GREETING: Our Vicar, the Rev Tom Lusty, pictured at his Licensing Service at St Oswald's Church, Arncliffe, on July 28, 2021, with his wife, Helen, and the then Bishop of Ripon, the Right Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley Picture: Peter Vetch
Services
On Tuesday, February 11, we will have a Sanctuary@6 Healing Service in Kettlewell Vicarage at 6pm.
On Sunday, February 16, we will have: *A Service of Morning Prayer at St Oswald's Church, Arncliffe, at 9.30pm. *A Service of Holy Communion at St Michael and All Angels Church, Hubberholme, at 11.15am.
Will you support our Link magazine?
For many years, the costs of producing The Link have been covered by the advertising revenue and the donations received through the annual envelope appeal. However, a smaller number of advertisers, combined with higher printing costs, has left us with a shortfall in the last two years. Last year’s survey showed how much parishioners value the Link and it plays such a key part in getting information to all corners of our parish. Faced with another shortfall this year, your contribution is more important than ever, so please consider making a donation towards the ongoing costs of keeping this important publication in production. It’s really easy to do. You can click on the button above to make a payment online, or alternatively place cash or a cheque in the envelope contained in February’s edition of The Link. Many thanks for your support. Nick Davies, Treasurer, Upper Wharfedale & Littondale PCC.
Producing a new Electoral Roll
Every few years the Diocese requires our Parish of four Churches to produce a new Electoral Roll of all the parishioners who are and wish to be on the roll. 2025 is the year that it is due again and it is a legal requirement for us to supply them with the information. As your Electoral Roll Officer, I will shortly be displaying a notice at each of the Churches stating that this will be happening and how the list must be completed within a certain timescale before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), which is due in April. The list which accompanies the notice will also have just the names of the current parishioners on the roll at present. There will no personal details of addresses, emails, etc, displayed. I will shortly be writing to each parishioner, by email if we have it, or by post, with a new form to fill out, asking them to complete and return it confirming as to whether they wish to be on the new roll. I will only be sending the one letter to save postal costs. If no reply is received by the deadline given in the letter, then it will be taken as you not wishing to be included on the new roll. If you do have an email address that we do not have yet, please do let us have it, as it helps save money for our Parish as well as making communication much easier, cheaper and more convenient. All personal details are kept safe and are purely just for the roll and Parish records, never for any external marketing, etc. I look forward to hearing from you all soon with your confirmation to be included and details of any updates on your details. I can be contacted by email on [email protected] or by phone or WhatsApp on 07860 735380. Thanking you in anticipation. Christopher E Winpenny, Electoral Roll Officer.
Service changes for 2025
Changes have been agreed to the pattern of Services in our Churches in 2025. This follows a consultation with people across the Parish, which mostly took the form of written submissions being sent in, though there was also a meeting of churchgoers in Arncliffe and an informal discussion after a Service at Conistone. The issue was discussed in detail and at some length during a meeting of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) on Wednesday, November 27.
After considering three possible options, the PCC unanimously agreed on a pattern of Services which can be found by clicking on the button below.
In brief, the decision means that from the beginning of January 2025 there will be: * Three Services per month at Arncliffe, starting at 9.30am. * One Service per month at Conistone, starting at 11.15am. * Three Services per month at Hubberholme, with two starting at 11.15am and one Evening Service. * One Service per month at Kettlewell, starting at 10am. It will be the only Service in the Parish that day.
PCC members said they had made their decision on the basis of seeking to meet, so far as possible, the differing needs of each part of our Parish, as expressed in the consultation.
Of those who responded to the consultation, the majority of churchgoers from Kettlewell and Conistone favoured reducing the number of Services held in their local Church each month, while the majority in Arncliffe and Hubberholme favoured staying at something like the present number of Services. Arguments in favour of reducing Services included the increasing difficulty of finding people to prepare Churches for Worship, and the belief that asking people to attend Services in one Church rotating around the Parish each Sunday would increase congregation numbers and improve the Worship experience. Arguments in favour of retaining the present number of Services in some Churches included there being more volunteers able to help out in some locations, and the concern that overall numbers attending our Churches would fall if there was only one Service in the Parish each Sunday. The 10am Service at Kettlewell is the only one in the Parish that Sunday, to allow an opportunity to see whether people from around the Parish are prepared to attend. The only Evening Service in the new pattern is at Hubberholme. While most members of that congregation said they preferred a mid-morning Service, some said they could only attend a Service in the evening. PCC members said they would be flexible in their approach to any issues which may arise, but they hoped this new pattern of Services would remain in place for 2025. The exception to this will be the period of the sabbatical for our Vicar, the Rev Tom Lusty, due to take place from roughly April to June of next year. Arrangements for this period will be made early next year and publicised once they have been agreed. Thank you to everyone in our congregations who responded to the consultation.
Please go to the News and Views section of our website for the latest on events and happenings from around our Parish, including news of the success of a Winter Warmer event in Kettlewell and the February edition of The Link.
The church communities of Upper Wharfedale and Littondale aim to be open and welcoming to everyone. We extend the hospitality of Jesus to people of all faiths and none whatever your background or identity.
Whether you are seeking God's presence, looking for information or some help with prayer and worship, we hope that you will discover that God's love is unconditional and within all things.
Keep us, good Lord, Under the shadow of your mercy In this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful, And lift up all who are brought low; That we may rejoice in your comfort, Knowing that nothing can separate us from your love In Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Peace to all who enter. God's grace to all who depart