THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Michael Sargent 27th November 2025Certain dates stay fixed in my mind, and hopefully likewise in those of the readers, and certainly for me November 30th is one such date. For a start it is St Andrew’s Day, this year it happens to be the first Sunday of Advent and thus is the start of the Christian Year, when it might be good to resolve to make sure that our Christian witness, very often not said but certainly in many instances it is noticed, by the way our life is lived out that others copy the good that they see in others and that includes us!I think back to 30/11/1969 when a pupil I taught was being confirmed on what turned out to be her 14th birthday. The service was held in Moor Monkton Church that, in those days was candle lit and led by the then Bishop of Selby, a namesake of mine Douglas Sargent. Some reading this will remember him as having a saintly presence and always an encouraging sermon meant for all, but specifically for those being confirmed!I feel certain that there will be some who would have been a contemporary of this one being confirmed because our catchment area spread out to the surrounding villages from the Dringhouses area of York. If any were born between September 1955 and August 1956 think back to some of your contemporaries who went to Ashfield School and set your mind in motion. I hold this person in mind because, as she approaches her 70th Birthday, we are still in contact, and she is one who has retained her affiliation to her church and lived a simple life helping others, be they human or animal!Which brings me to St Andrew; he was the first disciple chosen by Jesus who brought his brother Simon (Peter) along with him. With the rest who were Jesus’ followers he became known for ‘seizing an opportunity’ like the time when Jesus was wanting to feed the 5000 to whom he had preached and Andrew said, ‘there is a lad here with five loaves and two small fish but what is that among so many?’ It was a start and from a small offering came something great!These two examples of bringing people to Christ are but a reminder of what many of us can, and possibly have done, not by something momentous but just by being ourselves or by speaking a word at the right moment or by doing a good turn. And we may never know!His feast day happens to be the first day of Advent this year and there will be many who will start lighting an Advent Candle or opening the first door of and Advent calendar: it saddens me each year to read of those who buy mega expensive Advent calendars that have costly gifts behind each window – surely most know that this is the opposite of what our Lord would expect and has little or nothing to do with the important period of waiting for the arrival of the Prince of Peace.The other point about Advent is that the church has fallen into the secular preparation for Christmas – as a child I recall not putting up decorations until Christmas Eve and having the Carol Service a few days after the festivities have properly started! Advent is an important season and though commercially it makes sense to celebrate before it happens, the church can (should) follow the pattern of preparation: the four main themes are Hope, Peace, Joy and Love – preparation for the coming of Christ into the world.It seems appropriate that at the end of this first week of Advent comes the feast of St Nicholas, a day when the folk of Askham Bryan should give thanks for the worship that goes on there in a church that has him as their patron saint, but it also reminds us that it was Nicholas who started what has become the expected giving of presents to family and friends but, perhaps more importantly following Nicholas’ example, to those who have little and for whom a gift from us would indeed bring joy to them.Michael SargentLLM at Acaster Malbis
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Vicar GeoffBehold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19 KJV)The astute will realise that this is the verse for the ABC Churches for the year 2025, the word being NEW. It is important that we revisit this every once in a while, so that we can continue to reflect upon it. We need to continue to ask the question, what is God saying to me and the ABC Churches?Everything around us changes and change brings in the new. In Copmanthorpe a big change has been seeing new houses being built, some of which I believe may be occupied by Christmas. We’ll need to post our Christmas Cards through the new doors – when it is available! Such a change brings different questions for different people – how is the village going to cope, where is the infrastructure, what new things will these new people bring to village. We may find it threatening to our way of life, but actually we should see such a change as a Gospel opportunity. The questions we need to be asking ourselves is how can we welcome these new residents? How can we serve these new people, as Christians in the ABC Churches.I reference Copmanthorpe, because 300 new dwellings are in the process of being built at a seemingly rapid pace – but the same applies to all our villages. The Ship Inn in Acaster Malbis will have potentially new licensees, sadly because the Phill the Landlord is not well. That will be a change. People move in and out of all our villages all the time and that in itself provides new opportunities, new families and friends. How many of us invite people to come to church, especially new residents?I remember someone (my memory isn’t what it used to be), saying that when we invite people, we should couch the invite in terms of ‘I’m going, it’s going to be great, why don’t you come too?’ In a recent survey approximately 40% of people said that they would come to church if they were invited. What might seem like a regular thing to us, could be a new thing for them!Why not invite someone to join you in going to church this Christmas. That person could be waiting for such an invitation.Pray for …Our LLMs developing their skills and using every opportunity to encourage growthOur newly appointed Children, Youth and Family WorkerThe process of bringing the ABC and AAA Churches together in Mission and Ministry UnitGive thanks for …The many opportunities we have to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those in our communitiesThe generosity of many in our communities in supporting our churchesThose who serve on our PCCsWe pray for all who live and work in the following streets in our communities:In Copmanthorpe - Tadcaster Road, Tadcaster Mews, Weavers Park, Weavers Close, Smithson CourtIn Bolton Percy & Colton - Colton Braegate LaneIn Askham Bryan - West Wood LaneIn Acaster Malbis - Lilac Avenue & The Vines - Mount Pleasant, Yew Tree CloseIn Appleton Roebuck - Orchard CloseIn the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From Alan Johnston (LLM)Remembrance, Sacrifice and FreedomThere are probably two periods of the year which truly make you think. The first is Easter and probably the second is the week which has just ended. A week that involves both Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day. Both periods possibly contain many of the same thoughts and help us to reflect on understanding what has been done for us. Remembrance Sunday is a time for collective reflection on all those individuals who gave their lives to provide us with the freedoms we have. It was fantastic to see so many, young and less young, stood around the war memorial last Sunday.It is difficult for many of us to really appreciate the horror of war, even though in my lifetime I can remember the Falklands, the two Iraq wars and Afghanistan. At the same time we are also fully aware through TV and the media of the wars around the world, we only need to think at this time about Gaza and Ukraine, but we can also think of previous conflicts in Syria and the Balkans to name just a couple. In all these wars there is often a sense of injustice at the heart and the desire for freedom is crucial for many. Thankfully these wars never came close to our shores. It remains important, however, to reflect on those individuals who sacrificed their lives so that we may be free.That same message is true in the Easter story. Jesus, sacrificing his life that we too may also be free. Not so much free from tyranny and oppression, but free from death. Of course it is easy to also point out that Jesus’ death and resurrection freed us from the tyranny and oppression, that is imposed on us by sin, but it is that victory over death which truly resonates with Remembrance Sunday.So as that period of remembrance and reflection has passed, we now move swiftly towards Advent (which starts on 30th November) as we see the Christian story unfold in a matter of months. Advent is when we prepare for the coming of the Lord, we celebrate that coming at Christmas, this is followed a few months later by Holy Week culminating in Good Friday and Jesus’ sacrifice. But sorrow is quickly turned to joy as we celebrate Easter, followed by Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and our new lives in Jesus, and that fulfilment of freedom. Amen
