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 13th 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.
The Rev. Oliver Preston (pictured) will be licenced as the new Rector for the Church of England’s United Benefice of Haworth and Cross Roads in a service at Haworth Parish Church next Friday evening.
Oliver will step into the incumbency that has been vacant since the Rev. Peter Mullins retired in September 2022.
It will be the 35-year-old Oliver’s first Parish appointment and he moves into the Haworth and Cross Road parishes after serving as an Associate Minister (Pioneer) at Christ Church, Bridlington.
Oli Preston was born and grew up in Scarborough. He said: “I still love the coast but I’m looking forward to exploring and loving a new landscape here in the moors and valleys surrounding the Worth Valley.
He is married to Joanne, they have two children – Betty (9) and Cayden (5) and Oli added: “As a parent of young children I’m particularly interested in helping other young families to find a home in church.
“Sometimes church gatherings can be really stressful as a parent – often our children just aren’t designed to be still and quiet!”.
One of Oli and Joanne’s projects in Bridlington was the establishment of a new church and community called ‘Branches: church in a garden’ that usually met outside, in more informal ways, usually with food.
The new Rector of Haworth and Cross Roads loves to share good food, good company, and good beer. He enjoys being part of the community and fun that can grow around live music as well as writing and performing poetry and music in an alternative /indie folk style.
Growing up going to church, Oli first trained as a youth and community worker, before making a conscious decision to follow a ministry within the Church of England. He is inspired by the life and words of Jesus finding deep meaning and hope in his Christian faith. This inspires him to care passionately about people, community and for creation.
He is an activist for climate and ecological care, among other justice issues. He added: “The Bible word for peace is ‘shalom’ – it means wholeness and wellness in every part, and is also about our relationships: with ourselves, one another, the world around us, and with God.
“Peace means right-ness and goodness in all these areas – that is what I long for and want to help people find.”
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 7th. 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
| 09:30 | Morning Worship for Remembrance |
| 11:50 | Memorial Service at Stanbury Cemetery |
St. James’, Cross Roads
| 09:30 | All Age Worship for Remembrance |
| 10:50 | Memorial Service in Cross Roads Park |
St. Michael’s, Haworth
| 09:30 | Morning Worship for Remembrance |
| 10:50 | Memorial Service at the Village War Memorial |
–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:
–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
Download this news: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:a18624c7-adb6-3ab8-9a1b-1860841698b8
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
20th June
13th June
Apologies but we’ve had some problems embedding our videos here for you to watch directly. To view this video please click on this link:
https://www.facebook.com/1514878258772427/videos/754490235245026
6th June
Apologies but we’ve had some problems embedding our videos here for you to watch directly. To view this video please click on this link:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=199692608670232
30th May
23rd May
Apologies but we’ve had some problems embedding our videos here for you to watch directly. To view this video please click on this link:
https://www.facebook.com/haworthparishchurch/videos/529899601475372
16th May
To view this video please click on this link:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2044912392327796
9th May
2nd May
25th April
Our videos are released at 5 am on Sunday mornings each week. Any links below that say ‘Video Unavailable’ won’t work until the video is released.
Sunday Worship Video for Low Sunday, 11th April:
Sunday Worship Video for Easter Day, 4th April:
Sunday Worship Video for Holy Week, beginning 28th March:
Sunday Worship Video for 21st March: the week starting the 5th Sunday of Lent
Sunday Worship Video for Mothering Sunday, 14th March: continuing into Lent
Sunday Worship Video for 7th February:
Sunday Worship Video for 28th February:
Sunday Worship Video for 21st February:
Sunday Worship Video for 14th February:
Sunday Worship Video for 7th February:
Sunday Worship Video for 31st January:
Sunday Worship Video for 24th January:
Sunday Worship Video for 17th January:
Our Christmas Online Service (available from midday on Christmas Eve):
Our video for the Second Sunday of Christmas (available from 9 am on Sunday 3rd January):
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.
We are able to hold a few services provided people wear masks, sit well apart (we have available seats marked out), and don’t hang around to chat or socialise afterwards.
But we don’t plan to have a Carol Service (we can’t sing in church at the moment) or a Crib Service at St Gabriel’s (capacity is small and we are meant to leave the building unused for a period between services).
Not quite a Nativity Walk up Main Street, Haworth is being provided by eight posters, each with a bit of the Christmas story and a QR code link to a carol. Stopping places on the way are Haworth Physiotherapy, The Old Registry, Tap & Tonic, The Fleece, The Cloth Store, The Hawthorn, The Black Bull and Haworth Steam Brewery. Visit all or just one!
2. We still provide a fresh Sunday Worship video each week
A virtual Christingle Service (has been available from Sunday 13 December):
A virtual Nativity Walk (has been available from Saturday 19 December):
A virtual Midnight Communion available from Christmas Eve
Accessible from the front page of our churches’ websites and Facebook pages by a single click, and with audio of the most recent service is accessible by a normal rate phone call 01535 286387, all in partnership with West Lane Baptist Church.
3. Sunday 20 December (Sunday before Christmas)
Family Service with Christingles suitable for all ages, at our normal Sunday service times of 9.30 a.m. at St James’, Cross Roads 11.00 a.m. at St Michael’s, Haworth and 3.30 p.m. at St Gabriel’s, Stanbury (but let us know on 01535 648464 if you are coming to St Gabriel’s as space is limited there).
4. Thursday 24 and Friday 25 December (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
Christmas Communion spread across a variety of times
3.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve at St James’, Cross Roads
11.30 p.m. on Christmas Eve at St Michael’s, Haworth
9.30 a.m. on Christmas Day at St Gabriel’s, Stanbury
11.00 a.m. on Christmas Day at St Michael’s, Haworth.
Our plans for December 2020, now that we’re in Tier 3 again
1. We will still provide a fresh Sunday Worship video each week in partnership with West Lane Baptist Church.
This is accessible from the front page of our churches’ websites by a single click, and the audio of the most recent service is accessible by a normal rate phone call 01535 286387.
Here is our Christingle one for the Third Sunday of Advent (it will be available to view after 10.30 am on Sunday 13th December):
And here is the one for the Second Sunday of Advent:
2. We will now also provide an actual Sunday Service in each church each week Covid-safely; people sit well apart and leave without socialising.
9.30 am St James’, Cross Roads ) the same service
11.00 pm St Michael’s, Haworth ) will be repeated
3.30 pm St Gabriel’s, Stanbury ) three times
6 December Reflective Morning Worship for the start of Advent
13 December Holy Communion as a personal Christmas preparation
20 December All Age mini-celebration with Christingle elements
(space limited at St Gabriel’s so let us know to ‘book’)
27 December Reflective Morning Worship for Christmas week
3 January Holy Communion as dedication for the New Year
3. We again provide an actual simple mid-week Holy Communion each week; people sit well apart and leave without socialising.
10.30 am St James’, Cross Roads each Wednesday
(but no longer an extra Friday lunchtime service at St Michael’s)
4. We will work hard at planning and then announcing as good a pattern of Christmas services as we can manage.
These will be announced on our websites, Facebook and church doors as soon as we can. There are also eight Christmas posters with carol QR codes going up both in Main Street, Haworth and central Cross Roads,
5. We will still hold our annual meetings for both parishes very briefly after one of our morning Communion services; people sit well apart and leave without socialising. Papers will be available in advance for all who request them even if they will not attend – any comments will be reported to what we expect will be small number attending the half-hour meetings.
Cross Roads parish 11.10 a.m. Wednesday 17 Dec at St James’
Haworth parish 11.45 a.m. Sunday 13 Dec at St Michael’s
6. We are really sorry that we are not allowed to keep St Michael’s open for tourists while in Tier 3; we are hugely grateful to the Friends’ of the Brontë Church and our own team of Church Tour Guides who enabled us to do so on many days when we were in Tier 2.
Just before you read about our plans, our on-line worship for Advent Sunday, 29th November, can be viewed below (but, sorry, it won’t be available until after 9:30 am Sunday morning):
For those who would like to share in a Sunday evening ‘course’ for the four Sundays in Advent, we do plan to do this as usual in partnership with West Lane Baptist Church, and will do so by Zoom. It will be 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. each Sunday (beginning 29th November). Just ask Anthony Bennett (Anthony.Bennett@leeds.anglican.org or 01535 279264) for the link. Thoughts will spin off from four words much at the front of many minds at the moment: distance; safe; trust; normal. Meanwhile, we’ll say more about any public worship plans for December and even Carol Service plans once the nature of new Government restrictions are fully announced and explained.
It seems that we have to cancel all our plans for public worship for a month. Of course, our weekly on-line Sunday worship will continue, and this is our latest video for Sunday 22nd November (sorry but it won’t be available until after 9:30 am Sunday morning):
This is last week’s service for Sunday 15th November:
The week before, we released a special Remembrance Service, which is still available for you to watch:
We will also be open for private prayer in each church for an hour each week with people sitting well apart and people leave without socialising with others.
Sundays 3.00 pm St Gabriel’s, Stanbury
Wednesdays 10.00 am St James’, Cross Roads
(but not on 11th November when there is a funeral)
Fridays 12.00 noon St Michael’s, Haworth
We have spare capacity and willingness as churches to support others and join with West Lane Baptist Church (the base of the Worth Valley Food Bank) in saying this widely.
Do feel free to contact us at rector@haworthchurch.co.uk or directly:
The Revd Anthony Bennett 279624
The Revd Peter Mullins 648464
The Revd Julie Roberts 645102
The Revd Peter Wilson 644981
We also know just how many are praying for others and looking out for others as usual even when confined mainly to our homes.
But, please, do let us know if you think additional provision might meet people’s needs better.
Meanwhile the Archbishops have issued a letter last week:
Dear Friends,
These are deeply challenging and difficult times for us all. When we are surrounded by fear and suffering, it can be hard to feel hopeful. This coming winter feels like it will be longer and darker than usual.
There is a story in the Bible where Jesus and his disciples are caught in a storm. The disciples are understandably terrified as the wind and waves threaten to overpower them. ‘Why are you so afraid?’, Jesus asks. This year, we too have been caught in a storm which often feels overwhelming. And yet we can look to Jesus, in the boat with us, who calms the storm and comforts us in our fear.
We are writing to share our belief that whoever you are, and whatever you happen to believe, you are loved by God. Beyond measure. We also want you to know that we are praying for you, particularly asking that Christ’s love will comfort us, calm our fears, and lead our nation and our world through this terrible pandemic. Starting this week, we have asked every church to pray each day at 6pm. We invite you to join with us. You’ll be able to find simple resources on the Church of England website and social media channels.
There are three other responses that we want to encourage everyone to consider –
First, let’s be calm. By only buying what we need and not hoarding, or by reaching out to our neighbours as we did during the first lockdown, we can be stronger together in ways that are impossible if we go it alone. When things go wrong – as they always will with such complex challenges – let us look for good and right ways forward together.
Secondly, let’s be courageous. There are many reasons to be fearful at the moment, but the story of Christ calming the waves calls us to give our fears to Jesus and have faith in Him. The British willingness just to get on with things is one of our very best characteristics – let us not be paralysed by fear. We will all need each other’s courage in the months to come.
Thirdly, let’s be compassionate. So many of us are holding so much pain – our own and the pain of those we love. We will need to be gentle, kind and patient with each other. In the first wave we showed we are a nation of compassion and kindness. Let’s dig deep and keep that love for our neighbours strong in this second time of struggle.
Even though there is much darkness around us, there are also many points of light in the weeks ahead.
This Sunday is Remembrance Day. As we remember the courage and sacrifice of those who gave everything for this nation in war, we are also reminded of the possibility for hope after destruction, of new life after suffering. In the coming weeks, there are great religious ceremonies. For Hindus, Sikhs and Jains there is Diwali, the festival of light. Sikhs will celebrate the birth of Guru Nanak. The Jewish community will observe Hanukkah. Many Muslim communities have just celebrated Eid-e-Milad, the anniversary of the birth of Muhammad.
Soon it will be Christmas. At his birth Jesus was also called Emmanuel. It’s a word that appears in lots of carols. It means ‘God is with us’. And this is the message of Christmas: in Jesus, God is with us, sharing our darkness and our struggles, bringing comfort and joy. It is the source of our hope. As the Bible says: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) Let us shine in the darkness of this winter.
We will continue to release a fresh on-line half-hour Sunday Worship video each week in partnership with West Lane Baptist Church.
>>Our Sunday Worship Video can be viewed at this link from 25 October onwards.
>>Our Sunday Worship Video can be viewed at this link from 1 November onwards.
Our Weekly Worship Video for 18 October can be viewed at this link:
Our Weekly Worship Video for 11 October can be viewed at this link:
Our Weekly Worship Video for 4 October can be viewed at this link:
Haworth Parish Church staged a Pre-Coronation service on Friday evening. The service was led by the Rev. Anthony Bennett supported by Deacon Rob Dearden from West Lane Baptist Church and Mrl Shallow from the Methodist Church. Included in the congregation were David Pearson a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Keighley & Ilkley MP Robbie Moore and newly-re-elected Worth Valley Councillor Rebecca Poulsen. The music was provided by Worth Valley harpist Fiona Katie Widdop and organist Colin Horsley.
The Bishop of Bradford Very Rev. Toby Howorth conducted Sunday’s service at Haworth Church. It was a special and very happy event when he confirmed and baptised two new members of our congregation Susan Clements and Jonathan Newton. Pictured after the service (left to right) are: Reader Rosanne Anderson, Rev. Anthony Bennett, Susan Clements, Jonathan Newton, Bishop Toby, Reader Peter Handley.
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