St John's churchyard starting to burst into colour with little daffodils (akin to native variety), primroses and wood anemones from our wonderful Jill 

Holy Week Services:
Monday to Wednesday - 7.00pm Compline with reflection
Maundy Thursday: 7.00pm - "Remembering the Last Supper" - Holy Communion and Washing of Hands.
Good Friday: 2-3.00pm - "Reflections on the Cross" - readings, reflections, prayers and music for Good Friday 7.00pm - Compline

Morning prayer will be on Mondays and Fridays - except Monday 6th, Monday 20th

Annual Parochial Church Meeting
This will be on Monday 23rd April at 7pm in St John's. We will be our churchwardens for the year and new members to the PCC and Deanery Synod. Nominations forms are at the back of St John's.  Please support this important meeting, which is also a chance to celebrate all that has gone on in the past year and thank everyone for all that they have done. 

Greenfingers? Could you prepare some plants for the Christian Aid plant sale and coffee morning in Copt Hewick on May 16th?
 
Forest Church There is interest in introducing this (maybe with a different name) - connecting faith and spirituality to the created world. Please speak to Debbie Atkins, Sharon Sissons or Jenny PW if you would like to know more and/or get involved, including a meeting in late April.
 
Have you filled in a Congregational Contact Form?
If not, then we don't know how to contact you - in case of pastoral need, or to share details of our church life with you. The forms are at the back of St John's. Please return them to the box on the table.
 
Did you know?
Digests of PCC meetings are now displayed on the PCC notice board and also on the church website (under "Meet Us" - "PCC" - then scroll down to "read our recent happenings".
Recent sermons are available on the website (under "Join Us" - "The Sunday Service" - "Sunday Sermons"

Poems That Echo with the Sound of Bells
Poems about bell ringing capture the enchanting sound of bells in various ways, reflecting on their emotional significance and sensory experience. 

From the joyous pealing of wedding bells to the solemn tolling of funeral bells, poets have explored the multifaceted nature of bell sounds in their work. Whether celebrating or reflecting on life's milestones, bell poetry has been a popular theme among poets for centuries. The ringing of bells has long been associated with various emotions and meanings. In poems on bells, poets often explore the symbolic significance of bells, as well as the sensory experience of hearing their melodious tones.

Below are a few examples of poems that capture the essence of bells in different ways.
"The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe: This poem explores the different moods and meanings associated with bells, from the joyful jingling of sleigh bells to the mournful tolling of funeral bells, illustrating their impact on human experience. The poem is structured in four parts, each focusing on a different type of bell and its associated feelings. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by John Donne: A famous poem that reflects on the interconnectedness of humanity, emphasizing the tolling of the funeral bell as a reminder of our mortality. "The Bells of San Blas" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: This poignant poem captures the beauty and melancholy of bells, evoking a sense of nostalgia and longing.

The Church-Bell by Elinor Wylie: a poignant poem that captures the essence of church bells and their impact on the human spirit. The poem begins with the bell ringing, drawing attention to the clapper's song and the bell's call to the people. It is a reflection on the bell's role in summoning the congregation to prayer and the solemnity of the church bells. The poem is a reminder of the spiritual significance of the church bells and their ability to evoke memories and emotions. 
These poems not only celebrate the melody of bells but also delve into the deeper meanings and emotions they evoke, making bell poetry a rich and enduring subject in the world of literature.

Do let me know which poem you like best.

As always details of when we're ringing the bells are displayed on the church notice boards and on the website.
Bridget Taylor-Connor 
Tower Correspondent 07752981346 [email protected] 
Give to St John's Bells - https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/appealforapeal
Sharow Bellringers on Facebook - https://rb.gy/44gwkk

Do you believe that change is possible? I mean change in yourself. Or do you think that how you are now is how you will be for the rest of your days? 


When I was in my late thirties - admittedly quite a long time ago now! - I learnt to juggle. Until then, I had lived with a deep belief that I would never be able to juggle but a student at Ripon and York St John said that she could teach me, and in next to no time I was juggling. I was amazed, I was excited. I actually became quite evangelistic about juggling, saying to people that if could learn so could they. Challenged to put that to the test by equally sceptical people, I went on to teach lots of different people, from children upwards, the basics of the art. Now I need to admit that I never went beyond a basic three ball juggle - so some of my protégés went further - but that didn't matter. I had discovered something new about myself. I felt like an aging plant that had just put out a new bud, growing in an unforeseen and unexpected way. 


I believe that we are all like that; that we have never finished "becoming". There is always the chance of some new beginning. Even when we feel totally stuck in our ways, we never really know what is around the corner. I think of Gerry, an old friend who, at the age of eighty, discovered a new, deep faith in God. As a young man he had rejected his Catholic upbringing and become a Marxist. He went through the horrors of a POW camp out in the Far East, which left him with recurrent nightmares. And then, in the last stage of his life he had discovered the love of Christ and it truly changed him. He asked me, why it had taken so long for that to happen. I had no real explanation except to say that sometimes we need to go through a long journey in order to be ready to be open to God. However, Gerry wasn't the oldest person I knew to have that sort of new beginning. As a curate I helped prepare two ladies in their late eighties for confirmation. 


We never know what is round the corner. We never know what part of ourselves is yet to flourish, given the right circumstances. A change of job, the birth of a child, a new home, retirement, a "chance" conversation, the death of a loved one .... all these and more can lead to the start of something new and unexpected. And we never know when God will come knocking on our door. 


So it was for the first disciples on Easter Day. They saw totally unexpected changes happening in their own lives. They would have been the last to believe that hardened fishermen, men of the world, like them, could become confident evangelists and healers, risking - and sometimes giving - their lives for the conviction that God had started something so totally new that it changed everything. For them, resurrection wasn't simply, or even mainly, about faith in life after death. It was about life before death. A life that kept on surprising them with the knowledge that change - for them and for everyone else - was indeed possible through faith in the Risen Lord. 


I wish you a surprising Eastertide! 


David

The beautiful white lily is synonymous with Easter; and is often called the ‘Easter lily’ having become a symbol of Christ’s Resurrection. However, the flower, also known as the Madonna Lily, represents the Annunciation as well. 
According to legend the lily sprang from the tears of Eve when she was expelled from the Garden of Eden. However, the lily was yellow in colour until it turned white when picked by the Virgin Mary, symbolising the restoration of innocence to the world which had been lost by Eve. 
In the 7th century, the Venerable Bede likened Mary to a white lily, the white petals symbolizing her pure body and the golden anthers the radiance of her soul. A symbol of Mary’s purity and innocence. The lily was also reputed to have the power of healing, just as Mary was to bring into the world the cure for its sins. 
By the 14th century it was common to see the lily appearing in annunciation paintings, placed in a vase between the Angel Gabriel and the young Mary. During the Renaissance period, paintings showed the Angel Gabriel holding a spray of lilies; both forms symbolising Mary’s purity and innocence. 
The flower’s association with Easter grew from another legend; according to which it is said that some white lilies were found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray the night before His Crucifixion. Apparently, the flowers sprang up where drops of Christ's sweat fell like blood as he prayed. 
Since the early 20th century white lilies have been used to decorate churches at Easter, and became a popular inclusion in paintings of the resurrection. 
The lifeless bulb buried in the ground represents the tomb of Christ; from the cold earth new life grows, recalling Christ rising from the dead. Like Christ, the Easter lily is reborn to live again symbolizing new life emerging from death and suffering. 
The white trumpet-like flower symbolizes Jesus’ life after death. Its pure white colour represents the purity of Christ, the gold represents his Kingship, while the trumpet shape signifies Gabriel's trumpet call to rebirth and new life. 
Throughout Christian history, the lily has been used in religious ceremonies, including funerals, weddings, and baptisms; and can be found in altar pieces, religious artwork, including sculptures, paintings, iconography and stained-glass windows. Take a look at the stained-glass windows in St. John’s and see if you can spot some lilies; some of which appear stylised, but there is one window in which you can clearly see lilies growing (with roses and lily of the valley too – two other flowers associated with the Virgin Mary).

SERMON- Reverend David Paton Williams
29th March 2026
Palm Sunday

All over the world, millions of people will go to Church today to receive a Palm Cross - to remember Jesus' joyful entry into Jerusalem, and yet also how only five days later he was put to death on a cross. 
I want to think about another meaning of palm today - the palms of our hands. Because hands have a very important place in the last week of Jesus' life. 


1. The Hands of the Crowds 

On the Sunday the crowd were excitedly cutting down palm branches and waving to greet Jesus as he rode in. 

But on Good Friday the hands of another crowd 
were punching the air with clenched fists, 
angrily demanding that Jesus be killed. 


2. The Hands of Pontius Pilate 

The Roman governor knew that Jesus didn't deserve to die but he didn't want to make the crowd any angrier 
or upset the religious leaders who he wanted to keep on side, so he let Jesus be executed and washed his hands of responsibility. 


3. The Hands of the Soldiers 

Pilate handed Jesus over to his soldiers - who whipped and beat Jesus - using violence against a defenceless man. 
And they took a crown of thorns and pushed it down into his head.

And later on they used their hands to strike the hammer blows that drove the nails into his wrists and ankles. 


4. The Hands of Jesus 


On the night before he died - Maundy Thursday - he broke bread with his friends at the Last Supper, giving them a sign to remember him by. 


And he took a bowl and towel and gently washed their feet, helping them to understand that his death, just like his life,  was all about loving service. 


And then in the Garden of Gethsemane his hands were clasped  in the agony of prayer, before eventually resting openly  as he accepted his Father's will. 


Then the soldiers came and tied his hands with a rope and led him away. 


Once he had been condemned to death he had to carry the rough heavy cross beam through the streets. 
And because it was so heavy he needed Simon of Cyrene to help him bear its weight. 

Then at Calvary, his hands clenched up in pain as the nails were driven through his hands and as he hung from the cross. 

And then, in the moment of death, his hands will have hung slack. 


5. But that's not the end of the story and so we have the Hands of Jesus on Easter Day. 


When he broke bread at Emmaus - and in that action and that moment, being revealed to his followers. 

And later on, he invited Thomas to reach out and touch the imprint of the nails in Jesus' resurrection body. 

So hands play a central role in this story, and they remind us of the place they have in our lives as well. 

Hands can do very ordinary and amazing things: 

with them we wield tools, paint pictures, play instruments, dig gardens, cook meals... 

and we communicate with them - electronically, through pen and paper, or reaching out to express care and love. 

But hands do sad and terrible things as well: 

- pulling triggers of guns that can kill indiscriminately 
- beating or abusing family members 
- harming strangers 
or people can be forced - with their own hands - to carry their possessions as they flee as refugees, 
or root around in dustbins and rubbish dumps to survive.
Hands are important in prayer and worship: 
Whether held together in prayer, 
held open to receive God's grace, or raised in praise. 
Greeting each other in the peace. 
Taking bread and wine. 
Anointing with oil in prayer for healing. 
And raised in blessing at the end. 


In worship, our hands reach out to God and God's hands reach out to us - to welcome and forgive, to bless and to heal. 
I'm reminded of the old song: "He's got the whole world in his hands" 

The events of Holy Week are not just the story of how one very special human being died  rather they take us into the glorious mystery of God's own suffering, redeeming love. 

They show us that God holds each one of us in his hands, through the best of times and the worst of times. 


So as you journey through Holy Week - you may like to think about the hands of Christ - loving, serving, wounded, but ultimately glorified - which reach out to us in our need and will not let us go.

Another gathering of Silver Diners today at Sharow Village Hall was enjoyed by two dozen people.  As usual there was quite a choice with three soups, three trays of sandwiches and sausage rolls followed by cakes and cheese. If you haven’t been before then come and join in next month! We meet on the last Friday of every month in the village hall from 12 - 2pm and when we are nice and relaxed we have a quiz. There is no charge but donations are welcome.  If you’d like further info call Ruth on 07846395396