From the introduction:

It is my great privilege to serve as the Vicar of St James’ Woodside and to welcome you to read the Trustees Annual Report. 2024 marked an important year for me personally as I was licensed as the permanent Vicar after six years as an interim in the post. I was also invited to become an honorary canon of Bradford Cathedral by the Bishop of Leeds; an invitation I was delighted to accept.

Our purpose is to live well together under God, and to Share God’s Blessing with the people of Woodside. In this Trustees Annual Report, we hope to share the ways in which we live out our purpose.

During the year we continued to develop the St James’ site as a community asset. The Parish Centre and the Horsforth Shed continued to provide space for encounter beyond the walls of the church and this year these spaces were joined by the Horsforth Pantry. We can already see how God is using these spaces to bring new life to the church in our place and we are excited to see how this will develop in 2025 and beyond. We also continued to advance plans for a major reordering of the church building, and this included a capital project to address essential repairs to the church fabric (roof and walls).

I remain grateful to the number and variety of people who contribute to the life of St James’. A fuller list is included later in this report, but I would like to offer particular thanks to PCC members for their commitment and work over the year, churchwardens, Glenda Ingham and Lynne Gillions; vice-chair, Tracey Greig; secretary, Alison Pickford; treasurer Cal Bailey and accountant Malcolm Barraclough. Particular thanks also go to our readers, Pete Gillions and Cal Bailey, to retired clergyman, Brian Lipscombe, to Jo Bailey, our Parish Safeguarding Officer and to Hannah Mason who leads our work with children.

I am also thankful for all those who pray, read, sing, bake, visit, mow, clean, and myriad other jobs at St James’ – many unseen. These are all expressions of faith in God and a desire to Share God’s Blessing with those around us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this report. I pray that you find it a faithful reflection of life at St James’ and that you will forgive any omissions, which I assure you, have been unintentional.

May mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance

Jonathan