Vicar’s Letter
Written by Rev Canon Penny Yeadon
Dear Friends,
Easter Day this year fell on Sunday 31st March. It is traditional to open our Easter Sunday service with the Easter Acclamation “Alleluia, Christ is risen.” And the gathered congregation replies with gusto; “He is risen indeed. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
Between Easter Sunday and Whitsunday (Pentecost) we have 50 days in which the church celebrates the Easter Season. During this time our bible readings look at the encounters that Jesus had with his disciples, after his resurrection on that first Easter day, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Prior to his Ascension (40 days after the first Easter Day) many of the stories reflect the confusion and sadness of the disciples who often at first sight were unable to recognise the presence of their risen Lord. But he was then often recognised in the small gestures, such as the way Jesus spoke in a familiar way to Mary in the garden, which meant that she was then able to recognise that the person she thought was just a gardener was in fact Jesus himself.
Or on the evening of that same day, when two disciples were returning home, they too had witnessed the crucifixion, and were also at a loss as to where Jesus had gone, where he was in the midst of all this suffering and pain.
Whilst walking they were joined by a Man, whom they thought was a stranger travelling the same route. The two disciples shared their story with this travelling companion, all their feelings of grief and confusion and as they reached the village the disciples extended the hand of hospitality and asked the stranger to join them for a meal. As the stranger took the bread, blessed it and broke it, the disciples suddenly recognised that the companion who had walked alongside was indeed the risen Jesus!
And I think it is the same for us – he is not always visible at first glance but he is often present in the small gestures, maybe that act of kindness that is made towards us when we need it most, or perhaps in the nature that surrounds us, such as the barn owl that takes us by surprise or the recent sightings of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) which make us recognise that the Creator God surrounds us and is indeed with us. Jesus promised his followers, although they would not see him after his Ascension, they would receive the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire them. And the church celebrates this on Whitsunday also known as the Day of Pentecost.
The story recorded in the book of the Bible titled the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ describes how the crowds gathered in Jerusalem - representing many nationalities and speaking many languages – were able to hear the disciples preaching and teaching about Jesus in their own language. The beginnings of what we have come to know as the church a community of Christ’s followers.
It may not be easy to see, or recognise at times, but the risen Christ is amongst us and walking alongside us in all the chaos of human life. We may need to ask him to show us where he is or ask that we can see him more clearly but let us be assured, just like the disciples were, that he is not gone but that he is risen indeed!
We hope to see you at our services across the Benefice, this Easter Season, or at our Deanery Service on Ascension Day at Jervaulx Abbey.
Our church buildings are usually open:
Preston under Scar and Wensley - Daily
Aysgarth - daily
Castle Bolton - daily
Redmire - Daily
West Witton - daily
Dates for the Annual Parochial Church Meetings (APCM):
Anyone on the Electoral Roll of a church can attend an APCM. If any church electoral
members are unable to attend but would like a copy of the Annual Report
please contact Tom or email
Bolton cum Redmire: 7pm, 1st May at St Mary’s Church.
Preston with Wensley: 10.30am, 30th April, Preston under Scar Village Hall.
West Witton: After the 9.30am service, 28th April at St Bartholomew’s Church.
Prayer Fellowship
The Prayer Fellowship usually meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7.30 pm to pray together for the Benefice, the wider church, local, national and international issues, and for personal concerns and each other. We begin with a Bible Reflection and short discussion. The next meetings are on Tuesday 23rd April and Tuesday 28th May.
Bolton cum Redmire Church Coffee Club: 10.30am-12noon, Wed 1st May at Redmire Village Hall.
Aysgarth Church Coffee Club: 10am-12noon, Thursday 2nd May, at Machell View, Thoralby.
Wensleydale Filling Station
The next meeting is on Friday 10th May when the speaker is Phil Ireson from Sheffield.
For this year's programme for the Filling Station see:
http://thefillingstation.org.uk/station/wensleydale/
Contact: 07714 204024
The Art, Craft and Coffee Day raised £900 for Mary's Meals through the efforts of Preston under Scar, Wensley, our benefice, and St Peter and Paul's parish at Leyburn. Many thanks to all who helped, sold, bought and ate cake!
Food for Thought Evenings raised £240 for Tear Fund and £305 for Flourishing Families Charities. Thank you to everyone who donated and worked hard to make the evenings a success.
Prayer and Praise at Bedale - click here for details of the monthly contemporary services at the Chantry Hall in Bedale.
Christian Aid
There will be a separate plate in churches for donations to Christian Aid's appeal for aid for the civilian population of Gaza. Christian Aid have partners on the ground in Gaza and are exploring possibilities of supporting Israeli civilians also.
Trees dedicated: Following our ‘Penhill Together’ service with Rev Jeff Payne in September, concerning the environment, a collection was sent to the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust for tree planting. They have thanked us with the following certificate:-
“This is to certify that five native broadleaf trees will be dedicated in James Herriot Wood on behalf of The Parishes of the Penhill Benefice. Your name will also be entered into the Register of Supporters. Thank you for your support”.
FCN sends thanks to the Penhill Benefice: The Farming Community Network
thanked the Church members of Penhill Benefice for the generous donation of £469.45 raised from the raffle of the patchwork quilt. “We are especially grateful for your support during this challenging time in the farming sector. Your generous donation will help us to continue supporting those in need”.
The Penhill Benefice Quilt
In 2019 it was decided to hold a communal activity to raise funds for our Benefice and a charity. The idea of making a patchwork quilt was agreed upon and this would be raffled when finished. Many people took part in the creation of what has been a true labour of love, from donating material and equipment, sewing one or more of the squares making up the quilt, stitching the shapes together, wadding and lining to complete it. Several weekends followed in January and February this year selling raffle tickets with the raffle being drawn on Easter Sunday.
Our endeavours meant we could send £469.45 to the Farming Community Network. We chose this charity because we are a rural Benefice, surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Dales, with many of our members and their families involved in the farming community. We hope the funds raised will help their good work in the farming environment. Anne Kinsman.
Castle Bolton Print For Sale
If you would like to buy a print of St. Oswald’s Church at Castle Bolton priced at £20 which are mounted and cellophane wrapped please contact the office (01969 663097) for further information.
War Memorial at Aysgarth church: The refurbished War Memorial at Aysgarth church was dedicated on November 11. Click here for an illustrated report.
Supporting biodiversity: St. Mary’s Church, Redmire has recently undertaken the Roche ECO Survey with a view to improving the biodiversity of the Churchyard. As part of the action plan we are seeking sponsorship of bird boxes, wild flower seeds, particularly butterfly habitat plants, and bird feeding stations.
Should anyone be interested in supporting this initiative please contact Denise Houghton, tel. 622625 or 07800658083. Email:
Aysgarth church -
The following are now available online -
War Memorials and Graves at Aysgarth church
The printed illustrated guide to War Memorials and Graves in the churchyard is available in Aysgarth church.
Daily Hope offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of a telephone line.
The line is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044. Callers will hear a special greeting from the Archbishop before being able to choose from a range of options, including hymns, prayers, reflections and advice on COVID-19. Please let your family and friends, who are not on internet, know about this. More information click here
Hear To Help
Just 'B' is offering emotional wellbeing support to people in the Harrogate District, Hambleton and Richmondshire, with its Hear to Help phoneline, available to anyone who may need help with such issues as grief, low mood, isolation, anxiety or isolation. The line is manned by trained staff and volunteers and is available seven days a week, 8am-8pm. For more information see Hear to Help.