The Haworth Church Website

Christmas is time of great joy for all, especially Christians. In the run up to Christmas Day St Michael and All Angels in Haworth are offering a programme of quiet and worship – see below. And all are welcome to join us as we find time to pray.

St Michael and All Angel’s Church will be closed from 08:00hrs until 14:00hrs on Monday, September 25th. This closure is to enable a film company to undertake some filming for a production.

Haworth Parish Church launched the latest exhibition of the Yorkshire ‘Speak Their Name Memorial Quilt’ on Wednesday evening.

The four gigantic panels on which every square is created by somebody who has lost a loved one to suicide, was launched on Wednesday evening when many representatives of the Worth Valley community, including the Member of Parliament for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore were among the invited guests.

Haworth Church is the latest venue for the exhibition as it tours Yorkshire. It has previously been seen at York, Beverley and Hull Minsters as well as Bradford, Ripon, and Wakefield Cathedrals, and once it leaves Haworth it is due to be seen at Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Yarndale in Skipton, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

One of the Directors of the group is Haworth-based Anna Scott and she said: “We’re delighted to have the exhibition in Haworth Church.

“The Quilt project started last year, and we’ve been exhibiting them since October 2022. It’s an on-going project for us as we’re now collecting squares to put on our next panel.

“We were fortunate to secure funding for the project from the National Lottery and, as well as exhibiting the Quilt, we’re staging workshops all across Yorkshire.”

The four existing panels are now hanging in Haworth Church and will be there for most of August.

Rev. Oli Preston, the Rector at Haworth Church, said: “Suicide affects so many people and we’re really pleased to have ‘Speaking Their Name Memorial Quilt Yorkshire’ exhibition in our Church.

“As part of the exhibition stay in Haworth, we’ll be holding regular ‘Tea and Chat’ sessions and details of when they are to be held can be found by visiting our web site .

“We shall also be holding a special evening to view the panels and consider suicide prevention on Sunday, August 13^th from 7.00pm until 8.30pm. Part of the evening will include a memorial service for anyone who has been bereaved, impacted, touched, or affected by suicide. It will bring people together and give them time to reflect.”

Haworth Church is open every day from 10.00am until 4.00pm and admission to the exhibition is free.

The Rev. Oliver Preston was licenced as the new Rector for the United Benefice of Haworth and Cross Roads by the Bishop of Leeds, the Right Reverend Nick Baines, in a special service at Haworth Church on Friday evening.

The service was attended by many leading members of the the Worth Valley and Church of England Community as well as visitors from Christ Church, Bridlington where Rev, Preston had previously worked as an assistant priest.

The Rev. Preston, (pictured left) known as ‘Oli’ will be taking his first services as Rector in the Benefice on Sunday.

Last Sunday in St Michael and All Angels, Haworth was the last service to be conducted in the United Benefice of Haworth & Cross Roads by the Rev. Anthony Bennett before leaving to take up a new posting as a vicar to the Mid Esk Parishes in North Yorkshire.

The congregations from Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury came together at Haworth to share Anthony’s last service in the Worth Valley and to present him with ‘going away’ gifts.

Peter Breed, the Haworth Churchwarden, gave a short address in which he noted that the occasion was ‘bitter – sweet’ for the three Churches in the Benefice. Bitter as we are losing Anthony after four years with us as a curate and sweet as we shared his joy at his first appointment as a vicar.

The occasion was also special because a Coronation Statement from King Charles III was delivered to the congregations by Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Gill Arnold JPDL.

Pictured is Rev Anthony with the Deputy Lieutenant, his fellow Worth Valley Anglican clergy, the Churchwarden and other Church officials.

Pictured left to right: Peter Handley, Rev. Anthony Bennett, Deputy Lieutenant Gill Arnold JPDL, Rev. Peter Wilson, Churchwarden Peter Breed, Rosanne Anderson.

The final moments of Rev. Anthony’s last service at Haworth. Pictured left to right: Peter Handley, Rev Anthony, Rev. Peter Wilson and Rosanne Anderson.

Our happy clergy team at Anthony’s last service. Pictured left to right): Peter Handley, Rev. Anthony Bennett, Rev. Peter Wilson and Rosanne Anderson.

Pictured left to right: Deputy Churchwarden (Stanbury) Chris Tordoff, Churchwarden Peter Breed, Rev. Anthony and Organist Colin Horsley.

Join us in Haworth Church on Friday evening at 7 pm as we look forward to the Coronation. We will sing some of King Charles’s favourite hymns, and we will be joined by The Yorkshire Harpist, Fiona Katie Widdop, who will be playing various pieces for us, including one very rare ‘Gypsy harp music of Wales’ tune, which King Charles heard her play several years ago when he was Prince of Wales. There will be refreshments afterwards. All welcome. No need to book.

For further details please follow this link:

https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/6886/service-and-events/events/943520/

Details of all our services for April and May 2023 are on our pew sheet (see link below), including our special services for Holy Week, Easter and the Coronation.

Link to Pew Sheet: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:80d11cba-3a30-3fee-aa46-be1c443c6dd1

Please note that tonight’s Lent group (8th March) has been cancelled due to the snow and risk of freezing and icy conditions in Stanbury.
https://fb.me/e/ERMPuiYb

Our news and details of all our services through March can be found in this month’s Pew Sheet:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:10ca5b9b-c479-3a9a-9af5-ba626b103fc5

Check out details of our worship services in February plus our news and contact information:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:46c2c3e1-d8c2-3331-8862-a801466a8c50

The Church’s support organisation, the Friends of the Brontës’ Church, recently reported that it made a profit of £12,700 during 2022. The money was generated by sales from the Friends’ retail stand and from the church’s static religious book and souvenir stand.

Peter Breed, the chairman of the Friends, said: “We’re delighted that our efforts have yielded such a positive result and we shall now be consulting with the Parochial Church Council to see how we may best support any of the projects that will be undertaken during 2023.”

During the last ten years the Friends have raised £80,000 and have contributed to a number of improvements and projects within St Michael and All Angel’s including a contributing towards the purchase of a new central heating system; the church redecoration, provision of votive candles (pictured) and a new lighting installation.

Please note that we now just have one phone number for all enquiries: 07891183682

Details of all our services, news and church contact information can be viewed in our January 2023 Pew Sheet at this link:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:3c176cb6-9fda-35f7-b612-d84881dbfd6d

We have today agreed with Brian Cowling, the owner/ developer of 121 Main Street that the passageway between Main Street and Church Street (between 121 Main Street and the north wall of the Church) will be temporarily closed for public access for much of January 2023 on Health and Safety grounds.

This closure is necessary to enable scaffolding to be erected within the passageway to enable the repair and restoration of the roof at 121 Main Street.

Following an on-site meeting with Mr Cowling, we have agreed that it would be unsafe for the general public to be squeezing passed any scaffolding during the progress of the project.

Currently the date we have for the start of the works is Saturday, January 7^th. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of January but, as has been pointed out, this projected date is very much weather dependent. We shall, of course, confirm the arrangements as soon as we have any more information.

We apologise for any inconvenience but hope that because the work is being scheduled for January that this will reduce any impact on the community and the visitors to Haworth. Mr Cowling has agreed to isolate the passage and place signage advising people to use a diversion via Church Street.

Haworth Parish Church will be closed to the general public on weekdays for throughout January and part of February.

As from 3rd January 2023 until Monday, 13th February 2023 the Church will be closed Monday to Friday but it will be open as usual on Saturdays and Sundays.

It has been noticed that the number of visitors to the church drops dramatically during these months so in order to contain power costs as well reduce the number of occasions when volunteers will be required, the church will only be open a weekends through both months.

A spokesperson for the Church said: “We apologise for any inconvenience this closure may cause and we hope that people will understand the reasoning behind our decision.

“Our weekend services together with booked events such as weddings and funerals will not be affected by this temporary situation.”

Please note that our Holy Communion service at St Michael’s on Christmas Eve will be starting at 23:30, not at 23:00 as previously advertised in error, but the church will be open for a time of quiet reflection from 23:00. Apologies for any inconvenience.

We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:71fb2dd4-46f9-32d8-a3dd-b0581d5fcd53

Join us on Sunday (4th December) at St Michael’s in Haworth as we think and pray about what points us towards Jesus (in our lives, in our Churches, in the Bible) as we ‘Follow the Star’ on an exciting journey through Advent towards Christmas.

All welcome, young and young-at-heart alike!

Free refreshments afterwards.

Why not join us?

Would you like to explore your Christian faith further?
Have you thought about being baptised or confirmed?
Do you have questions about faith and God that you’d like to talk about?
If so, please get in touch with The Reverend Anthony Bennett
Ring 01535 279624 or email anthony.bennett@leeds.anglican.org

We can talk together,
or you could be part of a new group?
You could come along to our first meeting of Exploring Faith Further?

Exploring Faith Further
Tuesday 6th December
7 – 8.30 pm at St James’ Church Hall
(off Albion Street, Cross Roads)
Refreshments provided
This will be a gentle conversation to get us going.
We’ll be setting up further meetings, so please bring your diary, and please let Anthony know if you can come. 

Our plans for Sunday 13th November are as follows:

  St. Gabriel’s, Stanbury

  St. James’, Cross Roads

  St. Michael’s, Haworth

–Services at St. Gabriel’s, Stanbury

Sunday 2 October 09:30 Morning Worship

Sunday 9 October 09:30 Holy Communion

Sunday 16 October 09:30 Morning Worship – Harvest Festival

Sunday 23 October 09:30 Holy Communion

Monday 24 October 19:00 Breathing Space (contemplative prayer)

Sunday 30 October 09:30 Morning Worship

Sunday 6 November 09:30 Morning Worship

–Services at St. James’, Cross Roads

Sunday 2 October 09:30 Holy Communion

Wednesday 5 October 09:30 Holy Communion (also live streamed)

Sunday 9 October 09:30 All Age Worship – Harvest Festival

Tuesday 11 October 10:30 Breathing Space (contemplative prayer)

Wednesday 12 October 09:30 Holy Communion (also live streamed)

Sunday 16 October 09:30 Holy Communion

Wednesday 19 October 09:30 Holy Communion (also live streamed)

Sunday 23 October 09:30 Morning Worship

Wednesday 26 October 09:30 Holy Communion (also live streamed)

Sunday 30 October 09:30 Holy Communion

Wednesday 2 November 09:30 Holy Communion (not live streamed this week)

Sunday 6 November 09:30 Holy Communion

–Services at St. Michael’s, Haworth

Sunday 2 October 11:00 Morning Worship

Sunday 9 October 11:00 Holy Communion

Sunday 16 October 11:00 Morning Worship – Harvest Festival

Sunday 23 October 11:00 Holy Communion

Sunday 30 October 11:00 Morning Worship and 16:00 Special Service for Bereaved Families

Sunday 6 November 11:00 All Age Worship – God in Creation

Live streamed services on Wednesdays can be viewed on our Facebook pages:

Haworth Church

St James’ Church Cross Roads

–Worth Valley Foodbank (WVFB) will be the recipient for donations again this year for our Harvest Festivals (9 October in Cross Roads; 16 October in Stanbury and Haworth). Based at West Lane Baptist Church, WVFB has been operating for two and a half years. Its dedicated group of 15 volunteers ensure that anyone in need of food supplies can easily access them by walking into WVFB on a Tuesday between 13:00 and 15:00 or by requesting a delivery. Requests can be made by phone or through their Facebook page (details below). WVFB gives out emergency bags of essential foods and toiletries intended to last for 3 days. They always need pasta sauces, UHT milk, cereals, soup, meat products like corned beef and tinned pies, tinned fish, tinned veg and fruit, rice pudding, biscuits, instant foods, tea, coffee, and all toiletries, especially shampoo and toothpaste.

In some emergencies, WVFB gives out vouchers for food purchases and vouchers to the families of local schoolchildren in need. Any monetary donations are used for these vouchers and for buying any extra food supplies that WVFB may need. Please encourage anyone who needs help from WVFB to contact them:

Phone: 07704 586030 Send a Facebook Message: Worth Valley Food Bank

–St. James Ladies Group, Friday 7 October at 14:00 in St. James’ Church Hall. Admission £2: “Preserving your Memories – music from the ’60s by Malcolm Johnson.” Malcolm has visited the group before and is an excellent speaker. For further information, please phone Kathleen Stevens on 01535 644231.

–Opportunities to explore faith continue to be developed. Our Little Group meets on the second Wednesday of each month, 18:30 to 20:30, at St Gabriel’s to share a meal, friendship, discussion, and prayer. Do speak to Anthony Bennett if you would like to come along. Also, we plan to run a series of informal discussions for anyone interested in Exploring Faith Further, including the option to prepare for confirmation at a special service in the Spring. Again, please speak to Anthony.

–Place of Welcome Drop-In continues at St. James’ every Monday, 10:00 to 12:00, for refreshments and conversation in a warm place.

Toddler Praise is at St. James’ each Tuesday in term time from 14:00 to 15:00, with refreshments and children’s play afterwards in the Church Hall.

–Churches Together Children’s Holiday Club returns on 24/25/26 October, 10:00-12:00 at St. James: “The wonder of Creation!” Text/Phone 07917 165178 for info.

–Contact one of our ministers:

Anthony Bennett, Curate – 01535 279624; anthony.bennett@leeds.anglican.org

Peter Wilson, Retired Assistant Priest – 01535 644981

Peter Handley and Rosanne Anderson, Licenced Lay Ministers – 01535 607432

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We would like to extend invitations to a special commemoration service for the Late Her Majesty the Queen at 6 pm on Sunday 18th September.

The service will be held in St Michael and All Angels Church and is for the villages of Haworth, Stanbury and Cross Roads with Lees. The service will be one of many similar services taking place at the same time across the country, as we prepare for the Late Queen’s funeral on Monday 19th September.

We will sing hymns, pray together, read the Bible, and there will be time and space to reflect on our Late Queen’s life together.

All are welcome.

Our churches remain open today (Saturday) and our King and country prayed for at services tomorrow morning (9.30 at St Gabriel’s, Stanbury and 11.00 at St Michael’s, Haworth). The King will be proclaimed in London today and then around the country tomorrow and for local parishes this will be at 4 o’clock and in our case on the steps outside St Michael’s with the church bells being rung straight away afterwards. In due course a special service will be held close to (but not on the day of) the late Queen’s funeral.

St Michael’s bells will be rung muffled for an hour in the middle of tomorrow (Friday 7 September). We have a funeral in church at 12.00 noon, so our ringing is likely to begin after mourners have left, thus a little later than the noon ringing in many other churches. The church is open each day, and other plans to celebrate and mourn our late Queen will be made known as soon as we can do so. God save the King.

Each Sunday at 11.00 a.m.

Sunday 4 September – Morning Worship

Sunday 11 September – Holy Communion 

Sunday 18 September – All Age Worship with Baptism

Sunday 25 September – Holy Communion

Sunday 2 October – Morning Worship  

Holy Communion is live streamed our churches’ Facebook pages each Wednesday at 9.30 a.m. from our sister church St James’, Cross Roads .

How can we explore the implications of faith well with our communities?   An open conversation called ‘Faith in the future?’ is planned for 7.00 to 8.30 p.m. on Sunday 4 September September at the Old School Room when three local Ministers (Chris Upton, Peter Mullins and Ned Shallow, Baptist, Anglican and Methodist) will be kicking off.

Can we be ready to support people when the projected cost of living crisis hits people this autumn and winter?  An open meeting called ‘Eating and heating’ is planned for 7.00 to 8.30 p.m. on Thursday 8 September at West Lane Baptist Church to share ideas and concern and to think about possible ways forward.

Breathing space (shared silence, reflection and meditation) is at St James’ each second Tuesday (including 13 September) at 10.30 a.m. and at St Gabriel’s each fourth Monday at 7.00 p.m. (including 26 September).   The contact is the Revd Anthony Bennett (279624).

A final farewell service for our Rector, the Revd Peter Mullinsis planned for 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday 14 September at St Michael’s followed by a reception in the Old School Room.

The Ukrainian flag is coming down from the church tower.  It has been blown to bits in the few months it has been up there.  We’ll be celebrating it at our 11.00 a.m. All Age Worship on Sunday (24 July) and blessing the new and robust St George’s flag which will be going up in its place next week.  Do come and join us.

Our August 11.00 am. Sunday services will then continue:

 31 July – Holy Communion

7 August – Morning Worship

14 August – Holy Communion 

21 August – Morning Worship

28 August – Holy Communion

Here again are the Christmas Communion times, each designed to be Covid-safe with masks (please) and careful distancing.

An on-line ‘Christmas Midnight Service’ video will be available here from Christmas Eve (our weekly Sunday on-line service released a few days early this week).

3.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve at St James’, Cross Roads

11.30 p.m. (‘Midnight’) on Christmas Eve at St Michael’s, Haworth

9.30 a.m. on Christmas Day at St Gabriel’s, Stanbury (space limited so best to tell 645102 that you are coming)

11.00 a.m. on Christmas Day at St Michael’s, Haworth

10.30 a.m. on Wednesday 30 December at St James’, Cross Roads

The heavy news is that Deborah Mullins died at her home at Haworth Rectory on Sunday morning at the end of a year’s illness.  Her funeral will be in two parts.  There is a strict legal limit of thirty people on the number who can attend and the immediate family will take half these places. 

But a few friends can be accommodated at one or other of the services, and a representative sample of those who might otherwise have come would be really very welcome, so do e-mail rector@haworthchurch.co.uk if you’d like to find out whether there is room. 

The Bishop of Bradford will receive her coffin into St Michael’s late afternoon on Tuesday 29 December, conduct the first half of a simple funeral service, allowing her then to rest overnight there. 

She will travel on to Brocklands Woodland Burial site the following morning (Wednesday 30 December) and the remaining part of the simple funeral service and burial will take place there; we hope soon to make it widely know at what time the hearse will leave St Michael’s (now fixed for 10.10) and at what time it will pass St James’ (now fixed for 10.20) that day; the regular mid-week Communion at St James’ follows at 10.30.