![]() Dear friends, I want to share with you that I will be finishing my post as Rector in Almondbury with Farnley Tyas in September 2024, and will become part-time hospital Chaplain at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the Diocese of Sheffield (subject to pre-employment checks). My final Sunday in the parish will be 8th September 2024. We as a family have cherished our time here, and love our churches. As you know this place means such a lot to my family, and we have felt a sense of deep rootedness here - to baptise Josiah in the same parish as my grandfather and his great grandfather was such a blessing. You have become friends and have been so generous in sharing life with us. Particularly, we will never forget the love with which you have embraced Josiah, and your support during his early birth. We have come (with much prayer) to the decision that at this stage of life with a little one and his particular needs, the part-time chaplaincy role at the children's hospital makes sense of my vocational journey, particularly having had our own baby in hospital for a month at the beginning of his life. The part-time nature of this role will allow us to balance ministry alongside parenting and Sheffield is a closer commute to Sam’s chaplaincy headquarters. We will miss you dearly, but will not be far away. We shall be praying for you, that God will guide your paths as you continue to serve Christ in our community. With every blessing, Felicity
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Little Hallows: Our baby and toddler Stay and Play meets in All Hallows' church hall each Monday from 9 to 10.30am during term time. But here are two extra summer dates for your diary. We will meet on Monday, July 22, and start back on Monday, August 26. All are welcome – and it's free. There are toys, snacks, music and an opportunity for a cuppa/chat with other parents/carers and our lovely volunteers. Messy Church: We're back! This time with a summery seaside theme. on Saturday, August 17 in All Hallows' Church Hall from 10 to 11am. Free drinks and snacks and fun activities for all ages such as decorating tote beach bags and baby/toddler sensory play. You're welcome to turn up, but to give us an idea of numbers, you can let us know here: https://tinyurl.com/yxw3v6fb ![]() To mark Great Big Green Week and World Refill Day – June 8 - 16 – the Eco-church group at St Lucius' will have a display of Eco-friendly household items in church with details of prices and where to buy them. The church will be open to visitors for this until the end of June on every Saturday from 9am -3pm, Sunday 10am to 1pm and from Tuesday 9am to noon. We believe that small changes can make a big difference and we wish to encourage parishioners to consider changing to safer and kinder household products for our planet. All the items on display, apart from the re-filled bottles, will be put in a draw once the display is dismantled. Tickets are available at £1 each and winners will be notified by phone. All proceeds will go to our Parish Food Share. In anticipation of Sunday, a very happy Pentecost to you all! This is a warm invitation to come to our parish's Annual Vestry Meeting and Annual Parochial Church Meeting on May 26 after our 10.30am parish service at St Michael & St Helen's, Fleminghouse Lane. The service itself will be shortened with time for further reflection and prayer in the meeting. I attach the following documents for you to have a read and pray through before the meeting: 1. Agenda 2. Minutes of last year's APCM 3. The draft Parish Strategic Mission Plan (for consultation) 4. The Annual Report and Consolidated Accounts 5. Other reports and supporting information (please note that we are still expecting a few more reports, so will send an updated version of this document in the coming days). The APCM is the equivalent of a company's AGM, but because we are the church, significantly different! The whole thing is set in the context of worship, prayer and fellowship. Whilst we take care to reflect, and look back carefully and gratefully, the emphasis is on looking forward - with faith and vision. It is always a blessing to elect our Churchwardens and PCC for the coming year. There will also be an opportunity to reflect on the draft strategic mission plan for the parish, which has been put together by a small team from across the three churches in consultation with our PCC and Church Committees. Please do have a read - particularly thinking through these questions: What is helpful? What would you like to be a part of? What is missing? Please note that this is a summary. There is a more detailed action plan. If you'd like an electronic copy of the more detailed version, please get in touch, and we'll also print off a copy to put up at the back of each church. So, do please come, if you can! And please do be praying for our church - that the Lord of the years will carry us forward into God's purposes for the future. God bless, Felicity ![]()
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![]() We record with sorrow the death of John Foster, a former assistant organist and choir member at All Hallows'. He died peacefully on Thursday, shortly after his 89th birthday. John – Fozzy' to many – began his long musical link with Almondbury in 1962 under the then organist, George Hepworth, and he continued playing the organ and singing bass under George's successor, Malcolm Cruise. He was also an experienced bell ringer, moving on occasions with speed from the ringing chamber to choir pew on a Sunday morning. John was a keen gardener, and geraniums and busy lizzies grown in his greenhouse would adorn the churchyard each summer. For many years he supplied the daffodils to be distributed on Mothering Sunday. Besides his musical contributions, he will be remembered for his bright personality and lively sense of humour, which emerged from time to time in the pieces he played – the jaunty folksong, 'Country Gardens, being a particular favourite. He leaves a wife, Susan, and three daughters, Catherine, Sally and Penny. The funeral will be at All Hallows' on Wednesday, May 22, at 2pm. Donations if wished may be given for Kirkwood Hospice c/o Radcliffe Funeral Service, 16 Westgate, Honley, Holmfirth, HD9 6AA or online at radcliffefuneralservice.co.uk/obituaries. A donation box will be available at the service. Will friends please accept this intimation and meet at the Church. May John rest in peace and rise in glory. Malcolm Cruise writes: ‘John was assistant to me throughout the whole of my 54 years as organist and choirmaster at All Hallows', Almondbury. In the early years of that lengthy stretch, with a regular choir of up to 25 boys and 16 men, the work involved would have been difficult to manage without him and I was always grateful for his enthusiastic approach, not to mention his quirky humour. 'He played the organ for many services, assisted with rehearsals quite often and, after the work was completed, very much enjoyed the social side of things – which usually involved either the Woolpack, the Con Club or some other hostelry! 'He deputised, too, at St Stephen's, Lindley over many years and for a while also at St Thomas's, Longroyd Bridge. His contribution to our music was indeed a lifetime commitment and much appreciated by all.’ 'O praise ye the Lord! All things that give sound; Each jubilant chord re-echo around; Loud organs, His glory forth tell in deep tone, And sweet harp, the story of what He hath done.' ![]() Almondbury Parish Church will be open to visitors each Wednesday from 10am to 12 noon, starting on Wednesday April 24 and continuing throughout the Summer. All are welcome to visit to pray; to sit in peace and quiet or to admire the beautiful building; or be guided around the many wonderful historical treasures and artefacts which go back to the 12th century. Information sheets will be available, stewards will try to answer questions and on some Wednesdays organ music will be played. All Hallows' is your Parish Church - you will be made very welcome - we look forward to seeing you on a Wednesday morning!
![]() The Eco-Church group at St. Lucius’ is organising two foraging walks in May and June led by Sue Salmon, a medical herbalist. They will take place from 7pm on Monday May 20 and Wednesday June 5, meeting at St. Lucius’ Church. Places are limited and offered on a first come, first served basis, so call Gillian on 01484 603999 to book your place and get foraging! The success of the cinema club at St Lucius' has been reported in the Leeds Diocesan News. Here is a link to the full story: shorturl.at/duwIK The story begins: 'New people are coming to church services, thanks to a recently-launched community cinema club. 'Worshippers at St Lucius Church, Farley Tyas have a hit on their hands since launching the club in Autumn last year, said Chris Thompson, one of the founders.' ![]() Weekly coffee mornings – 'Coffee, Cake and a Warm Welcome' – are to run each Friday at St Michael and St Helen's Church, Fleminghouse Lane, Almondbury. They will run alongside SMASH Food Share. The first one will be on February 23, between 9.30am and 12 noon, and everyone in the community is welcome. |