Diocesan News October 2021 Our churches welcome young climate walkers - Anglican.org
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Diocesan News
October 2021 www.leeds.anglican.org
Our churches welcome Wow factor at
young climate walkers Wakefield
The Diocese of Leeds was MP for Batley and Spen.
Cathedral
pleased to welcome walk- On Friday September 17 the A joyful diocesan celebration
ers from the Young Christian group arrived in Leeds and took place at Wakefield
Climate Network (YCCN) last were welcomed by the West Cathedral when Bishop Nick
week, as they came to the Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, confirmed 27 candidates from
Alex Sobel, MP across our region.
for Leeds North
West, and Leeds “Wow! What a special
City Councillors Al service!’” was the reaction
Garthwaite and of one of the Confirmation
Emma Flint. candidates last Sunday at
Wakefield Cathedral.
They were also
joined in City A congregation drawn
Square by over from across four of our five
diocese as part of the Relay to 100 people from churches
COP26, Rise to the Moment. across Leeds for ‘Climate
Prayer in the Square’ led by
The YCCN walkers were wel- the Revd Jon Swales of Light-
comed into our diocese at St house West Yorkshire and St
Bartholomew’s Marsden on George’s Church.
September 14, with a short
service, and the following day The relay aims to raise aware-
headed to Huddersfield to be ness of the issues climate episcopal areas was in the
hosted by Bishop Jonathan change is causing, especially cathedral to support the
Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfield, for those in climate-vulnera- candidates young and old,
and the Revd Canon Rachel ble countries. who were confirmed by
Firth, Vicar of Huddersfield, at Bishop Nick.
an evening event.
Dean Simon Cowling, was
The next day the walkers delighted to welcome so
reached Drighlington for a ser- many people: “A service
vice at the Methodist church like this shows that God is
there, where they attended a at work in our parishes and
service with Kim Leadbeater, communities.”
I
Stormy Health confer-
weather ence in Sudan
Bishop Nick Baines supported by
In an address recently, Mark
Oakley (Honorary Canon our diocese
Theologian of Wakefield
An interfaith health
Cathedral) spoke of the need for
conference has been held in
“a theology of the shipwrecked”.
Sudan, thanks to support from
The thing about poets is that
people across the Diocese of
they find the words and images
Leeds.
that cut through all the debris
of busy and complex lives I write during a fuel crisis and The Rt Revd Ismail Gabriel
and open up our thinking and genuine fear among many Abudigin, Diocesan Bishop
feeling. I think that is what Mark people that heating a home and of El Obeid, has recently
did when he used that image. feeding a family will prove an organised a health conference
insurmountable – unaffordable in his area, helping make
Many of us have had enough – challenge this coming winter.
of banging on about the The rise in National Insurance
pandemic, lockdowns and coupled with the end of
uncertainty about the future. furlough and the removal of
We long for, if not a return the £20 Universal Credit uplift
to ‘normality’ – which is (given that many recipients are
impossible, then at least a working all the hours there are)
progression to a life more whips up a perfect storm of fear.
predictable. And yet there I need not go on, but the future people more aware of the
are so many people in our does not herald “sunlit uplands” dangers of both COVID-19
communities who have been for too many people. and HIV.
wrecked by the losses and
laments of the last two years. Whatever the causes of our The conference was made
Cast adrift by forces and current challenges, what is possible by funds raised by
phenomena beyond their certain is that the church – that the Diocese of Leeds’ Sudan
control, their bearings have is, Christians who follow the appeal, which raised some
been submerged beneath the Jesus who came not to be £70,000 last year for our
turbulent waves. served, but to serve – has a five partner dioceses in the
vocation to look out for those country.
So, I understand the image of who suffer. And that has to
the ‘shipwrecked’. And I also happen in our parishes. To the delight of those
recognize the choices this faces
organising the conference,
us with. Do we float and hope Whatever the winter holds for the teaching was delivered
that someone else will rescue us, we pray, we serve and we by Muslim officials from the
us? Do we wait for daylight and remain faithful to the God who Sudanese Ministry of Health,
some new orientation? Or do is faithful to us. marking a step in interfaith
we hear the words of Jesus’s
relations in the region.
friends to Bartimaeus the blind +Nick
man: “Take heart. Get up. He is Bishop of Leeds
calling you.”
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St Mary’s Kettlewell named Class of 2021
“Best churchyard in the Dales” interns gather
by national countryside charity for first time
One of our The Diocese of Leeds’ class
churchyards in the of 2021 interns gathered for
Dales has been the first time on Monday to
declared the best begin their year of learning
in North Yorkshire and serving across the whole
and praised for its diocese.
wonderful range of
wildlife. The 24 interns are serving
in churches in the Bradford,
St Mary’s Church, enough to swallow many Leeds and Wakefield areas,
Kettlewell is the “overall visitors whilst at the same spilt across two hubs in the
and unanimous winner” time allowing room for centres of Leeds and Bradford.
of the first-ever Best sitting undisturbed on
Churchyard competition held the numerous seats and The Interns Scheme runs from
in the county by CPRE The enjoying the yard itself and September 2021 until July
Countryside Charity - formerly the views of the Dales. There 2022, and involves leadership
known as the Campaign is a rich and developed experience; training in
to Protect Rural England. flora with a good insect biblical studies, theology
population and busy bees. and leadership; developing
Whilst many piles of wood
are havens for insects
there is much high-value
standing dead wood in the
churchyard.
Revd Di Blakey Williams, co-
ordinator of the Kettlewell
Churchyard Project Group,
said: “The group want to transferable work skills; and
Churchyards at Giggleswick say a huge thank you to an opportunity to consider
and Lothersdale were also all in the church and local God’s calling for the future.
praised by the judges. community who give of their
time and energy to tend the Each week all the participants
The charity said: “Kettlewell churchyard throughout the serving across the diocese of
is a very busy, post-pandemic year.” Leeds gather together for a
tourist hot spot, but walk day of teaching.
down the little lane through
the lych gate and you are in an The day begins with worship
area of peace, tranquillity and and the chance to reflect
contemplation – the journey together on how the
is immersive. placements are going.
“The churchyard is big
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Diocesan News - October 2021
News......News.....News.....News.....News.....News
Our call to Cathedral
share choirs sing
Wendy Gaunt,
Churchwarden /
together after
Treasurer, Parish of
Wortley & Farnley
Covid break
As a teenager I had a Saturday enabling us to bless and serve The choirs of the cathedrals
job in a jewellers. At the end of our communities. of the Diocese of Leeds are
the day we did the cashing up gathering together to share
and it was a lot of money. As we As part of our call as Christians their love of choral music
counted, we pondered: What we are asked to give graciously, with the whole diocese this
happened to it? How was it and Generosity Week’s a chance autumn.
spent? How did it benefit us? to look at how and what we give.
The best way to approach the
I’m churchwarden now in how and what is by deciding to
Wortley & Farnley Parish; I’m give regularly rather than giving
also treasurer and although only what we have left.
I’m not sure people do actually
ponder the parish share there’s At this point I stick my treasurer’s
a perennial discussion about hat on. Our church encourages Ripon Cathedral will be
why we need to pay it, especially regular giving through the Parish hosting the choirs of Bradford
in vacancy, with all the same Giving Scheme. Since we signed and Wakefield Cathedrals,
questions my 16-year-old self up for it, we’ve seen a good as the Yorkshire Cathedrals
asked about those takings. When uptake and because it all goes Festival returns after missing
we buy things, we like to ‘see’ into the bank the same day 2020 due to the pandemic.
something for our money. each month it makes payment
of regular, larger amounts more The choristers and lay clerks
Yes, the vast majority of share doable. The share is important to (adult singers) of Bradford
goes to obvious things like clergy us and despite some resistance and Wakefield Cathedrals will
and housing. But it goes towards through misunderstanding of its join Ripon Cathedral Choir
so much more than that, and worth we always pay it. for the beautiful and uplifting
what we can’t quantify and service of choral evensong
what many don’t appreciate is It sometimes seems that the on Saturday, October 9,
the ‘back office’ stuff; support share is the poor relation when at 5.30pm. Directed by
from the teams and individuals it comes to prioritisation, it has Ripon’s Interim Director of
in Church House and beyond. no glamour, no tangible return. Music, Peter Wright, and
These highly skilled professionals It’s a sad fact of life though that accompanied by the dramatic
provide essential support to keep we can’t choose to pay only the notes of the historic organ,
us on the straight and narrow, bills we like and that Parish Share the joint choir will sing works
underpinning the work we do needs to be paid, with grace, to by Vaughan Williams and John
and quietly, and often invisibly, enable a parish to flourish. Rutter.
For more news, help and advice for parishes, visit www.leeds.anglican.org
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