Dear friends,
Since I last wrote to you, we have said goodbye to three of
our church stalwarts. Firstly, Alex Walker who left St Hilda’s to follow his vocation
of ordination to the priesthood. Alex will be resident at The College of the
Resurrection at Mirfield for the next two years. Alex was a great asset to St
Hilda’s serving as a sacristan, thurifer, PCC member and on Deanery Synod. On the
17th September at Alex’s last Holy Mass with us, we presented him
with a beautiful sick communion set. We
wish him every blessing as he follows this new path.
Then on Sunday 1st October we said goodbye to Canon Paul Denby and
his wife Julie, they are relocating to be nearer their daughter down south. Both Father Paul and Julie have worked
tirelessly for St Hilda’s for the past 16 years. Both being members of the PCC
and various committees. Far too many to list here. Their time and talents have shown
no bounds.
We had a collection for them as well, to show how much we much we care for them.
We presented them with a monetary gift, so when they are settled, they can buy
something to remind them of their time here at St Hilda’s.
Alex, Fr Paul and Julie will be greatly missed, so we have now appealed to our congregation to help fulfil some of the gaps that we are now facing.
We are recruiting new Servers in the sanctuary, both male and female; we are looking for new members of the PCC, those to serve on the Croft and Maintenance Committees as we look to bring in new members but above all we are a team, a group of committed individuals that make up the body of Christ in the place.
Next year I shall celebrate my diamond anniversary as a priest, 60 years of faithful service with over 25 of those years spent served in this parish of St Hilda’s. Over that time there have been many changes, some good and others that cannot be rejoiced, but I truly believe we are on the threshold of becoming a team that will change the face of this church where young and old can coexist and all flourish as we serve of Lord in the best possibly way that we can.
No one is too old to take up a new role and neither is anyone to new to our church to take on a leadership role. It is time to think about ourselves and to take up the challenge of serving God in a way that is unfamiliar. Our aim must surely be to prepare for the next generation of worshippers her eat our church, to ensure that the fabric is strong and in good condition, perhaps to encourage one another to think about leading our worship from the choir pews. There are so many roles that you can do, why not have a go.
To help us we have the saints around us offering prayer for God’s people.
1st St Thérèsa of Lisieux, born in 1873 in a small French town of Alencon. At 15 years of age she became a Carmelite nun and she had a vision of the baby Jesus, which she believed was a sign from God. She was a faithful young woman until her death in 1897. 4th St Francis of Assisi asked his followers to praise God in his Creation in every being, animals, and insects. 9th St John Henry Newman was a respected Anglican priest who became a Catholic in 1845. He was made a cardinal for his major contribution in spiritual writing. 15th Teresa of Ávila, born in 1515 and considered to be an intelligent woman. She joined a convent at 16 and became a nun 5 years later. She died in 1582 at the age of 67 and made a saint in 1622. Named a Doctor of the church because of her writing was an immense honour especially for women of her time; 18th St Luke the Evangelist was most probably what we would call a Vet but is considered to be the Patron Saint od Doctors. He was the writer of the third gospel and met our Lord.
Every blessing.
The Reverend Fr Ronald Croft
Dear friends,
August is traditionally the month that holidays are taken and enjoyed by thousands of people throughout the land. Individual’s thoughts are very much occupied with images of sea and sand, ice creams, candy floss, the heat of the sun, sun cream and not least with enjoying food and drink. I can only wish those of you who have already been away or who are about to go off to foreign climes my very best wishes – you all deserve it!
For the church, August is a very important time too and there are two very special dates, though those dates are surrounded by over 20 Saint’s day. The first date falls on the 6th August, the day of Christ’s Transfiguration. The Transfiguration commemorates the occasions when our Lord took three of his disciples, Peter, James and John up a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured, his face and clothes becoming dazzlingly bright. The three disciples witnessed the wonderful event and though they were held in that moment of splendour and awe, they had to come down off the mountain and rejoin their everyday life. We do not see such splendour but we are constantly dwelling on the light and joy of Christ’s light.
However, that same day the world commemorates the deaths of millions as we reflect on the final days of World War II and the tragic events of Hiroshima when the first of two atom bombs were dropped on that city and three days later another on Nagasaki. The bombing of those two cities precipitated the end of the conflict with Japan.
The second important day is that of the Feast of the Assumption on the 15th August. This feast day marks the belief that when Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, died, her body was ‘assumed’ into heaven to be reunited with her soul, instead of going through the natural process of physical decay upon death. Mary was and remains very special in the life of the church because she was chosen, marked out as a young woman to bear the child who would transform the whole world and bring hope and love and joy to all who follow him.
As I write the rain pours down but the sun will return!
Enjoy this month and as the sun shines, may God’s blessing be upon you and give you peace.
The Reverend Fr Ronald Croft