td>Holy Communion
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </div>I have been hoping to set up a monthly communion service somewhere in Denby Dale, but I haven’t yet confirmed a venue, so please bear with me in this. My proposed time is on the Second Sunday of the Month at 9am.
Throughout each month the aim is to provide family/child friendly worship every week across the churches. I hope that eventually we will have a regular rota of services at different times, including a 9am and 11am every week, except when we have joint services. Holy Communion will be available every week somewhere, even if it is not in your local church. My sincere hope is that I will be able to worship with each parish every month. If it helps, the pattern I am working towards is as follows:
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr> <td>Sundays
</td> <td>Cumberworth
</td> <td>Denby
</td> <td>Denby Dale
</td> <td>Shepley
</td> <td>Kirkburton
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>First
</td> <td>11am Holy Communion
</td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td>9am Holy Communion
11am Worship for All
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Second
</td> <td>11am Family All Age Service
</td> <td>6pm Contemplative Service
</td> <td>9am Holy Communion (tbc)
</td> <td>11am Holy Communion
</td> <td>11am Holy Communion
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Third
</td> <td>4pm Kids Praise
</td> <td>9am Holy Communion
</td> <td> </td> <td>11am Informal Worship
</td> <td>11am Holy Communion
6pm Encounter Service
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Fourth
</td> <td> </td> <td>9am All Age Worship
</td> <td> </td> <td>11am Holy Communion
</td> <td>11am Holy Communion
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>In addition to the above worship on Sundays, we continue with our weekly Wednesday 10am communion service in St Paul’s Shepley, which is open to all who appreciate a small, low-key said service, or for those who struggle on Sundays. If you feel unable to come to church in person for any reason and you would like to receive communion at home, please get in touch with myself or Rev’d Janet Craven (01484 604107); equally, if you have any pastoral concern for yourself, or someone close to you, please let us know. I would also be delighted to accept an invitation for a cuppa and a chat for any reason at all!
Festivals and Holy Days
There are certain days in the church calendar that all Christians are heartly encouraged to attend church, and those who have been admitted to Communion should receive the sacrament. It is the tradition within the Church of England to receive Communion a minimum of 3 times a year – at Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas. The principal holy days are highlighted in bold and are as follows:
9<sup>th</sup> January The Baptism of Christ
16<sup>th</sup>-25<sup>th</sup> January Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
25<sup>th</sup> January The Conversion of St Paul
30<sup>th</sup> January / 2<sup>nd</sup> February Candlemas (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple)
21<sup>st</sup> February-6<sup>th</sup> March Fairtrade Fortnight
2<sup>nd</sup> March Ash Wednesday
4<sup>th</sup> March World Day of Prayer
27<sup>th</sup> March Mothering Sunday
10<sup>th</sup> April Palm Sunday
10<sup>th</sup>-16<sup>th</sup> April Holy Week
14<sup>th</sup> April Maundy Thursday
15<sup>th</sup> April Good Friday
17<sup>TH</sup> APRIL EASTER SUNDAY
10<sup>th</sup>-16<sup>th</sup> May Christian Aid Week
26<sup>th</sup> May Ascension Day
5<sup>TH</sup> JUNE PENTECOST (WHIT SUNDAY)
12<sup>th</sup> June Trinity Sunday
29<sup>th</sup> June St Peter and St Paul
25<sup>th</sup> September-2<sup>nd</sup> October Generosity Week
30<sup>th</sup> October All Saints’ Sunday / 1<sup>st</sup> November All Saints’ Day
13<sup>th</sup> November Remembrance Sunday
20<sup>th</sup> November Christ the King
27<sup>th</sup> November Advent Sunday
6<sup>th</sup> December St Nicholas
25<sup>TH</sup> DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DAY
27<sup>th</sup> December St John the Evangelist
Although there are numerous more feasts and saints’ days, the above dates are of the days that we, in our local churches, are in the practice of keeping, or have special significance for one of our churches. I also include a traditional proclamation of the principal feasts – the inspiration behind me sending you this list – and a little bit of a novelty!
Plans for the year ahead
To help us to plan for the future, I am planning an away day for each of our parishes to be held at the Community of the Resurrection at some point this year. I don’t have any dates yet for them, but I will make sure those dates are circulated in plenty of time. They will each be on a Saturday.
It may be good to organise some church family socials, such as some trips or events that we can come together. If anyone feels particularly called to organise a social event, please let me know so we can get it in the church diaries.
With every blessing,
Rev’d Stephanie L Hunter
Interim Priest in Charge