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Beloved friends in Christ,
The start of a new calendar year offers a quiet invitation to reflection and continuity. While the world looks to “new beginnings,” our hope is found not in the turning of a page but in the steadfast presence of Christ. January opens with the glow of Epiphany on 6 January, a celebration of the revelation of God to all nations, reminding us that the light of Christ shines beyond time and circumstance. January is a calm month at St Johns and The Holy Innocents but we are inspired by faithful witnesses whose lives continue to inspire our journey:
Their witness reminds us that the Church offers continuity, wisdom, and hope, anchored in the love of Christ across centuries. Across St John’s and The Holy Innocents, life and faith continue to flourish. The ministry of “Wonderful Wednesdays” remains a joyful rhythm, a resource for community fellowship and crafting and creativity. Bridget’s update from the bell tower chronicles both the ongoing work and her inspiring winter swimming to support it; a vivid example of dedication and love for the parish. Sacramental life continues to be a heart of parish rhythm. The laying on of hands and anointing returns to Sunday services, a ministry of pastoral care from our wonderful Reverend Christopher Cowper. Holy Communion continues every Tuesday with Reverend Christopher at Holy Innocents in Copt Hewick, a quiet, intimate, Eucharist with gentle reflection. The Sunday service of Holy Communion at The Holy Innocents now takes place every second Sunday, with hymns of praise enriching our worship. View our Sunday schedule here. Tuesdays also offer Community Café, a welcoming space to meet neighbours, enjoy tea, and pause from the busyness of daily life. This is a chance to invite friends who may not yet be part of the church community to experience fellowship in a relaxed, joyful setting. Our brilliant Reverend David has given us with a lovely reflection this month on the life of our parish and the beauty of living together in Christ. We also have a warm invitation for conversation over coffee at his home. This month, bible study resumes each week from Friday January 16th (10am)with Bryan. Its a really amazing opportunity to go deeply into theology and Christianity, whether you're new in faith or further on. Looking ahead, the diocese offers opportunities this year to explore vocation and discernment, reminding us that our lives are shaped not by calendar milestones but by God’s ongoing call. A prayer for January: O God of light and revelation, shine in our hearts as we journey through this month of Epiphany and remembrance. Let the witness of your saints inspire faithfulness, courage, and love. May the continuity of your Church be a source of hope, the rhythms of our community a source of peace, and your presence, Emmanuel, ever near. Amen. As January unfolds, we are reminded that the light of Christ is not bound by seasons or years. The beauty of parish life; the music, the prayers, the fellowship, the quiet moments of reflection, is a tangible echo of God’s presence. Those who are new to church, uncertain of faith, or navigating life with additional needs, and those coming on their own, are embraced in the shared life of our community. In these ordinary days, in gatherings both large and intimate, the sacred mystery of Emmanuel continues to be revealed. And with a final note of very excited invitation - please come to our pantomime on Sunday ! †
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Throughout January, Jenny and would love to welcome you - each one of you - to our home - 16 Orchard Close. It is firstly a chance just to chat over coffee, enjoy each others' company, and go on getting to know each other. However I would like to use a bit of the time to reflect together about the life of our churches - what we value in them, how we might want them to develop, and how we might be able to help in that. There are a range of dates and times, one of which will hopefully work for you. If you haven't already, please sign up on the sheets by the door in St John's or, if you are at Holy Innocents, please let myself, Chris or Ruth know when you can come and I will put your name down.
To keep things manageable we are initially inviting up to eight people at a time, but if the only slot you could come to is already "full", we would rather you come anyway than not at all. So eight is just a rough guide. The dates and times are as follows: Sunday January 4th - 3-4.30pm Friday 9th - 10.30-12.00am Sunday 11th - 3.00-4.30pm Saturday 17th - 10.30-12.00am Sunday 18th - 3.00-4.30pm Friday 23rd - 10.30-12.00am Sunday 25th - 3.00-4.30pm Saturday 31st - 10.30-12.00am Do please come. We look forward to welcoming you. David Dear Friends
I am writing shortly after the funeral of Lesley Whitley. The shock and sadness at her death were felt by many, as was evident from the number of people who attended the service. This was reinforced by the response of people offering to help, at short notice, with catering, flowers, music and bells. This all showed me something, as a newcomer to the parish: how Lesley (and Tony too) had become deeply interwoven into the community of the church (as well as the wider community). And it highlighted the sense that the church is indeed a community. We sometimes hear someone described as "a church-goer". I confess that I'm not overly fond of the term as it seems to imply that church is simply a place to which we go. (It also seems to be a way of avoiding saying that they are a Christian.) Now, of course, church is a place we go to but, far more than that, it is something we belong to and are part of. It is something we are. The New Testament puts this in several ways - two of the most familiar are that the church is a family and that we are the Body of Christ. When God entered the world at Christmas, he didn't just appear as some immense spiritual entity - with or without a long white beard. In the birth of Jesus, he came to us in human form - in a body and as part of a family. And when Jesus called the first disciples (something we hear about in our gospel readings in the coming season of Epiphany) he called them to be a community, who for all their differences belonged together, worshipped and learned together, suffered and cared together. And they also offered their gifts to Jesus and each other as part of that community. The theme of offering also runs through from Epiphany, with the wise ones offering their gifts to Jesus, to Candlemas at the start of February where Mary offers her greatest gift, her son, back to God for his service. Sometimes in church life we speak of someone "volunteering" in some way or other. But again, I am not too sure about this way of describing what is going on. During Epiphanytide we celebrate the feast of the baptism of Christ, and along with that our own baptism. And just as his baptism was a moment of profound calling for Jesus, so our own baptism means that we too are called - to offer ourselves, our gifts, our desire to serve Christ in a whole range of ways great or small. Most of those acts of self-offering will take place in our daily life and work. But some of them happen in our church community. By offering ourselves we are saying that our participation in the life and worship is not simply about what we are getting out of belonging, but also about what we are putting into it. Now, simply by being a caring and prayerful presence in our worship and fellowship, and by giving financially on a committed, regular basis, we are making a vital contribution to building up the Body of Christ, which is something we can all do. However, many of us are called to offer more than that. Of course we have rotas and tasks that need doing; that is just a function of being a human organisation. But as the Body of Christ, there is a spiritual dimension. We are not volunteers but disciples - called to serve Christ by offering what we have to him. In doing, so we enrich our worship, our fellowship and our mission, and express that we are indeed a living community of faith. Over the coming weeks, I hope we will have more chance to reflect on this and either to renew our existing offering, or offer something new - a chance, I hope, to ponder our response to all that God has offered to us in Christ. God bless you all and a Happy New Year! David  Every Tuesday at 10:45 a group of lovely people from Sharow and surrounding villages get together for a drink and a natter (and the biscuit tin is always open). They'd love more people to pop by. It's a great opportunity to get to know your neighbours, make new friends or even just grab a pause in your day.
Holy Anointing and the Laying on of Hands at St John’s There is a moment in our worship when words begin to give way to presence. After Holy Communion, when we have received the sacrament, carrying Christ within us, the Church opens a quieter space. At St John’s, this is the moment when holy anointing and the laying on of hands are offered, on all Sundays except the second and the last. If you wish to receive this ministry, you are invited to head to the left of the church after Communion, before taking your seat again. A practice older than words The anointing of the sick and the laying on of hands are among the most ancient actions of God’s people. In the Letter of James we hear the instruction plainly, “Are any among you sick? Let them call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.” This is not metaphor but embodied prayer, drawing body, mind, and spirit into God’s healing presence. Oil in Scripture is never merely practical. It heals, but it also consecrates. Kings are anointed. Prophets are anointed. The sick are anointed. The same holy sign marks vocation, authority, and vulnerability, reminding us that God meets us most powerfully where strength and weakness intertwine. The laying on of hands echoes throughout the Gospels and the life of the early Church. Jesus touches those others would not. The apostles lay hands on those seeking healing, blessing, or the gift of the Spirit. Theology here is not only spoken, it is enacted.  Why it follows Communion There is a deep wisdom in offering this ministry after we have received Holy Communion. Having shared in Christ’s body and blood, we come not as isolated individuals but as members of his body, already gathered into his life. Anointing at this point in the liturgy is not an add-on. It flows directly from the sacrament. What we have received inwardly is gently affirmed outwardly, through touch, prayer, and oil. Grace continues its movement. Why touch matters In a world often marked by distance and restraint, the Church continues to trust that God works through human hands. Not instead of prayer, but as prayer. Not instead of medicine, but alongside it. When hands are laid and oil is traced in the sign of the cross, the whole person is held before God. Physical illness, emotional weariness, spiritual confusion, grief, hope, and joy can all be brought without explanation. Healing may come as physical restoration, or as peace, clarity, courage, or comfort. Sometimes it comes simply as the assurance that one is known and not alone. All of this belongs to God’s mercy.  How to participate Before heading back to your pew after receiving Communion or a Blessing, our resident Reverend Christopher Cowper will be waiting at a small table at the left side of the church. He will lay a hand often on your shoulder and pray a short prayer over you. after which, put your palms facing up infant of you and he will again pray whilst anointing your hands and your forehead with the symbol of the cross. This special oil won't mark you in anyway and is clear in colour. It's been blessed specially for this purpose by our wonderful Bishop. Afterward, please head back to your seat as usual. It is of course entirely optional but a lovely addition to the service should you wish to take part. For whom is it? This ministry is for anyone. For those who are ill or in pain. For those who are weary or overwhelmed. For those facing decisions, loss, or change. For those who simply desire prayer. There is no need to have the right reason or the right words. The Church meets you where you are.  A liminal and ancient moment
The anointing offered among us belongs to a long and tender history. In the Gospels, Jesus himself enters a liminal space at Bethany, where a woman breaks open a jar of costly oil and pours it over him. It is an act of devotion that confuses onlookers and unsettles assumptions, yet Jesus receives it without hesitation. He understands what others miss. This is preparation, blessing, love, and grief interwoven. It is worship enacted through touch. Bethany sits on the threshold of Holy Week, poised between table fellowship and the cross. The anointing there holds together intimacy and sacrifice, vulnerability and reverence. It is not hurried. It is not efficient. It is profoundly human, and profoundly holy. When the Church anoints today, she stands in that same threshold space. This is a ministry that resists spectacle and explanation. It lives in the in-between, where prayer is felt as much as spoken, and where grace moves quietly through ordinary signs made holy by love. Here, history breathes. The same oil, the same gesture, the same trust that God meets us not only in words, but in presence. What was offered to Christ at Bethany continues in his body now, a reminder that tenderness has always been at the heart of holiness.  December has been a month of joy and sorrow in the bell tower. It was a privilege on 22nd December to ring half muffled bells for Lesley's funeral. Lesley was a great supporter of the bells and Tony has worked tirelessly in the bell tower and as a link with the Diocesan DAC over the bells restoration. At the end of November, we held a very successful Gala Dinner for the bell fund, which raised over £3,000. Many thanks to everyone who made the event such a success. On the night we launched our new Sharow Bellringers leaflet, which incorporates our new logo. Many thanks to Katerina for her amazing design skills and vision. If you're yet to see a leaflet, they are available at the back of church. One of the Silent Auction prizes at the dinner, was an introduction to bellringing and we were very pleased to welcome Phillipa Dallas who is now learning to ring. We've also been joined by Tony Priest from Ripon Cathedral, who is coming to our Wednesday morning Silent Practice. It has been a great joy to ring the bells before Sunday Service and especially for the Nativity on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. I've recently come across a carol "I heard the bells" which I thought was rather wonderful and I'd like to share with you. I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat, Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the days had come, The belfries of all Christendom, Had rolled along Th' unbroken Song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till ringing, singing, on its way The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Words by Longfellow Continuing my Wild Swimming Challenge, I took a Boxing Day Dip in aid of the bell fund. My next swim will be on New Years Day, when I'll be returning to Saltburn-by-the-Sea and testing out my new water temperature testing duck! Pictures to follow! As we approach 2026, Sharow Bellringers are working with Rev' David and Sharow PCC to draw up a normal accepted pattern of ringing. For dates when we will be ringing, please see the notices on the boards inside and outside church, and on St John's website. To give to St John's Bells Restoration or to follow our activities please use these links- https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/appealforapealSharow Bellringers on Facebook - https://rb.gy/44gwkk Instagram #sharowbellringers If you'd like any information about the bells or you'd like to see what we get up to in the bell tower, please get in touch. Best wishes Bridget Taylor-Connor Tower Correspondent 07752981346   Beloved friends in Christ,
December comes softly. Light deepens. Shadows lengthen. Advent gathers us into its ancient hush. We stand on the threshold of mystery once more, held by the promise of Isaiah 9:2, that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Christmas draws near, and with it the tenderness of God made flesh, the quiet splendour of Emmanuel, the Holy One dwelling among us in humility and joy. This sacred month carries us through the feasts of beloved saints whose witness enriches our waiting. On 6 December we honour St Nicholas, the model of hidden generosity, a saint whose compassion shaped centuries of Christian kindness. On 13 December we remember St Lucy, luminous in courage and faith, a bearer of light in winter’s deepening night. On 14 December we give thanks for St John of the Cross, whose contemplative fire and mystical poetry lead us into the depths of God’s transforming love. On 26 December we mark St Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, whose steadfast faith and radiant forgiveness illuminate the heart of the Christmas season. Our parish rhythm this month is rich and full. Across St John’s and The Holy Innocents, prayer continues morning by morning. Preparations for Advent and Christmas unfold with thoughtful devotion. Candle Nights returns on the first Sunday of the month, 7 December from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, when the church opens its doors to all. A sacred space awaits. A gentle invitation. Come for five minutes or for the full two hours. Light a candle. Be in stillness. Bring your faith, perhaps a book to sit with, your hopes, or simply your quiet presence. Peace will hold you in this open church. Our Carol Service with the Paulinus Singers on 16 December will be free for all, a radiant evening of music and devotion. On 20 December we gather for carol singing and mulled wine at Copt Hewick, a moment of brightness and fellowship with a minced pie. Celtic worship continues each Friday in December, including a peaceful Boxing Day gathering for the feast of St Stephen, offering quiet prayer, gentle musical interludes, and stillness for weary spirits. There is more. Our Nativity Service on 24 December welcomes everyone, whether you come alone or with friends, with family or in joyful fancy dress. Christmas Day services stand at the centre of our celebrations. All are welcome. All are cherished. This month’s parish blog is overflowing with beauty. Deborah offers a humble and poignant autumn poem. The bell tower team shares the unfolding story of their work, a delight to read. The Magdalen Fellowship invites all to Christmas peace, including the evening meditation on 21 December. Denise gifts us a thoughtful article on the Advent wreath, rich in symbolism and hope. Caroline’s Monet studiesbring colour, light, and wonder into the season. Carol-Ann’s exploration of Italian Presepi reveals the artistry and devotion woven into the nativity tradition. And with joyful contrast, our annual parish pantomime in January promises laughter, warmth, and communal delight. We hold in prayer, those among us who carry illness, fragility, or heavy burdens this season. They are wrapped in the quiet support and care of our community, sustained by love, hope, and grace. We remember too all for whom this season brings loneliness, yearning, or grief. Those who hunger, those who weep, those whose spirits feel heavy. In our fellowship, we witness the light of Christ reflected in the gentleness of care, the listening heart, and the shared joy that threads through our parish. A prayer for December: O radiant God of Advent and Christmas, kindle in us the light that never dims. Let joy leap in our hearts, hope rise in our spirits, and peace rest upon our homes. Bless our community with generosity that astonishes, love that endures, and gratitude that deepens. Gather us in sacred stillness, as we await the cradle of Bethlehem, and lead us into the wonder of Christ’s birth, now and forever. Amen. As we move through this sacred season, we are invited to dwell in the quiet mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, present in the ordinary and the unnoticed. Christmas carries a theology of wonder; the Word enfleshed, the infinite drawn into the fragile cradle of human life. In every candle flame, every shared song, and every gathered face, there is a reflection of that divine nearness. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6), a reminder that even the darkest nights are touched by light, and that God’s presence threads through the rhythms of everyday life. This December, the beauty of Christ’s outstretched hand is offered to all. Those who are new to church, unsure of faith, or navigating life with additional needs are met with the same gentle invitation. Those coming on their own are embraced within the shared fellowship of the community. Christmas can be overwhelming, loud, or bright with expectation, yet here there is space to be, space to pause, space to encounter the mystery of Emmanuel quietly, safely, and with welcome. Every moment of stillness, every shared song, every gathering in the warmth of church is a thread in a tapestry of belonging, offering the assurance that Christ’s love and our community hold space for all. With all good wishes and warmest thoughts for this Advent and Christmas, may the unfolding days hold moments of quiet marvel, deep reflection, and the shared delight of community. Let the ordinary glow with God-with-us, and the sacredness of each encounter; whether in prayer, reflection, music, or fellowship, remind every heart, whether young, hesitant, or seeking, that they are part of the story of Emmanuel. December becomes a season not just of celebration, but of shared presence, of community woven together in wonder, care, and gentle hope. Join us tis season †  December carries its own intensity. The days compress, the light fades early, and the world around us grows loud. Celtic worship offers another rhythm. A quieter rhythm. A rhythm shaped by prayer, attentiveness, and peace. Each Friday at six, we gather for a simple half hour, not of performance but of presence. No songs to carry, no spectacle to hold. Only stillness, Scripture, and gentle musical moments that help the soul settle. The Celtic Christian tradition has always honoured this simplicity. It emerged from communities who prayed with the land, who listened to the wind and the water, who believed that the holiness of God was woven into the fabric of creation. Nature became a teacher. Silence became a companion. Hospitality became a discipline. These early Christians carried a deep reverence for the beauty of ordinary things, and an unwavering respect for every person they encountered. Their spirituality was rooted, embodied, and profoundly compassionate. There is history here too. The monastic settlements of Iona and Lindisfarne shaped the imagination of the early church in these islands. They nurtured scholars, poets, and missionaries whose legacy still speaks. Their prayers were lyrical and their theology was spacious. They held learning and devotion side by side with an elegance that continues to inspire. Throughout December we step into that inheritance. Week by week, we rest in stillness and allow the quiet light of Advent to deepen. This year we also keep Saint Stephen’s Day. On Boxing Day we will gather again at six for a special Celtic service, honouring the first martyr and praying for courage, mercy, and hope. Everyone is welcome. Come if you long for a gentler space. Come if you need silence. Come if you seek a moment of rest in the turning of the year. Celtic worship in December is a soft doorway to peace, and the invitation is always open. May the quiet glory of winter draw us into the deep heart of God, where light shimmers on ancient paths. Come to Celtic worship this December, and let Christ kindle wonder within us, as the Spirit folds us into peace and holy stillness. |
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