Penhill Benefice
Welcome to Penhill benefice: This benefice, which covers a large part of picturesque Wensleydale, consists of Aysgarth church (St Andrew’s), Castle Bolton church (St Oswald’s), Preston under Scar church (St Margaret’s), Redmire church (St Mary’s), Wensley church (Holy Trinity) and West Witton church (St Bartholomew’s) and Thornton Rust Mission Room.
Aysgarth church -St Andrew’s is open every day from 9am to 6pm in summer (or until dusk in winter) so why not pop in and see the famous Jervaulx Screen.
The medieval church of Holy Trinity at Wensley is also open each day, 9am to 4pm.
For more about Aysgarth church see: Pentecost at Aysgarth church; a personal view; the Heroine of Cawnpore; Aysgarth church and a Gurkha officer; 2014 Flower Festival ; and In Appreciation of Easter.
About other places of worship in Wensleydale: St Simon and St Judes, Ulshaw Bridge; and the introduction to The Quaker Inheritance – which is part of my series on Pioneering Girls’ Education.
Car parking at St Andrew’s: RCP Parking (Church Bank) has kindly agreed to free parking on Sunday mornings for those who regularly attend St Andrew’s. Permits are available from Margaret Ferguson (650685). There is a reduced rate of £1 for weddings, funerals and evening concerts. A big thank you to RCP Parking!
SERVICES
Sunday June 11 – Trinity Sunday
- Penhill Together Holy Communion service at Preston under Scar church at 10.30am
Sunday June 18
- Aysgarth church – Holy communion at 11am
- Preston under Scar church – Morning prayer at 9.30am
- Redmire church – Holy communion at 9.30am
- West Witton church – Morning prayer at 9.30am
Sunday June 25
- Aysgarth church – Morning service with baptism at 11am
- Preston under Scar church – Holy communion at 9.30am
- Redmire church – Morning service at 9.30am
- Thornton Rust Mission Room – Evening prayer at 6pm
- Wensley village hall – Children’s church at 9.30am
- West Witton – Holy communion at 4.30pm
Mid-week services at West Witton church: Morning prayer every Monday at 8.30am. There is holy communion at West Witton church at 9.30am on Thursdays June 8 and 22.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
Children are invited to come and learn about God and the Bible in a fun way with activities at Wensley village hall from 9.30am to 11am on June 25. Refreshments and newspapers will be available for parents. For further information contact the benefice office 01969 663097.
EVENTS
Wed June 7 – 10.30 to noon, Bolton cum Redmire Church Coffee Club at Valley View, Castle Bolton
Fri June 9 – 7pm, Wensleydale Filling Station at Middleham Key Centre, with Derek Walmsley of Dir Ordinands, Wakefield
Sat June 17 – 10am to 1pm, Benefice Vision Day in the Vicarage garden at Carperby (in the institute if wet). The Diocese has recently set all Deaneries and PCC’s the challenge ‘What shape do we need to be in 2030 to be a church that is: confident (in the Gospel); growing (disciples of Jesus); and changing (the communities in which we are set).
The Rev Lynn Purvis-Lee said: “Put another way – what do we believe God wants us to be; how is his spirit shaping us for his purposes? This is set in the context that the stark reality is that 40% of stipendiary (paid) clergy will retire in the next 10 years and although the aspiration is there to grow vocations by 50% this will not replace them. So we need to be planning!”
There will be a bring and share lunch. Do contact Christine at the Benefice office (01969 663097) beforehand about the arrangements for this. If you can’t attend, please ask Christine for the list of questions so that you can submit your views.
Wed June 21 – 2pm, Wednesday Club afternoon tea in Redmire village hall
Mon June 26 – 7.30pm, Prayer Fellowship at Brook House Farm, Newbiggin
CONCERTS
Fri June 23 – 7.30pm, at Wensley church: the Harrogate Harmony Barbershop Choir Singers with special guests, The Harrogate Harmony Misspent Ukes and the whimsical Mr Harold Blackburn. There will be supper and wine after the concert. Tickets cost £10 and all proceeds go to the church organ fund. Contact Kathy at 01969 368008.
Sat June 24 – 7.30pm Mats (cello) and Leif Listrom (piano) at Aysgarth church, tickets cost £12.50 for adults (under 18 and full time students £3). see www.wensleydaleconcertseries.co.uk
Sat July 1 – 7.30pm, Gala Concert by internationally acclaimed pianist Martin Roscoe. The programme will include music by Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann and Schubert. Tickets include “Meet the Artist” with drinks and nibbles after the performance. Advance tickets cost £13 (£15 at the door). Tel from Joan Foster at 01969 663368 or the Benefice office, 01969 663097. This concert is in support of the cost of replacing the church roof and repairing the very serious interior damage following the theft of the lead.
Below: one of the floral arrangements at the Beatrix Potter Flower Festival at Aysgarth church. Click on the photograph to see more pictures. Double click on any of the photographs in the Flickr album for more details.
