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In this month’s issue

From Alison............................................................ Page 2

What’s On .............................................................. Page 3

Christmas Events ................................................... Page 4

Mothers’ Union ...................................................... Page 6

Diary Dates ............................................................ Page 7

mid December 2019 - January 2020

Beyond The Pews Page 2

Listen to the angels and follow the star

Dear Friends,

By the time this magazine comes out we will be awaiting a General Election and

presumably wondering what the next twist and turn in the Brexit saga will be.

Meanwhile increasing numbers of people in our country will be living with what

seems a never-ending anxiety about their livelihoods and businesses, there will be

more people sleeping rough and youngsters will be dying on our streets, victims of

knife crime.

Elsewhere in the world millions of people will be suffering as a result of war,

oppression and poverty. Others will be risking everything trying to get to this country

and a be%er future in flimsy dinghies or in the back of a crowded container lorry, and

collectively we will continue to pollute and destroy the earth.

The leaders of our political parties will be campaigning for our votes, making all kinds

of promises they have neither the intention nor the ability to keep, telling us how we

can trust them to transform our country. At the risk of sounding cynical, my faith in

Boris, Jeremy or Jo (alphabetical listing!) isn’t great, although of course I will exercise

what is both my right and my responsibility by voting in what I feel is the best way.

Thank God, literally, Christmas reminds us there are other voices we can listen to and

there are other things than campaign buses we can follow. The prelude to the birth of

Jesus tells of angels coming to poor, powerless shepherds out on the hillside in the

cold of night giving them a message of good news, of hope – peace on earth and

goodwill to all people, a saviour has been born. Later wise men or astrologers

followed a star until it led them to a young child, the one whose birth the angels had

announced.

The good news shown in the birth of this child, God in human form, is that God loves

us, God is commi%ed to us, God cares about us whether we are rich or poor, whatever

our political persuasion. Unlike our politicians He doesn’t make promises unless He

is going to keep them. If we chose to take the teaching and example of Jesus seriously

we can transform the world, for he shows us that love is more powerful than hatred,

that we can live in fellowship and cooperation with others even when we disagree,

we can achieve remarkable things through generosity, forgiveness and reconciliation.

I don’t know about you, but I find the message of the angels and the light of the star

leading to Jesus, God in human form, rather more compelling than the empty rhetoric

of our politicians. They want our votes for themselves, God in Jesus gives of Himself

for us.

Whatever the outcome of the election or Brexit the good news of Christmas remains

true, God is with us and God is for us, he wants to share in our lives and our world,

and He has promised us through Jesus that He is with us always, He will never give

up on us.

May you have a truly Happy Christmas and a peaceful, hopeful New Year.

With my love and prayers, Alison.

Beyond The Pews Page 3

What’s On

Time and Space

Tuesday 7th January

10.00 -10.30am

All Saints’ Church Kirby Hill

30 minutes quiet for reflection, prayer or just to escape from the day’s demands

Northallerton Wind Ensemble

Carol Concert

Friday 13th December

7.00pm All Saints’ Church

Kirby Hill

Tickets £7.50 includes seasonal refreshments

available from Margaret Crawford O1423 325405

Community Lunch

Christmas Community Lunch 11th December 12.00 to 2.00

The Grantham Arms The cost is a very reasonable

£10.50 for two courses or £12.50 for three courses

Anyone in our community is

invited to come but you need to pre-book either at the pub or

with Revd Alison by Sunday 8th December

Eco Sale

Saturday 18th January 10.00 -12.00

All Saints’ Church Kirby Hill

New and nearly new good quality

clothes and accessories, Books, cds, dvds, household items unwanted gifts

Come and pick up a bargain

The money raised will be given to

charities helping communities impoverished by climate change

Bible Study at All Saints' Bible Study continues on Wednesdays, December 4, 11, 18, at 7.30 pm, in All Saints’

Church, Kirby Hill. We shall be studying the First Letter of Peter. All welcome.

Joint Service for Advent Sunday December 1st at 6.30pm at St. James’ Church, Boroughbridge. A special service of

Advent music and readings with the combined choirs from Boroughbridge Church

and Kirby Hill Benefice.

We like to Sing Come and join us for a relaxing afternoon singing Christmas Carols December 5,

2pm- 4pm St James Church, Boroughbridge. For more information please contact Jane

Barber on 01423 325 808 or e-mail music@yorevision.org.uk

Beyond The Pews Page 4

Our Main Christmas Services

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus, God With Us

Enjoyable Pre- Christmas events Dec 8 3.45pm Messy Christmas Activ8 at Coronation Hall - see p6 6.00pm Community Carols at Coronation Hall 10 1.00pm Carols and mince pies with children from Kirby Hill

school in All Saints’ Church Kirby Hill

Christingles Children, candles and oranges – atmospheric as we turn the lights out Dec 10 6.00pm at St Helen’s, Skelton 11 6.00pm at All Saints’, Kirby Hill

Carol Services Dec 15 11.00am Traditional Carol Service at All Saints’, Kirby Hill 22 9.30am Family Carol Service at St Helen’s, Skelton 22 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight at St Mary’s, Cundall - familiar

carols and readings in the church shining with candles

Acted Nativity Dec 24 3.00pm at All Saints’, Kirby Hill. This is great fun for all the

family as we re-tell the Christmas story dressing up as the main characters and creating hilarious sound effects.

Midnight Mass Dec 24 11.30pm the first Communion of Christmas – our main

Christmas service celebrating the light of God coming into the darkness of our world, a light that cannot be extinguished

Christmas Day Dec 25 9.30am Family Communion at St Helen’s, Skelton 11.00am Holy Communion at St Mary’s, Cundall

You can be assured of a very warm welcome at any of these services or events.

Do come along.

Beyond The Pews Page 5

Sponsors

This month’s magazine has been sponsored by

Janet & John in memory of Harold and Marion Leake

Langthorpe Parish Council

Your generosity is much appreciated

Greetings and Best Wishes

to you and yours for

Christmas and the New Year

with a very warm invitation to join us at the special services which mark

our celebration of the

Birth of Christ

From

Alison Askew

and the churchwardens in each of the parishes:

Deana Webb Sarah Tapley Ruby Booker Tom Robinson Rose Moulton Rob Widdows

and all the members of the church congregations in the parishes of

Cundall, Skelton, and Kirby Hill

Beyond The Pews Page 6

For more information contact

Margaret Crawford 01423 325405

margaret.crawford47@tiscali.co.uk

A Special Messy Christmas Activ8

for all school age children from 5 years old

Coronation Hall on Sunday 8th December 3.45pm.

Note: the time was incorrect in last month’s magazine

There will be Crafts and Activities followed by tea at 5.15pm.

We will also be practising an entertainment for the evening’s annual

‘Carols at Coronation Hall’

We hope parents will come and join us from 5.15pm for tea,

and stay for

‘Carols at Coronation Hall’ at 6pm

Booking will be essential for this special event To book a place please ring Jeni on 01423 323390

Please note the different venue and time this month

This month we will be enjoying

fellowship at our Christmas lunch

out.

We wish you all

a very happy and peaceful Christmas

from all of us at Mothers’ Union. We

hope to see you at any of our

meetings and events in 2020!!

Our AGM will take place on Thursday 16th January 2020 at 2.00pm

3 The Croft, Kirby Hill. Bring & Buy for MU funds

Mothers’ Union World -Wide

Wave of Prayer

We join with MU members across the

world as we pray for every Diocese.

Wednesday 8th January 10.15am at

St James, Boroughbridge prior to

10.45am Wednesday Communion.

All welcome

Beyond The Pews Page 7

Diary Dates

Dec 1 6.30pm Joint Service for Advent Sunday at St. James’, Boroughbridge - see p5

3 10.00am Time and Space at All Saints’, Kirby Hill 7.00pm Compline at All Saints’, Kirby Hill 7.30pm Kirby Hill WI 4 7.30pm Bible Study at All Saints’ Church - see p3 8 3.45pm Christmas Activ8 at Coronation Hall - see p6

NB the time was wrong in last month’s magazine 6.00pm Community Carols at Coronation Hall 10 1.00pm Kirby Hill School Carol Singing in All Saints’ Church

with mince pies for adults 6.00pm Skelton Christingle at St Helen’s Church 7.00pm Compline at All Saints’, Kirby Hill 7.30pm Skelton WI 7.40pm Prayer Group at All Saints’ following Compline 11 12.00nn Christmas Community Lunch at the Grantham Arms 6.00pm Kirby Hill Christingle at All Saints’ Church 7.00pm Kirby Hill PCC at the vicarage 7.30pm Bible Study at All Saints’ Church - see p3 13 7.00pm Northallerton Wind Ensemble concert at

All Saints’ Church, Kirby Hill - see p3 16 7.00pm Cundall Manor Carol Service in The Cathedral 17 9.30am Skelton School Carol service in Christ the Consoler 7.00pm Compline at All Saints’, Kirby Hill 18 7.30pm Bible Study at All Saints’ Church - see p3 20 7.00pm Pub Carol Singing - see p3 Jan 7 10.00am Time and Space at All Saints’ Church, Kirby Hill 7.30pm Kirby Hill WI - Women in Warfare with Lesley Newnham 14 7.00pm Prayer Group at the vicarage 7.30pm Skelton WI

From the Registers

Burial Oct 26 John Gill Richardson at Cundall

Burial of Ashes Oct 26 Sheila Mary Ward at Kirby Hill

Confirmation Nov 17 Iris Moulton at Kirby Hill Liam Shepherd at Kirby Hill

See page 4 for a list of Christmas Events and Services

Beyond The Pews Page 8

Date Sunday

22 Dec Advent

4

29 Dec Christ-mas 1

5 Jan Epiph-

any

12 Jan Baptism of Christ

19 Jan Ep. 2

26 Jan Ep. 3

2 Feb Candle-

mas

CUNDALL 6.30pm Carols by Candle

light

11.00 CW2

9.30 MP

KIRBY HILL

11.00 CW

11.00 IC

9.30 CW1

11.00 Activ8

11.00 AAW

11.00 CW1

11.00 IC

SKELTON 9.30 Family Carols

10.30 United

Benefice Service

9.30 CW1

9.30 CW1

9.30 AAW

9.30 CW1

SERVICES

Editorial Team

Peter Crawford 01423 325405; Elaine Greenwood 01765 602862 Distribution Margaret Crawford 01423 325405

Churchwardens

Cundall: Sarah Tapley 01423 360104 Deana Webb 01423 322579

Kirby Hill: Rose Moulton 01423 323690 Rob Widdows 01423 323390

Skelton: Tom Robinson 01765 608791 Ruby Booker 01423 323313

Material for next issue by January 12 2020 please btpews@gmail.com

Printed by Hillsprint Ltd.

WEEKDAY SERVICES AT ALL SAINTS’ KIRBY HILL Tuesday 9.00am MP (said) Wednesday (except – see below) 10.00am CW2 (said) Third Wednesday of the month 10.45am at St James, Boroughbridge

CW1 Holy Communion, Common Worship, order 1, Modern language CW2 Holy Communion, Common Worship, order 2, Traditional language AAW All Age Worship, MP Morning Prayer; ES Evensong, EP Evening Prayer; IC Informal Communion, Activ8 Messy Church for children, young people and parents. On the 4th Sundays of the month, at Kirby Hill, children’s activities are available during the service.

VICAR: The Revd Alison Askew The Vicarage, 13 The Croft, Kirby Hill YO51 9YA; 01423 326284 ASSISTANT PRIEST: The Rt Revd Clive Handford 1 The Terrace, Kirby Hill YO51 9DQ; 01423 325406