December 7 Handel's Messiah,
St Aidan's Leeds, 7.30pm
Details here
December 7 Carols at Leeds Minster, Leeds Minster, 6.30pm
Details here
December 7-9 Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary's Woodkirk, Wakefield.
Details here
December 8-9 Kirkheaton Church Christmas Tree Festival,
More here
December 8-9 Birchencliffe Christmas Tree Festival,
More here
December 8 Christmas Fair
St Mary's Woodkirk, 10am
More here
December 8 Community Children's Christmas Party, Wakefield Cathedral, 2pm
More here
December 8 "Arise, shine for your light has come" - listening to Isaiah in advent, Mirfield Centre, 10am
More here
December 9 Alan Johnson 'In my life - a musical memoir' talk at Holy Trinity Ripon, 3pm
More here
December 9 A Ceremony of Carols, concert at Adel parish church, 3pm
Details here
December 9 Light up a Life, St Luke's Church Sharlston, 3pm
Details here
December 10 'Thoughtful Christmas' film and lunch, Parcevall Hall, Appletreewick.
More here
December 11 Light up a Life, St Mary's Church Badsworth, 7pm
More here
December 12 Light up a Life service at Bradford Cathedral for martin House. 7pm.
More here
December 12 Light up a Life, Holy Cross Church, Airdale, 7pm
More here
December 12 Brexit Dialogue, Gateway Church Leeds, 7.30pm
More here
December 13 Engaging with new religious movements. Leeds Church Institute, 10.30am
More here
December 13 Freemasonry and the Church of England, LCI, 2pm
More here
December 13-15 Quietly Contemplating Christmas, Parcevall Hall.
Details here
December 16 'Twas the night before Christmas',
Hoylandswaine parish church, 4pm More here
December 16 Fiftieth anniversary of ordination,
St Aidan's Church, Hellifield, 9.30am
More here
December 17 Thoughtful Christmas. Parcevall Hall, Appletreewick. Film and lunch.
More here
December 21 Carols by Candlelight at Wakefield Cathedral 7.30pm
More here
December 23 Christmas Houseparty, Holy Rood House, nr Thirsk.
More here
December 24 Bradford Cathedral Choir Christmas Eve recital, 1pm.
More here
December 24 BBC Radio Leeds Carol Service
recorded at Halifax Minster with Bishop Nick, 6pm.
For more Advent and Christmas events at our cathedrals visit:
December 26 Boxing Day Pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey, 10.15am -
More here
December 30- Jan 3 New Year Houseparty, Holy Rood House, nr Thirsk.
Details here
January 3 'We Three Kings' Family Fun, Wakefield Cathedral, 10am
More here
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For safeguarding issues, contact: Jenny Price 07800 740001 Jenny Leccardi 07872 005189 or
Narinder Lyon 07872 005309
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The Who's Who directory lists clergy & diocesan staff (email addresses & phone numbers).
Access it here
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Moves and Appointments
Revd Canon John
Bavington to be
Area Dean of the Inner Bradford Deanery (Bradford EA)
Revd
Canon Stephen Treasure to be Assistant Area Dean of the Inner Bradford Deanery
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National decision makers must create structured solutions to rural education problems and hear the needs of our countryside schools, says Bishop Jonathan Gibbs in an article for the Yorkshire Post.
"We need to be shouting loud and proud about our rural communities, and making sure that people in London are hearing that in the midst of all the noise," Bishop Jonathan said. More here
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The Mothers' Union has embarked on '16 days of Activism', a campaign against gender-based violence. MU
branches across the diocese are joining with others, globally, to raise awareness and call for an end to gender-based violence in all forms and in all societies. Read more here
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A pioneering training project developed in the Ripon Episcopal Area to develop management and leadership skills has seen its first cohort of clergy complete a 14 month course.
The group of twelve 'guinea pigs', were part of a new Clergy Leadership Network (CLN). Learn more here
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Hundreds of visitors from across the diocese have contributed to raising £22,000 for Ripon Cathedral through this year's Christmas Gift and Food Fair.
With 100 stalls of seasonal gifts and food on display in the ancient building, the crowds who came through the west doors were kept entertained by local music groups. Read more and see pictures here
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The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, is sharing daily online extracts of his chosen Advent book for 2018 'The Art of Advent' to encourage all to know something of the closeness of the Kingdom of God this Christmas.
The Art of Advent is written by Jane Williams and is published by SPCK. More here
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Three winning photos have been chosen for the 'Faithful Friends in Photography' competition that took place during Interfaith week last month.
E
ntries were encouraged showing people of different faiths together. See the results here
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EVENTS |
Open up the digital Advent Calendar, now on the diocesan website, for a new advent story from across the diocese each day. If you would like to appear on the online calendar send us your stories with pictures. It's not a list of services - for those visit
'A Church Near You' and add yours - but we would like to hear about anything newsworthy.
See the Advent Calendar here
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50 singers from Skara Cathedral in our Link Swedish diocese will perform a traditional service of light in
Wakefield Cathedral tomorrow
December 7 at 7pm and
Bradford Cathedral on Saturday night,
December 8 at 7pm.
It celebrates St Lucia and in Sweden is traditionally regarded as the longest night of the year and a night when extra protection was needed. More here
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Martin House is planning its first Light up a Life service at Bradford Cathedral this year in partnership with Bishop Toby and the cathedral team.
The event is an opportunity for anyone who has lost a child to gather together to remember them in the company of members of the hospice team who cared for them.
It is taking place on Wednesday 12 December at 7pm, and everyone is welcome. More on Martin House's website here
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Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley, the Bishop of Ripon, says she is really looking forward to leading her first Boxing Day Pilgrimage, December 26, from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey.
The pilgrimage follows in the footsteps of a group of 12th century Cistercian monks and attracts hundreds from across the diocese. More about the walk here
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Every Parish is encouraged to have a disability representative.
This important training day on January 26 outlines the role of the disability rep and explains the support and information available. The event takes place in Huddersfield, and is open to all, with future training events are being planned in other parts of the diocese. It is for existing reps and those considering the role. Find out more here
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Former Ripon vicar turned bishop, Mark Tanner, is to lead a weekend for men from across the Yorkshire Dales early next year.
Bishop Mark, who is now the Bishop Berwick in the Diocese of Newcastle, but was the Vicar of Holy Trinity Church Ripon will speak at a 'Men of the Dales' weekend from
February 1-3
Find out more here
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Spring Harvest, the national teaching and worship conference returns for a second year to Harrogate from
April 13 to 17. Next year the conference will be celebrating its 40th birthday, and as well as offering
inspirational teaching and worship there are extensive children and youth activities. Find out more here
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AROUND THE AREAS
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The names of 21 local servicemen who gave their lives in two World Wars have been inscribed on slates which are being used for a church's refurbishment and extension.
The Eldwick Church's 'Sponsor a Slate' scheme has attracted both church members and those in the wider community and so far 200 slates have been inscribed with the names of the loved ones, families and friends. More here
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This weekend, Halifax Minster, the Square Chapel Arts Centre and The Piece Hall join forces to light up their buildings in one spectacular weekend. 'Illuminating Halifax' begins tomorrow night,
Friday 7 December, and continues through until Sunday. On
Monday 10 December
renowned harpist Ruth Wall will lead visitors to the Minster on a candlelit journey through carols, medieval and new music. Full details and times
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Two years after an abandoned baby was left at the door of a Leeds vicarage the priest involved has made a further appeal for the mother top come forward. T
he Revd Paul Crabb, the Rector of St Peter's Bramley, found the new born baby boy outside his vicarage in November 2016. The child, wrapped in a towel and a carrier bag from Tesco, was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. More on this story here
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Songs of praise filled the village church of St Leonard's in the village of Burton Leonard near Ripon as it was rededicated, almost 140 years to the day after it was originally founded
. More here
A new project has been launched to tackle loneliness for people of all ages. V
olunteers are being recruited to visit lonely people and drivers are also being enlisted in villages near Ripon.
The scheme has been set up by local churches which are working with the Ripon and Rural Wellbeing Service. More here
MU branches across the Area have launched 'Books for Schools' to help children facing trauma.
More here
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A special pork pie has been created to mark Wakefield's 130th anniversary of city status, which it received
thanks to Wakefield Cathedral in 1888. Family butchers, Hofmann's, set up eight years later, is helping to mark the city's anniversary. Nigel Hoffman and daughter Emily are pictured with Dean of Wakefield,
Simon Cowling and Wakefield BID manager Elizabeth Murphy. More about the celebrations here
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RESOURCES
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The December edition of the Prayer Diary is now online to download.There are fresh prayers for Sudan as well as prayers for Tanzania. Download prayers
here.
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The #followthestar Advent Calendar Download is ready to print off and hand to your congregations this Advent season, but did you know that an Epiphany calendar Download has also been created too? It reminds people that December 25th is just the beginning of Christmas.
Visit the Church Support Hub's download page here
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A 12 week course being led in 4 different locations starts in January. Ever wondered what theology means and how to study it? Need some guidance on how to dig a bit deeper? This introductory course may well be for you. Topics covered include: Understanding the Bible, study skills, your own faith journey and exploring prayer and worship. More details
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"Take responsibility for your discipleship ...join the online learning community" urged Bishop Nick at the close of June's Diocesan Lay Conference. The Digital Learning Platform is full of new courses and information - and
you can join up now by visiting it and registering here
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Over the last six months nine churches in our diocese have been targeted for lead theft, leaving them with huge repair bills for replacing lead and masonry damage. We are urging all churches with lead flashings, rainwater goods and roofing material to be extra vigilant. The DAC page of the diocesan website has suggestions to help prevent your church being targeted for metal theft.
Visit it here
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. . . is the name of Bishop Nick's blog, which also includes his
Thought for the Day and Chris Evans show scripts.
Take a look at it here
Bishop Nick's appearances in the House of Lords are recorded
here.
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In the first of a series of new videos from the Vocations department, three assistant curates, Abbie, Rolf and Erik share their stories of how they felt called to ordained ministry in the Church of England. Watch the video here
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If you are a Facebook user you can follow the latest news on our Diocese of Leeds Facebook page. To keep updated on your home feed, please 'Like' our page
which you will find here. Comments are welcomed, but will be moderated!
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and our three cathedrals:
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The Diocese of Leeds is now on Instagram. Images will be posted regularly to share church stories, people and the beautiful locations that can be found in our area. To follow the account please find us under '
DioceseofLeeds'. All likes and comments are welcome!
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You can contact the Communications Team with your news for future editions. The e-news is published twice a month. The next edition will be sent out on
December 20.
Area news stories to
[email protected]
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