New Bishop of Whitby - The Diocese of York

News from
the Church of
England
between the
Humber and
the Tees
December 2012
New Bishop of Whitby
The Reverend Philip North, Team
Rector of the Parish of Old St
Pancras, London, has been
appointed by the Queen as the
Suffragan Bishop of Whitby, in
succession to the Right Reverend
Dr Martin Warner.
The Revd Philip North (pictured
right at Thirsk Auction Mart)
said, “I am excited and humbled
to have been appointed as Bishop
of Whitby and will do my best to
serve the people of the Cleveland
Archdeaconry and the Diocese of
York. The North East of England
is very dear to my heart, having
been a vicar there for many years,
and it’s great to be coming back.
I’m looking forward to meeting
people and helping churches
make the Gospel known in their
communities.
“Whilst I will be sad to leave
Parish life behind, I relish the
opportunity to return to the
north of England and to the
diversity of the Cleveland
Archdeaconry, from inner city to
rural life, from market towns to
fishing villages. As a keen walker
and cyclist I look forward to
being close to the Cleveland Hills
and North York Moors. I also
used to play cricket for the
Diocese of Durham and was
often on the wrong end of a hefty
thumping from the Diocese of
York. It would be good to think
that I might have the opportunity
to be on the winning side!”
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Aidan, Cuthbert and Hilda at Advent
At Diocesan Synod earlier this year, I
spoke about the joy of having a
venturesome faith, about Generous
Churches Making and Nurturing
Disciples and spreading the Good
News of the Gospel.
As disciples we are called to follow
Christ and to be the Good News of
the Gospel. We aspire to follow his
teachings and, with the grace of the
Holy Spirit, we seek to become more
like him day by day. But it’s not
easy! Life can be tough. Loving our
neighbour as ourselves is one of the
hardest tasks. We are called to be salt
and light to the whole world,
preserving what is good; and
reflecting God’s light into dark
corners and thereby bringing
transformation by the power of the
Gospel.
Advent is such a wonderful time to
be reminded of Aidan, Cuthbert and
Hilda. These three missionaries
worked diligently to build
communities of prayer, worship and
hospitality. They weren’t prepared to
stay safely in those communities.
Their overriding purpose was to go
out and tell others about Jesus and to
see their society transformed- and
they didn’t take no for an answer! If
we all do this, building up the body
of Christ in our churches and then
go out to tell others, we will see what
God did in the lives of Aidan,
Cuthbert and Hilda happening in
our own generation!
Growing the Body of Christ is not a
task that we should add to a New
Year’s resolution list or something
that is left to one side until a quieter
moment comes our way. This
Christmas, go and be the Good News
of the Gospel and take with you the
words Jesus in the Gospel of
Matthew:
And Jesus came and said to them,
‘All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything that I have
commanded you. And remember, I
am with you always, to the end of
the age.’
Do not be afraid. Go out and become
a new generation of Aidans,
Cuthberts and Hildas in your own
community!
+Sentamu Ebor
2

Together Middlesbrough
On Advent Sunday 2nd December,
Christians from across
Middlesbrough and surrounding
areas will be gathering with the
Archbishop of York to celebrate the
launch of a significant new venture,
called Together Middlesbrough.
In February 2012, over 100 people
from local churches and Christian
organisations came together for a
conference called Bridging the Gap
to share their concern about poverty
in the Middlesbrough area. The sad
reality is that 15 out of the 19
Church of England parishes in
Middlesbrough deanery are ranked in
the bottom 10% most deprived areas
of Britain. In these communities up
to 59% of children are living in
poverty, up to 53% of families are
headed by lone parents and in some
parishes male life expectancy is as
low as 68 years — 20 years less than
in the most affluent communities in
England. These are not the small,
localised pockets of deprivation
found within nearly all parishes, but
rather whole communities blighted
by the interrelated problems of
income poverty, poor health, low
skills and family breakdown.
These statistics can feel
overwhelming, and yet we know
there are Christians actively
responding to meet some of these
needs. Those attending the Bridging
the Gap event were inspired by
coming together, and asked for the
conference to be the beginning of
something where Churches and
Christian projects can work together
to tackle poverty in the
Middlesbrough area. Since then, the
Bridging the Gap group has been
working hard in response to this
feedback and we are delighted to be
launching Together Middlesbrough, a
Joint Venture project supported by
the Church Urban Fund. The project
will provide support and resources to
Churches and Christians from the
whole spectrum of church traditions,
seeking to address poverty in
Middlesbrough and surrounding
areas where deprivation is a pressing
concern.
Christ calls us to respond to the
needs of our neighbours, to feed the
hungry, to clothe the poor, to
befriend the lonely, to visit the
prisoner, to care for the sick: in
serving others we are serving him.
Together Middlesbrough is a practical
Christian response to local need. By
coming together, we can support,
resource and encourage one another
to make a significant difference in
our communities.
The launch service will take place at
2pm, at St Barnabas’ Church,
Linthorpe. At the service there will
be more details about how Together
Middlesbrough will work. Everyone
is welcome.
Heather Black
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Safe Families for Children
Has your heart ever been warmed
when you have heard someone
talk about an act of kindness that
they have witnessed? I recently
heard about a young mum
thousands of miles away from her
family, ready to give birth to her
second child, anxious about who
could care for her toddler. Being
part of a church community
meant the need was quickly met
by people she knew and trusted
who looked after her child whilst
she stayed in hospital. What
could have been a crisis became
an opportunity for the love of
Christ to be lived out.
The situation I’ve described might
sound familiar within your
church, but what about Lisa, a
single mum living a few streets
away, struggling with depression,
desperately isolated and unable to
cope with her fourteen month
old baby who doesn’t sleep too
well. If you knew about Lisa
would you want to help?
Many families today find
themselves with no one to turn
to when a crisis arises. Wouldn’t
it be great if the Church could
step in and do what an extended
family does! Well, let me
introduce to you ‘Safe Families
for Children’ (SFFC) which offers
a fantastic opportunity for
churches of all denominations to
extend support and care for
families in our communities who
are experiencing very difficult
situations and feeling alone.
SFFC, founded in Chicago ten
years ago, has facilitated
Christian people in helping tens
of thousands of families
throughout fifteen states in the
USA. What has worked in the
USA is being thoughtfully
adapted to be consistent with the
laws and procedures here in the
UK. The Local Authority in
Middlesbrough has agreed that a
three year pilot of SFFC can take
place here in Middlesbrough and
Sir Peter Vardy has brought
together a team to make this
happen by setting up a new UK
Safe Families for Children
charity.
What we need to get this
initiative under way are
volunteers, people like you who
can make a difference in our
communities. Volunteer Host
Families, Family Friends, Case
Coaches and Resource Friends are
all vital roles within Safe Families
for Children. There is something
that each of us can do and
contribute.
Please don’t hesitate to contact
me if you would like to know
more, on 07506703429 or
trevorbirtle@safefamiliesforchildren.com
Trevor Birtle, Churchwarden for
All Saints Church, Low Worsall
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The Orb
York Minster’s Great East
Window has been described as
the English equivalent of the
Sistine Chapel, and you can now
see some of the newly conserved
panels up close in The Orb - a
new contemporary gallery in the
Minster’s East End.
The Orb is a metallic 10 metre
wide, 3 metre tall dome that has
been installed in the Lady
Chapel, directly below the Great
East Window. Visitors will walk
inside The Orb to see displays of
five newly-conserved panels
taken from the Great East
Window – four permanently on
display and one which will
change each month during the
Orb’s three year tenancy of the
space.
The Acting Dean of York, Canon
Glyn Webster said, "It is too easy
for us to take for granted the
amazing architecture and
painting of the Great East
Window. It is almost impossible
to imagine the effect of this
astonishing wall of glass must
have had when it was first
unveiled to the medieval public.
It is my hope that the superb
restoration of the glass,
undertaken by the York Glaziers
Trust, will reveal anew the
marvels of the window, designed
and painted between 1405 and
1408 by John Thornton of
Coventry.”
Entry into The Orb is included in
admission to York Minster: for
more information, please visit
www.yorkminster.org.
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Hawking, Dawkins and GOD
York Courses have produced a CD
featuring John Polkinghorne
in conversation with John Young.
The Bishop of Hull, the Rt Revd
Richard Frith reviews this CD.
John Young was formerly York
Diocesan Evangelist. He is a gifted
evangelist, gentle but persuasive, and
superb at drawing the best out of
those to whom he is talking.
This CD is brilliant! If you are one
of the many Christians who view
science with fear rather than
confidence in it being a gift from
God, it is for you.
If, like me, you are pretty clueless
about science but want reassurance
that being a Christian doesn't
require intellectual suicide in relation
to science, listen to it.
If it bothers you that research
indicates that a large majority of
sixteen-year-olds - particularly boys -
believe that science has disproved
religion, it is for you too.
If you are a seeker after truth who
would love to see science and religion
as friends and not enemies, it will set
you thinking.
If you would feel encouraged to hear
a conversation between two
warm-hearted, humble but
confident, outstanding Christian
communicators, you will find this
CD to be excellent value.
John Polkinghorne (pictured) is a
former Professer of Mathematical
Physics at Cambridge University. He
is also an Anglican priest.
The CD is a wide-ranging review of
John Polkinghorne's life and faith,
with particular reference to his
response to the New Atheism. He
speaks of Stephen Hawking, Richard
Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens
respectfully but critically.
About Richard Dawkins he says,
"He's very polemical. He's trying to
win an argument rather than see the
truth.... and in doing that he likes to
set up straw men." "The God
Delusion" has more assertion than
argument in it.
John Polkinghorne knows Stephen
Hawking well and has great respect
for him, admiring his courage and
persistence in living with motor
neurone disease. But he describes
Hawking as naive in matters of
theology.
There are, says Polkinghorne, a
significant number of practising
scientists who hold the Christian
faith. John Young quotes Howard
Jacobson, who said: "The fact that so
many of mankind's best thinkers,
artists and even scientists have
believed in God is not itself a reason
to believe. But it should prevent our
thinking that God is for the
uneducated and gullible.
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world in which there is suffering?"
He describes it as the most
challenging question to religious
belief. He admits there is no simple,
one line answer that removes all the
difficulties.
At the heart of his faith, is his focus
on Jesus. ".... in the cross of
Christ we see God himself, having
lived a human life, stretching out his
arms to embrace the suffering of the
world."
“And it certainly can't be that we
were all fools until Richard Dawkins
came along." Polkinghorne says that
he thinks science purchases great
success by the modesty of its
ambition. "It isn't trying to ask and
answer every question. It tells you
how things happen, but it doesn't
say whether something's going on in
what is happening - is there meaning
or purpose or value going on?"
In talking of his own faith, John
Polkinghorne acknowledges the
seriousness of the question, "Why a
The conversation also touches on the
possibility of life on other planets.
"If there are little green men who are
in need of redemption, then the
divine Word will take little green
flesh for their redemption, as we
believe the divine Word took our
flesh for our redemption." But John
Polkinghorne returns to his own
faith in Christ, expressed in a way
that is humble but passionate,
intelligible but profound, reassuring
but challenging.
This CD will be as well spent an hour
as you can have.
+Richard Frith, Bishop of Hull
7

Celebrate Christingle and support
families in crisis
Help The Children’s Society celebrate
Christingle and join us as we pray for
some of the most disadvantaged
children in our society. As we
remember the story of Christ’s birth,
and the Holy Family facing crisis
then, we hold in our prayers families
in crisis today.
Last year the support from the
Diocese of York was exceptional.
Over 181 services were held raising
more than £34,000 to help
disadvantaged children.
A family can be in crisis for different
reasons and the impact on children
can be devastating. They can find
themselves running away from home
and facing increasingly dangerous
situations, sometimes turning to
alcohol or drugs.
Courtney ended up being taken into
care after years of running away
from the problems at home. Having
spent the majority of her teenage
years in a cycle of fear and
frustration, Courtney was extremely
vulnerable and in desperate need of
support. The Children’s Society
provided her with a dedicated mentor
who helped Courtney to take positive
steps to change her life.
The Children’s Society exists to help
and support young people like
Courtney and their families.
Children may need someone to talk
to after running away from an
abusive family home, or they may
need some permanence, stability and
security when living in care.
With over 6000 Christingle events
taking place across the country, these
are a magical way for children in
churches, youth groups and schools
to remember other children in often
very difficult situations.
Find out more and download
resources at www.christingle.org.
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Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment -
Autumn 2012 update
Making sure that children, young
people and vulnerable adults are safe
within the life of the Church is a key
priority. The honour and value that
is given to all people — including
those who are in any sense
vulnerable — reflects faith in God
who loves and values everyone he has
made. At the same time, we need
practical common-sense ways of
working, and we are required to
operate within the terms of the law
Earlier this year, the Protection of
Freedoms Act was passed. Among
other things, it re-defines the kinds
of work for which people may be
CRB checked. The Church’s national
advisers are in discussion with
Government in order to settle some
points where it is not entirely clear
how the law will be applied in detail:
so they have issued some interim
guidance, for use until the final
guidelines are issued, probably in
2013.
Whether someone needs a CRB
disclosure depends on the work they
are doing. It does not depend on
their status, or on whether they are
paid or volunteer workers.
The general principles in the
diocesan policy on Safer Recruitment
still apply, and you are encouraged to
refer to them.
All candidates for public ministry,
serving clergy and Readers, and other
recognised lay ministers must still
have a current CRB disclosure issued
through the Archbishop’s office.
As for other people involved in the
Church’s work, the Government uses
comparison with the level of contact
between children and a shopkeeper
as a yardstick — if an adult has a role
that involves more significant
contact than that with children, and
if (s)he is not within sight of a
supervisor at all times, then an
enhanced CRB is likely to be
appropriate. That would include
youth and family workers, and those
who teach and train children (e.g.,
where applicable, bell ringing
instructors, head servers and
musicians). Leaders of parent and
toddler groups only require a
disclosure if the children are cared
for away from their parents at any
stage.
There are some circumstances in
which a CRB disclosure issued by
another organisation may be
accepted by the Church (so-called
portability) — but only if a set of
conditions is fully met. It is not
enough for someone simply to
produce a CRB disclosure document.
See Section 6 of the national
guidance.
For more on these interim
guidelines, visit
www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/your-
church/safeguarding/autumn-2012-
update.
Please ask your archdeacon or the
CRB unit at Bishopthorpe if you have
any queries or concerns about
Safeguarding issues and procedures.
9

What’s On
Sat 1 Dec - Installation of the Dean
of York, 3pm, York Minster.
Sat 1 - Sun 9 Dec - Christmas
Wonderland Exhibition, St Mary's
Thirsk
Sun 2 Dec - Launch of Together
Middlesbrough, St Barnabas Church,
Linthorpe (see page 3.)
Sun 2 Dec - William Temple
Association, York St John University,
7.30pm. Benjamin Rowland, will give
a talk on 'Making Money Morally:
What Makes Commerce Good'.
More details from
kingsley.boulton@stolave.org.uk or
01904 411535.
Mon 3 Dec - Lunchtime Organ
Recital, Saint Mary's Church Thirsk,
12.15pm. By the Ven Paul Ferguson,
Archdeacon of Cleveland.
Thurs 6 - Sat 8 Dec - Gifts for the
Manger at Holy Rood House. An
Epiphany Retreat for People
Preparing for Ministry. Contact
01845 522580 or
enquiries@holyroodhouse.org.uk.
Fri 7 Dec - 'O Come O Come
Emmanuel' by Stamford Bridge
Singers, Bar Convent, York, 7.30pm.
An evening of Readings and Music
Contact 01904 643238 or visit
www.stamfordbridgesingers.btck.co.uk
Sat 8 Dec - Jesus, Light of the World
- Celebration by In the Father's
Hand at Paul's, Holgate, 2pm. This
event is suitable for - but not limited
to - adults with learning disabilities
and/or complex needs.
Sat 8 Dec - Christmas Brass &
Voices, Bridlington Priory, 7pm
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band
and Bridlington Priory Choir in
concert. Contact 01262 403244 for
details.
Sat 15 Dec - “Praying with
Landscape” at The Endsleigh Mercy
Centre, Hull. A day exploring the
connections between spirituality and
location. Contact 01482 342779 or
visit www.endsleighcentre.org.uk.
Sat 15 Dec - 'Only 80 Miles to
Christmas!' St Andrew's Church,
Huntington, 2pm. Riding Light's
new Christmas play - for details call
01904 768006 or visit
www.ridinglights.org.
Sat 15 - Sun 16 Dec - Crib Festival at
All Saints Hutton Rudby
Sat 15 Dec - 'This Wondrous Night',
St John the Evangelist Church
Welburn, 7.30pm. The Stamford
Bridge Singers present a joyous
celebration of the religious and
secular side of Christmas. Contact
01904 643238, or visit
www.stamfordbridgesingers.btck.co.uk
Sat 22 - Thurs 27 Dec - Christmas
House Party, at Holy Rood House.
Contact 01845 522580 or
enquiries@holyroodhouse.org.uk.
Sat 29 Dec - Weds 2 Jan - New Year
House Party, at Holy Rood House.
Contact 01845 522580 or
enquiries@holyroodhouse.org.uk.
10

On the move
The Archbishop has appointed the
Revd Jeremy James Fletcher, Vicar of
the Benefice of Beverley Minster, to
be Rural Dean of Beverley for a
period of five years.
The Revd Anne Borthwick, NSM
Assistant Curate of the Benefice of
Rural East York, has additionally
been appointed Sessional Chaplain
to York District Hospital.
The Revd Elizabeth (Liz) Hassall,
Assistant Curate of the Benefice of
Bempton with Flamborough,
Reighton with Speeton, has been
appointed Rector of the Benefice of
Coxwold and Husthwaite and of the
Benefice of Crayke with Brandsby
and Yearsley.
The Revd Ivan Howitt, Vicar of the
Benefice of Harton, is retiring with
effect from 1st January 2013.
The Revd Dr Sue Nightingale, SSM
Assistant Curate of the Benefice of
the Forest of Galtres, has retired and
the Archbishop has granted her
Permission to Officiate in the
Diocese of York.
The Archbishop has granted
Permission to Officiate to the
following:
The Revd John Argyle Wardle of
Bridlington
The Revd Allan Paul Hughes of York
The Revd Dr Alastair Ferguson, Vicar
of the Benefice of Lastingham with
Appleton-Le-Moors, Rosedale and
Cropton, has retired.
Organist wanted
St Wilfrid's Church, Monk Fryston, needs an organist to cover Sunday
services on three Sundays of the month at 11am (two of these with the choir
and one without) and also two choir practices per month (Thursday evenings
between 7.30-9pm). Honorarium for these services to be discussed with any
potential candidates.
In addition to the above all funerals and weddings – fee presently at £65 for
these services (approx 7 funerals per year and 10 weddings).
Please contact Revd John Hetherington on 01977 680788 or at
hetherington556@btinternet.com for further details.
11

Get Knitted!
People from St Olave's Church, York,
(pictured above with Bishop Martin)
have knitted a new roof after lead
thefts which caused £50K damage to
the chancel and organ. Churchgoers
were sponsored to knit enough
squares to cover the roof.
Priest in Charge of St Olave's, the
Revd Jane Nattrass said, "Over 2,000
knitted squares have been made -
enough to cover the chancel roof!
Many of the squares have been sewn
into beautiful blankets which will be
donated to the Knit-A-Square project
which provides warm clothing for
children affected by AIDS in
southern Africa - meaning that even
more people will benefit from the
campaign.
"Thanks to the generosity and
kindness of the people of York,
enough money has now been raised
to repair the organ and replace the
roof - we look forward to welcoming
people from far and wide to visit the
church and hear the organ in the
run up to Christmas."
Diocese of York News December 2012
Editor: Eleanor Course, Diocesan Communications Officer, Diocesan House,
Aviator Court, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4WJ. Tel 01904 699530, Email
eleanor.course@yorkdiocese.org
Deadline to include items in the Jan/Feb issue is Mon 2 Dec 2012.
The Diocese of York News may be copied for use in Parish Magazines etc, and
may be downloaded as a pdf file from www.dioceseofyork.org.uk.
Contact Eleanor Course as above to receive an e-mailed download link for each
new issue.
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